The Dr Louise Newson Podcast - 107 – Menopause, testosterone & rowing the Atlantic at 50 with Gail Wolstenholme and Nicola Matthews

Episode Date: October 6, 2026

In this really interesting episode, two ocean rowers over 50 share their menopause journeys. One of them takes all three hormones, and the other would love to but has been refused testosterone by so m...any doctors.Gail Wolstenholme and Nicola Matthews are part of Team Old Enough to Row Better, a five-person crew aiming to become the oldest mixed team to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic in the World's Toughest Row. Gail takes all three hormones and describes testosterone as "like the sun coming out." Nicola has tried the Mirena coil, gels and patches without feelinglike herself, was told by one GP she was too old for "that mucky stuff" and handed antidepressants, and still can't get testosterone prescribed in Scotland.Dr Louise Newson explains why it's still so hard to access evidence-based hormone treatment, why testosterone matters for women's mood, energy and coordination, and why you can't exercise your way out of hormone deficiency.They also share why taking up something new after 50 matters, from staying physically and mentally active to building confidence and widening your social circle, with four take-home tips.Sponsor the crew: www.oldenoughtorowbetter.co.ukFollow: @old_enough_to_row_betterLET'S CONNECT👉Been dismissed or offered antidepressants instead of hormones? Book with Newson Clinic: https://www.newsonhealth.co.uk/👉 More from Dr Louise Newson: https://linkin.bio/drlouisenewson

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 This is a really interesting podcast with two guests, Gayle and Nikki, who are both phenomenal rowers. They share their journey, how they're training. One of them takes all three hormones. One of them would love to take hormones and has been refused by so many doctors. So we talk about the struggle of how to receive evidence-based hormone treatments and also the importance of taking up a new sport, including rowing over the age of 50. So enjoy. So two people on my podcast today, I feel really impressed that you've travelled so far,
Starting point is 00:00:37 but you've come to talk about how you're going to travel even further rowing. So just this is incredible. You've done the row already. You're doing it soonish, starting with sponsorship. And just tell me about what you're doing. Well, we're team old enough to row better. We're a mixed team of five. We're three women and two men.
Starting point is 00:01:03 We're from all over the world, actually. We've got two people from Colorado in the United States. And we have Nikki from Scotland. We have Gabe from Ireland and myself from Cheshire in England, obviously. We're all over 50. We're promoting health and fitness for the over 50s. And we're called Team Old Enough to Row Better. And where are you rowing?
Starting point is 00:01:30 are rowing the Atlantic in the world's toughest row. So we leave Lagamara next year on the 12th of December, weather permitting and heading across to Antigua. And how many miles? 3,000 miles, yes. 3,000 miles that you're rowing. Yeah. And how long is that going to take you? We would like to do it in 44 days. I would like to do it in 40 days. And last time it took us 47. So you've done it before. what a challenge. It's amazing. But you were saying scary but amazing and it can't be that bad otherwise
Starting point is 00:02:06 you wouldn't be doing it again. Yeah, pretty much. It's a different feeling out there. It's just so different out there. And it's hard. You can't ever explain it unless you've done it. Just to be out in the Atlantic, the first two weeks is terrifying.
Starting point is 00:02:18 But after that, it's just amazing. The wildlife, the sunsets, all of it. It's just inspirational. And it's great. There was a big fleet of women last year, which was really good to say and we weren't the oldest team there was four teams
Starting point is 00:02:33 three teams similar to myself our team which was women over 50s So how many people do it altogether? There was 44 crews last year and over 120 rowers so but in that there's wee races between
Starting point is 00:02:48 it is a race and in that there's wee races in between so our team was a Welsh team and an English team and obviously the Scottish girls So we won. You won? Yeah.
Starting point is 00:03:01 Amazing. Well, between the three of us, we didn't win overall. It was a group of young boys about 20. So that's our challenge. That's incredible. We will be the oldest mixed team to do it, hopefully. So we should set a new world record as the oldest mix team to do this and the fastest. Incredible.
