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Welcome to "No F**ks Given," where we redefine menopause as a superpower. Hosted by Holly Lamb, a women's health coach, who is navigating early menopause. This podcast offers empowering guidance on women's health and navigating perimenopause with confidence. From nutrition tips to fitness advice and mindfulness practices, we cover it all. But here's the twist: it's all about embracing your most authentic, unapologetic self. We're here to help you reclaim your power, say goodbye to societal norms, and live life on your own terms—no f**ks given. Welcome to the revolution!
Holly Lamb (00:00.942)
Hello and welcome to this week's episode of the No Fucks Given podcast with me, your host Holly Lamb. I am joined this week by a special guest. This is Karen Spence. She is the founder of Lavender Moon, which is based in Cheshire. And she is a very eclectic teacher. She has lots of strings to her bow. So she's a tutor and an assessor in the fitness industry, a personal trainer, yoga and Pilates teacher.
meditation teacher, holistic therapist. She does angel card readings and hosts women's circles and retreats. So welcome Karen, how are you today?
karen (00:40.936)
Hi Holly, I'm very well thank you. How are you? Good.
Holly Lamb (00:44.75)
Yes, I'm very good, apart from the weather, because it's supposed to be summer, but we're constant rain and drizzle and yeah. wow. Lovely for June. Hey ho. So I'd love to start at the beginning and just kind of get to know you a bit more. So I'd love you to kind of share your journey and how you got started in your eclectic line of work.
karen (00:50.984)
Yeah I've just had the heating on.
karen (00:57.736)
Nice.
karen (01:12.264)
So going back many years now after being in corporate for most of my life, after leaving school, doing my A levels, I lost both my parents pretty young and decided that I wanted to go onto a journey where it fulfilled my needs and just really where I was going to get some more joy out of life, obviously on the grief train. So I...
took a big leap and went and did my level two and three personal training exams in Liverpool. Yeah, I remember that that morning very well stood there like a nervous girl, like a little girl again, getting the train to do my exams. And then here we are, kind of like rolling on 10, 12 years and yeah, into a very, very different sort of career that I didn't actually see myself into, obviously love him. I do.
Holly Lamb (02:06.23)
Wow, amazing. And what, so you obviously started with your, with your PT kind of side of it, personal training. So then what kind of made you get into the kind of yoga and Pilates and then kind of more down the, the spiritual kind of path.
karen (02:23.08)
I've always been pretty spiritual, I've always been a little bit different as we say, always in tune, always knew that there's something different out there in the world that wasn't sort of like what everyone else saw. So it runs in our family in the female side on the Irish side of my dad's side of the family. And so I was in the gym one day with my best friend Jeanette and she's like...
you should really do Pilate. And honestly, I'd got quite a mix of female clients at the time with classes, and I was doing kind of boxing classes and hit classes and PT. So I was quite strong into that kind of career movement. And I just thought, you know what, I'm going to go and do my training and see where this goes. And honestly, it was the best thing that I've ever, ever done. It brought me into a world of different people, of meeting new people.
which obviously led to my yoga and then obviously to my spiritual side in what I'm doing now.
Holly Lamb (03:25.422)
Wow, amazing. And I love that it runs in your family as well. That's incredible.
karen (03:29.16)
I know. So when I was younger, I used to listen to my auntie telling me different stories about my nana, because my nana is Irish, obviously, and how she saw things and things that she'd experienced my auntie as a child. And then obviously, I remember being very, very young and having thoughts about things and seeing things and just experiencing things, witnessing that.
I can't really describe as a young child. Obviously I had an imaginary friend which was a big sort of like, you know, giveaway. And then obviously as I've come into adult life now I have guides that see me through when I'm doing my angel card readings and come to me. Yeah, and it's really weird when I first started to develop this gift I thought there was something wrong with me because I used to hear voices.
Holly Lamb (04:04.238)
Mm. Yeah.
karen (04:27.24)
And it's only when I spoke to kind of, you know, different people in the industry and different ladies that have obviously got the gift that they explained to me that, no, this is actually your guide trying to speak to you. So it's been a journey trying to develop that and often telling them to shut up. Sometimes when they're Twittering too much. And usually it's my dad that comes to me quite a lot.
Holly Lamb (04:49.038)
Heheheheh
karen (04:54.568)
my dad comes to me, but we've had experience in the house of the lights and just different things. I have seen things. Yeah, so it's, it's, it's, it's, yeah, it's a, it's a work in progress. It's a journey that I'm just starting to sort of like feel comfortable with at the minute. Yeah.
Holly Lamb (04:59.918)
Mmm.
Holly Lamb (05:03.438)
Wow.
