Helping rural women understand the hormonal ‘why’

A new Mid Canterbury summit aims to cut through conflicting health advice and help women better understand what is happening in their bodies.

Lauren Stokes hopes the Women’s Hormone Summit will help rural women better understand their health and feel less alone.

Women struggling with heavy periods, sleepless nights, hot flushes or unexplained fatigue are too often left confused and unsure where to turn, says Mid Canterbury naturopath Lauren Stokes.

It is a pattern Stokes sees regularly through her work at Nourish Natural Healthcare.

Younger women may be living with debilitating periods, while those approaching or experiencing menopause can face hot flushes, mood changes, weight gain, sore joints, insomnia and fatigue.

“A lot of women feel completely lost,” Stokes says.

“They don’t know why these things are happening or how they started, and they feel so confused about it all that they’re not really sure what to do.”

That experience prompted Stokes to organise the Women’s Hormone Summit, which will bring together four Mid Canterbury health practitioners at Hotel Ashburton on September 11.

The evening will cover menstrual health, contraception, hormone replacement therapy, perimenopause, menopause and a Chinese medicine perspective on hormonal health.

Stokes says too many women believe their suffering is simply something they have to tolerate.

“That makes me really sad,” she says.

“I know that suffering isn’t normal and there is actually so much that can be done to help.”

She says the challenge now is not a lack of information, but the volume of conflicting advice.

A quick online search can produce endless recommendations about supplements, diet, exercise, testing and hormone replacement therapy.

Women may be told to take HRT, avoid HRT, eat more protein, lift heavier weights or buy a particular supplement, often without a clear explanation of why any of those choices may or may not be right for them.

“They’ve gone and spent hundreds of dollars just guessing and hoping,” Stokes says.

“The advice coming at them from the internet, or from individual health professionals, can be more confusing than it is helpful.”

Rather than telling women what they should do, the summit will focus on helping them understand what is happening within their bodies.

Stokes believes understanding the “why” behind health advice is essential, particularly when a woman’s energy and motivation are already low.

Being told to exercise more, reduce stress or change eating habits can simply add another task to an already overwhelming list.

“But if you understand what is happening physiologically and why something is affecting your body, that understanding can increase the motivation towards change,” she says.

The summit will feature presentations from each speaker, followed by an open question and answer session.

Stokes will discuss menstrual problems, particularly heavy and painful periods. GP Dr Laura Pfeifer will cover contraception and hormone replacement therapy, including potential benefits and risks.

Acupuncturist Sally Flewelling will present a Chinese medicine view of the hormonal system, while nutritionist Vera Prazak will discuss perimenopause and menopause issues such as weight gain and fatigue.

“We all approach things slightly differently, but we have the collective interest of educating and helping,” Stokes says.

For rural women, accessing the right support can be particularly challenging.

Many of Stokes’ clients live rurally, where distance, limited services and isolation can intensify an already difficult stage of life.

Menopause often coincides with other significant changes. Children may be leaving home, parents may be ageing or dying, and women can find themselves questioning their identity and purpose.

At the same time, they may be juggling farm work, household responsibilities, family commitments and another job.

“They’re going through a really wobbly time physically, mentally and emotionally because of menopause, and then they might be out on a farm where they’re really quite isolated,” Stokes says.

“They can feel lost within their bodies and what is happening with their symptoms, but also potentially a little bit lost in life.”

Stokes hopes the summit will create a supportive environment in which women feel understood and realise they are not alone.

She wants attendees to leave with a clearer understanding of their bodies and simple, realistic steps that may help them begin to feel better.

“My vision is for all four of us to share our knowledge in a way that explains the why behind what is happening,” she says.

The Women’s Hormone Summit will be held at Hotel Ashburton on Friday, September 11, from 6pm. Tickets are available at nourishnaturalhealthcare.co.nz.