Starting point is 00:03:19 Next year. So could you reach out to me and saying that you're taking hormones and you probably wouldn't be quite doing this without hormones. Is that fair to say? That's absolutely true. So a few years ago when the perimenopause and the menopause struck, I actually had to give up rowing. I had to give up rowing for three months because my wrists hurt so much
Starting point is 00:03:47 and my captain didn't want me to cause any damage until we knew what it was. And there were lots of other symptoms that were being treated separately. Nobody put the big picture together and said, oh, you're on the menopause. Perhaps you should start taking estrogen or testosterone or other hormones to help ease the symptoms. So I had a bladder infection for three months. They sent tests off for that. Didn't have a bladder infection. My wrists, my fingers, my knees.
Starting point is 00:04:24 everything hurt. Yeah. And again, it's only when I started to take estrogen and other hormones that these things started to subside. Yeah. So did it take a while before you saw someone to get you the hormones? Yes, it was actually my husband that did some research and he listened to you. Great.
Starting point is 00:04:46 And he introduced me to your podcast. And that's when I made an appointment to see someone, a hormone special. to actually get some hormone treatment myself. Yes. And it made a massive difference right away within a few weeks. It's incredible, isn't it? I think once you can join the dots, it's all very obvious. But medicine has become so siloed that no one looks at the bigger picture.
Starting point is 00:05:12 When I trained many years ago in Manchester, I had some really great trainers. And they were very much just go back to the basics, see what the common denominator is, really. and listen to your patients, believe your patients, ask more questions because it's all in the history. And sometimes in medicine now, I feel like it's all tick box. You've got these set questions, set things that you need to ask. And then you forget about the rest almost. And then patients know that they're seeing a cardiologist, so they'll only talk about heart symptoms or a rheumatologist. They'll only talk about joint symptoms.
Starting point is 00:05:47 And we're always pressurized when we go and see a doctor because we know that they're running out of time or whatever. So then the patients don't give the history that perhaps they would. They're not asked the questions. And you can see why it doesn't, people don't think, well, what is happening throughout the whole body that's causing all these different symptoms? And once you take a step back, it's also obvious. But at the time, it's isn't, and it's just frustrating that it's missed so often. Absolutely. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:06:14 And then obviously I started having the hot flushes at night, the night sweat. Yes. lack of sleep. So that started become more obvious. But nobody put all the other symptoms together that the gums
Starting point is 00:06:28 the burning gum sensation. Nobody put all those things together and it's only when I started to take hormones that all those symptoms melted away. So you take all three hormones?
Starting point is 00:06:43 So yeah, I take estrogen, I take testosterone I have a marine coil fitted, which after listening to your podcast, I now realize that's a synthetic hormone. So I'm looking at getting that changed and taking a body identical hormone. I mean, some people still have the marina in and then just take body identical progesterone as well, which is always an option.
Starting point is 00:07:09 And if you had any more UTIs at all? Not like that, no. Yeah. Yeah. And are you taking hormone treatment? Not at the minute, no. Is that because you don't want to? No, it's because my journey's been awful experience.
Starting point is 00:07:25 So I started perimenopausal late. I was in my mid-50s. Started, you know, with your foggy brain, losing the car keys, just coordination not right, not sleeping. Didn't have the sweats like I get now. So I went to see my doctor. It was a really good doctor. And I think I live in Scotland,
Starting point is 00:07:47 so I think it depends on the doctors that you have. had a great doctor, and I must admit the male doctors, apart from the last female doctor has been much better than the female doctors, which I found a surprise. So he gave me a set of tablets that I took, and it was a seven-day break in the middle. That was fine. And then my body changed again, and we tried a new set, didn't work. My thyroid was not working quite as well. So they decided I needed to try a Marina Coyo.
Starting point is 00:08:17 I wasn't sure about it. had a few conversations about it. It was the worst experience of my life. I had issues having it inserted, and I had six months of just a full bleed, and in that time, I think I was the psycho. Really? It affected your mood.
Starting point is 00:08:35 Oh, I was awful, crying constantly, rationales things, arguing over things that would never argue. I don't like arguments. I was having arguments. Poor concentration level. And it was just awful. And I just felt I constantly smell awful because that's what I could smell was myself.
Starting point is 00:08:54 And after a while, I managed to get that removed. And they're reluctant to remove it. So reluctant to move, take it out. And so they did take it out. And did you feel better when it was removed? Yes, instantly. Within a few days, the heavy period stopped, much better. And then again, you've got your symptoms back.
Starting point is 00:09:13 So I went back to see another doctor, female doctor. my partner came with me obviously symptoms were coming back foggy brain or the rest of it and the female doctor I was like walked in and she was in my age group so I thought oh goody this is going to be good and really felt reassured
Starting point is 00:09:31 felt easy to talk and she just rubbed my arm and I explained that I had no interest in sex my sex life was out the window just really couldn't concentrate and she rubbed my arm and told me that I was past that age and I didn't want to be doing that mucky stuff and clearly I was depressed and gave me a prescription from antidepressants.
Starting point is 00:09:50 So this is you're asking for hormones, including testosterone, and your doctor is judging about your sex being messy. Yeah, yeah, I was too old for doing that mucky stuff anyway. What was your response to that? I think my jaw fell open and just waiting for somebody from Beagle to pop out and, you know, interviewed and it was all wrong. I was absolutely taken back, sat in the car, burst into tears. I bet.
Starting point is 00:10:15 Because you feel you're going mad. You really feel, you forget things, you think you got on sorts of Alzheimer's, and you just feel that you're going mad and it was awful. I sat in the car cried, kept looking at my partner going, I don't feel depressed, do you think I'm depressed? And he was absolutely not. Did you take the antidepressants? No, we ripped up the prescription straight away.
Starting point is 00:10:40 And I had moved to dress, so I went back to, we had to move doctors. So I went back to another doctor and it was a man again and he was so good, took time to listen. It was a phone call which made it easier. So he prescribed gel and a tablet which I was on. And then I was on that up until I was due to go on the road. But I still didn't feel, I felt a lot better, but I still didn't feel myself. I was still very teary, still very forgetful. training-wise I was fine
Starting point is 00:11:14 but it's just like you know you put your car keys down and can't remember where you put them and so I just didn't feel myself but I felt much better than I did so just put up with it and then we went training because it was a gel and we were in the boat trying to store that was quite difficult and then in the heat it went like water
Starting point is 00:11:33 yeah so you wouldn't have absorbed it anyway so I was like hmm so I went back to the doctors again the same doctor explained it so he gave me the patches to take away. So I started using them. But again, it just didn't feel like me. And you're like, is this me? Is this the new me?
Starting point is 00:11:52 Is this what I've got to be, get used to? I feel all emotional. I'm going to start creating. And you just think you do. This is what you have to just cope with. So, so I went away, trained, took it away with me. And then on the boat, I just decided I didn't need it. My days and nights were muddled up.
Starting point is 00:12:11 So I just left it. And I felt fine. And for the first time, I felt much better, much brighter. But then you haven't got car keys to worry about on a boat. You know, your jobs are so limited. Yes, course. All you're doing is eating, sleeping, washing, washing your hair. And then rowing.
Starting point is 00:12:29 And that's it. I'm watching the navigation system. And that's all you had to do. And then they come across, finish, delighted, up on a high. And then thought, I don't need hormones again. This is great. And then life kicks in. You're back to work.
Starting point is 00:12:44 You're back to try training again because I've been accepted for the lovely crew, which I'm delighted about. So I'm back to training again and all the symptoms are coming back and not sleeping. Up either 2 o'clock in the morning, which is good because then maybe I fall back to sleep for 4. But if I'm up at 4, I'm up. It's relentless, isn't it? Yeah, it's really hard, really, really hard. In work. I work for children's services.
Starting point is 00:13:11 you have to be on the ball. And some days I don't even know I'd spell my name. And it's just, yeah, so it's hard. So I went back to the doctors, got prescribed the same stuff, and it's just not working. No. So I've just come off it. But you're going to see someone else.
Starting point is 00:13:28 Yes, I've got an appointment with your clinic next week. Good. So it's because a lot of people either don't absorb or it's not right for them. And it's also having all three, you've never had testosterone, presumably. No, we don't get that prescribed in Scotland. It's not on the NHS webpage, sadly. It's absolutely. And I think it's got, I was saying to you before we started going,
Starting point is 00:13:50 I think it's got harder in Scotland. And I don't, there's lots of politics and various people behind it. But it seems, whenever I go to Scotland, people are crying out literally for their own hormones. And it is wrong. It's harming women by making these decisions. Because testosterone is the most biologically active hormone we have as women. We produce more testosterone than estrogen.
Starting point is 00:14:11 when we're younger. So why is it that some people decide that testosterone is less important than the other two hormones? It doesn't make sense. And testosterone is really important for mood, energy, concentration, stamina as well. And a lot of people find that it really, like, you know, you have as well, it can really improve. And it feels so frustrating for me. I feel like I'm dangling a carrot by giving people information, but yet they can't have it. And it seems really wrong. It's different if people don't want it. Of course they don't have to have it. But if you want to try something, then it feels really wrong. Like you were given a marina coil that you didn't really want that was a synthetic hormone. Yet all you want is your natural hormone back. It's quite
Starting point is 00:14:55 simplistic medicine. And you take thyroxin, don't you? Yes, I am on thoraxone. So is anyone ever worried about giving you that hormone? Absolutely not. No, not at all. It feels weird, doesn't it? And you get your blood checked every 12 months. And then obviously is there for a few problems and it starts changing, you go and see the doctor, quick blood test, and then a phone call it needs to go up or down. Yeah. And it's really strange, really strange. It's weird, isn't it? It doesn't make sense. I wanted to take a quick pause from our conversation to tell you about my new book, The Power of Hormones. Many of the topics we discuss on this podcast are explored in much greater depth in my book. I look at how hormones really work in the body, why they've been misunderstood for decades,
Starting point is 00:15:40 and how confusion between natural hormones and synthetic hormones has influenced medical practice and public perception. Most importantly, I explain why understanding hormones is essential for improving both current health and future health. So if you'd like to continue learning beyond the podcast, my book The Power of Hormones is available now and I've included a link to buy in the episode's show notes. I'm very interested in the history of medicine and the history of hormones.
Starting point is 00:16:15 And once they decided that those hormones, progesterone and estrogen were due to periods in reproduction, the pharmaceutical companies paid the gynecologists to work with them. So it became like a gynecological hormones. And then once they realized testosterone could help men, it became obviously of the testes, you know, testosterone. And so then it was all a man's hormone. and it's like everyone forgot just the basics. And then when doctors started to talk more about testosterone helping with mood and energy and concentration, they thought these doctors were sham doctors and they thought it was all placebo.
Starting point is 00:16:51 And these doctors were ridiculed. And it's so sad to see or hear stories about these eminent doctors just literally falling down from the medical profession because they didn't want to believe that this hormone that also helped with libido was going to help elsewhere. And we're almost coming back to that now. to have to describe to a doctor about your sex life when there's a hormone that works on every cell in the body, just feels really degrading. I mean, don't get me wrong, I talk about sex in my consultations,
Starting point is 00:17:21 but it's not the only thing I talk about, you know. And to think there's one hormone that only has effect on one symptom, that just seems really too simplistic. Our bodies don't work like that. No, absolutely not. And then when you read about it, I mean, we all need different ones, don't we? Yeah. Your body craves for different things.
Starting point is 00:17:39 Because it does. And all you're getting is a tube. Here you go. Put that on. Rub it up and down your arms and it's a tablet. And we may not be. No, absolutely. And it's such a shame.
Starting point is 00:17:50 It is. And, you know, the last 10 years of specialising in hormones, I've really learnt more about the craft, really, of individualising the doses and the type and the absorption. And everyone's, you know, really different. And what people start on might mean, not what they're on a bit later on. But I worry because so many women can't access hormones,
Starting point is 00:18:11 the majority of women aren't getting them still. But when you talk, you've seen loads of different doctors. And some of them, like you say, are nice, and some of them aren't so nice. But actually, it's irrelevant. Well, it's not completely irrelevant whether they're nice or not, but actually you want the treatment. I just wonder, like, if you're being given the right dose
Starting point is 00:18:31 and time of a hormone treatment with the first consultation, you wouldn't have had to see all these other doctors, would you? And try all these different medications. that's ended up not being used. Yeah. And there was a program on the tele, only last week, about how much wasted medication we're actually doing. Yet they're dishing these things for you to try.
Starting point is 00:18:50 And if it's not right, you can come back and we'll try something else. Yes. And at times you feel okay with that, but other times you think, I deserve more. Yeah, because you do. And I think that was for the, I think talking to yourself, obviously we've had conversations, not on each other long, but we're already having.
Starting point is 00:19:07 these conversations and hearing what a difference it's made, you're like, well, why can't I have that? Yeah. Testosterone was a real game changer for me. I've described it to Nicky as the sun coming out, really, you know, that lovely feeling you get when you sat in the sunshine and that lovely warm feeling because all of a sudden the mental lists that you carry suddenly become a lot easier to maintain these mental lists in your head. Also, just coordination. Going back, to sports. Yeah. So for example, the example I always give is, you know, part of my training is running. And there was a section on my run, which I call the stepping stones. And it was just a coupled area. And it was just, you know, never thought about crossing it before. My feet would
Starting point is 00:19:56 always go in the right place across these, these cobbled stones. And it was just the overflow from the canal. And then one morning I got there and I just didn't know where to put my feet. And I just didn't know where to put my feet at all. When I started to take testosterone, it just all came back. I just didn't need to think about it anymore. I just knew. It's interesting.
Starting point is 00:20:17 I mean, our hormones work on our cerebellum, which is our balance part of our brain. It's that bit at the bottom, really. And it also helped with pro-preception. So just that feeling, you know, we take it for granted, don't we? We put our feet down and we know whether it's a carpet
Starting point is 00:20:31 or a stone underneath us without looking. And that often goes or isn't so good. and the signals aren't so good. And so the firing of the nerves, the pathways, don't far as quickly without hormones as well. And then the signals to the brain, even when they get there, they can't process them in the same way. And we've known this for decades how the hormones work.
Starting point is 00:20:51 So it's not just a placebo or a coincidence. And we see a lot of people find that they get more bruising down their legs or their arms because they're slipping and falling a bit more, bit like being adolescent again, really, again because those hormones aren't there. But it just feels weird because when this person gave you antidepressants, I know you didn't take them, did they talk to you about the potential risks and side effects of antidepressants?
Starting point is 00:21:18 No, I was just handed a prescription. Yeah, you see, I find that really confusing because lots of people talk about the lack of evidence for hormone treatments, and part of that is because the studies haven't been done. And the studies that were done were on synthetic hormones, which showed the risks, but that's not the same as what we've prescribed now, as you know. But loads of people keep saying, well, there's not enough evidence
Starting point is 00:21:39 or they'll talk about any potential risks. Whereas antidepressants is very hard to find good evidence of that they improve mood in women who are menopausal because the studies haven't really been done, but these studies that have aren't very good. But we also know that antidepressants are associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis, inability to orgasm,
Starting point is 00:22:02 to also early dementia as well and addiction. So as a doctor, my job really is to give people all the information or as much information as they need and want to make their decision about their treatment. So I find it really weird that people have these unfounded fears about hormones and scared and reserved about prescribing hormone treatments that often patients want as well. But then the antidepressants, surely they have a duty to be telling people about the potential. risks and side effects, it feels weird. I didn't even, my mum had dementia and never, you never even had that conversation.
Starting point is 00:22:41 You know, she didn't even say, is that in the family? Because she would know the link. Yes, course. And it was just, no, I think you're depressed and here's a prescription. Yeah. I knew I wasn't depressed. No, no. And you just, because you laugh, I'm always laughing and giggling when I'm rowing.
Starting point is 00:22:57 It's my happy place. Yeah. So you wouldn't have that. No, of course. No, not at all. And one of the questions we use on our symptom questionnaire that's using the clinic, but it's also on balance app, is people, do you not feel like yourself? Yeah, you've got a slat.
Starting point is 00:23:14 And a lot of people, it's a very, when women, you either get it or you don't, unless you've been there, you don't really know. But it's a very subtle thing. And it's very hard if you're doing research to really quantify it. And that's one of the problems, really, when they've done research on flashes and sweat, So you can see if someone's having a flush or a sweat. But if I, you know, trying to assess to someone really feel like themselves, it's quite vague.
Starting point is 00:23:39 But you know within yourself, you know, that you know that you've got a hormone imbalance and you know something's not right. And you're right, you know, it's not until you have those hormones back. Like you say, you don't know what it's like to be missing something until you really have it back. But it's incredibly frustrating to watch and witness so many women not reaching their full potential or not doing things and that your ethos with the rowing is to enable people to learn new activities get out get active but you can see why so many people do become grannies
Starting point is 00:24:14 and sit on the sofa knitting because it's exhausting isn't it it is exhausting and i'm really clumsy which i never used to be clumsy i'm always walking into door handles tripping over nothing on the floor and I'm convinced it's just because I'm my hormones aren't sorted yet. Yeah. Absolutely. And when you're weight training and we we need to wait train you do well, well, but don't drop this on yourself because I am clumsy these days. The first time I went to the doctor and mentioned the word menopause, we lived in Wales and my doctor at that time just prescribed me antidepressants. Oh, you're the same. And I remember. And did you take them?
Starting point is 00:24:58 No, because I remember going for my last row without antidepressants. We lived in Conway at the time, so I was rowing underneath the bridge at Conway Castle. And I said to my husband, this is my last happy row. And he said, what do you mean? I said, well, I'm not depressed, but if I take antidepressants, they will take away the low, but they will also take away the high. So I will never enjoy a row again like this. Whilst I'm on my antidepressants,
Starting point is 00:25:30 my husband just said, don't hate them then. We'll find another solution. Yeah. It's right. I mean, I've seen over these lots and lots of people on antidepressants, and I wrote about it in my book, actually, just the story of a lady many years ago who I knew really well in general practice. And, you know, I cringe because back then I didn't really know about hormones
Starting point is 00:25:50 and looking about I'm sure she needed hormones. treatments and I thought she was depressed and she was on antidepressants and she didn't know about hormones then either so it wasn't like I was refusing I just didn't think about it and she came in one day and she said oh I've just crashed the car and I said what did you do? She said oh I just misjudged the wall by my house and I just went into it. I said gosh you're okay she said yeah no I'm all right I said I can't know I think it's right off I said but you she goes well she said I could have run over my best friend and it wouldn't bother me so I've come to talk to you because I don't think I want these
Starting point is 00:26:19 antidepressants anymore because they've made me so numb And I thought, oh my gosh, this is real. You know, it's just so she wasn't feeling as sad, but she had no joy at all. And she was completely living on a just a flat space. And I made me then really stop and think about the harms of what I was doing and thinking about antidepressants differently. And since then I've read a lot about the risks and the side effects and the harms of taking medication and actually their lack of effectiveness for many people as well.
Starting point is 00:26:50 And but it is this numbness that people get that really scares me actually. And so not to feel joy is awful. Yeah. So there's a lot we need to do. And the other thing before I end, I was just thinking you were saying how you were feeling a bit, you know, better when you were rowing out without, and he didn't have your hormones then.
Starting point is 00:27:13 And some of it would have been because you weren't thinking about all the other things and everything. But also just to. remind people that listening, our muscles are metabolically active and our muscles do produce hormones. Even our heart, which is obviously a really important muscle, makes estrogen. So our, you know, testosterone is made by muscles as well. And so, you know, when you're out doing that row, you must be so incredibly fit. And so it's interesting that, you know, your muscles, you're probably your hormone levels were a little bit higher than perhaps they are when you're not in the extreme sort of situation of racing and rowing. And so, you know, but the other thing is,
Starting point is 00:27:54 is that to remind people is that it's not just about symptoms. It's about future health as well. So a lot of people say, well, I don't have symptoms. I don't need hormones. Well, we also prescribe them for future health to help, you know, hopefully reduce your risk of dementia in the future heart disease, osteoporosis and so forth. And so even if people have little or minimal, it's still really important to think about those hormones back. And you don't want to be a new norm. You don't want to be a different person of yourself for the foreseeable future. And it's not fair on you or your children and your grandchildren.
Starting point is 00:28:32 And you want to be this best version, don't you? Yes. And I think that's why we undertake things like we do know, the road to keep you mentally alive and mentally bright. And but yeah, so you're doing one thing, but your whole. hormones are letting you down on another. Yeah. So it is getting it right. And that's the other thing that's so important because a lot of people,
Starting point is 00:28:53 there's a lot on social media as well where people think they can exercise their way and they'll be fine. And it's a sort of form of gas lighting really, I think. I find it really sad when people think that they can do all the sport they like and that will replace their hormones. Or I've heard some doctors say, if your patients are really fit and sporty and active, they won't get symptoms. And that's just, well, sadly,
Starting point is 00:29:17 you've shown it here today, but, you know, it's true. We can't expect to replace our hormones enough just by exercise, but in the same time, you can't just take hormones and not exercise and not think about other ways to improve your future health. So having everything together is really important as you're highlighting. It is a balance, yeah, most definitely. Absolutely. So hopefully in a few weeks and months you'll be feeling a lot better with your hormones back.
Starting point is 00:29:45 So you've got time for your hormones to. be at the right dose and type before you do the way as well. And that was one of the things for me because I'm losing training time. I'm very aware I'm losing training time from my previous year of training because I'm tired and I'm fuzzy and I'm not myself. And it was like I want to be that best version I was of myself on the start line as I was last time. And I felt I was letting the team down. And that's why I was like, hell, what do I do?
Starting point is 00:30:13 And we've had some really good conversations, some really positives. And it's been really good. And it's nice to have somebody to chat to about it. And again, it's, that whole thing is really important because it gives you the confidence then to see the right person, to get the right treatment and feel supported. And that's, you know, one of the reasons I set up balance that was that there's a community where you're not alone and you can help each other. And women are good at helping each other actually. So we need to carry on with that. So thank you so much for coming.
Starting point is 00:30:43 Before I end, I usually ask for three take home tips, but I'm going to have to do. two each so it has to be forward today. So I'm going to ask you the same things, but just for each of you. Two reasons why you should take up something new over the age of 50? Because setting a new challenge keeps you moving. Yeah. And that is so important when you get to 50 and beyond. for us it means that we have a target so we're doing all sorts of training we're doing strength, we're doing aerobic you know
Starting point is 00:31:20 we have to think about strategy as well so it's keeping us both mentally and physically active so definitely setting new targets and new challenges is my big go-to and it doesn't matter how big or small it is You just have to take that first step. Yeah, excellent.
Starting point is 00:31:42 Confidence, both your confidence. It makes you feel more alive, I would say, definitely. And it also is good for your social side of things. I think it introduces you to new people. It expands your social circles, expands conversations. So that's mine. Absolutely. Yeah, I mean, the community that we are now part of, the rowing community,
Starting point is 00:32:06 the ocean rowing community is such a supportive. and social community. It's just been wonderful. Well, I hope they're all going to listen to this podcast and learn because they will either have hormone issues themselves or know people, so the more we can share and learn, it's better. But thank you so much for coming and good luck with the row. Thank you for having us.
Starting point is 00:32:28 And if there are any sponsors out there that want to sponsor us and put your name on the boat. Brilliant. So we'll put some notes in the show notes, some links so people can think about sponsorship too. But brilliant. Well done. Both of you. Thank you. Thank you so much. So just a quick one, it would be really great if you could follow or subscribe to this podcast.
Starting point is 00:32:51 This will really help me reach more people with evidence-based information about hormones and their future health. And it also ensures that you'll never miss a future episode. Thank you.

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