Holly Lamb (05:11.438)
Yeah, wow. That's so amazing because it is all in built in us. It's just finding a way to access that, which so few of us do. But I find, especially when we start heading into perimenopause kind of age, these kind of gifts can start to awaken more because it's a time to really tune back into your body. And certainly for me, I mean, definitely not on that scale that you are, but...
karen (05:19.784)
Yes.
karen (05:27.048)
Yes.
Holly Lamb (05:40.814)
I've met my one of my guides before and there's, you know, just little nudges and little intuition and little things that keep happening. And you think, okay, there's something there, there's something there. And it is just about tuning back into you, which perimenopause helps you do as well.
karen (05:47.112)
Yeah. Yeah.
karen (05:56.904)
Yeah, I mean, for me, I'm always practicing my intuition and to do that, you can, you know, what's behind my hand, what's behind this card. And I sometimes doing that with clients, you know, what's behind this card trying to develop their intuition. But for me, you know, my intuition is instant. I don't have to close my eyes. I don't have to kind of think about it and really tune in. It's instant for me.
Holly Lamb (06:19.022)
Hmm.
karen (06:26.408)
and that comes with intuition, with walking into a room, with meeting somebody. I mean, I'm a querying as well, so I often know what you're thinking, I often know what you're feeling, and that can be a curse sometimes, rather than a gift, if you don't know how to use it and to develop it and channel it properly, because it can become quite...
Holly Lamb (06:26.734)
Wow.
Holly Lamb (06:35.886)
Hehehehe.
Holly Lamb (06:45.23)
Hmm.
karen (06:49.32)
and being quite an empath as well, it can be quite a burden on you. But yeah, I do like it. It's kept me out of danger, I think, quite a lot of times. So if you're there at home and you're thinking, like, I get this voice sometimes it says to me, don't go this way, go that way, it's your intuition. And it's like, you need to listen to it. You need to listen to that voice that's telling you, because that is actually somebody looking after you and somebody guiding you, taking you on a different way, you know.
Holly Lamb (07:06.958)
Hmm, yeah.
Holly Lamb (07:15.502)
Hmm.
Yeah, absolutely. And I think for anybody that's kind of sort of having these kind of little nudges, then when you are heading into that time of life, perimenopause, it's a really good time to tune into that little voice that's telling you, because it is a time where we connect back to ourselves more. So I would say, listen to it, mom, don't ignore it and tune into yourself.
karen (07:33.064)
Yes.
karen (07:43.848)
Yeah, yeah, I mean, like with the perimenopause, everyone's journey is different. And, you know, you have to tap into that intuition, that female intuition for your, for your perimenopause. And if you're having those symptoms and you keep getting turned away by your GP, for whatever reason, like I did when I, I was quite young when I first went into my perimenopause. And I just lost my mum and I thought there was something like really wrong with me. I was, you know,
Holly Lamb (07:49.614)
Mm.
karen (08:13.32)
really starting into my sort of like personal training career had really taken off and I was, I thought I'm just a little bit busy. But then I was in bed in the afternoons and I went to see the nurse for a checkup and she said, you know what, I'm just going to check your bloods. I had a really good nurse at the time. You don't really, you know, more often than GPs. I was going to check your bloods and it came back, you know, check my levels and yeah, so this patient is in the early stages of the perimenopause and I was only
wow, 30s. So it was quite a shock. And then I was on HRT. And from there, it's been a journey of to where I am today of huge, huge, you know, finding out what works for me because not one thing works for everybody does it at the end of the day, you know.
Holly Lamb (08:59.918)
No, it's such a personalized journey and you need to find something that works for you. So there's so many different things out there and you know, fasting will work for some women, other things will work for the women and it's not a one size fits all approach, which I feel like a lot of the stuff out there kind of is unfortunately. And that's why working one -to -one is just so much, you'll get so much more out of it. Yeah.
karen (09:23.656)
easier. Yes, I mean for me, obviously I started off on kind of like relatively I was on oral HRT and then as I've gone on, my word, the symptoms that have come and you know and obviously that HRT wasn't working then you know I have just been seen by Liverpool Women's Hospital by a consultant and know that you're waiting aren't you for yours but
Holly Lamb (09:49.678)
Mm.
karen (09:51.496)
She was brilliant and I'm really, really happy with how I'm feeling to how I was sort of like six months ago because I've took the time to find out what works for me. And yes, and you know, what works for me, it's been trial and error. I have got access to, obviously, knowing I'm a personal trainer, access to that knowledge, how our bodies work as you do, Holly, do you know what I mean? You're a personal trainer. And, you know, for me, it's back to the good old days of,
Holly Lamb (10:03.438)
Yeah, and that's it.
Holly Lamb (10:16.046)
Mm.
karen (10:21.672)
You know, I've gone into fasting, which I do a fast on a 16 eight daily. I tried not to eat ultra processed foods. Don't drink alcohol on the sass. I'm really boring, don't I? But I smash weights around in the gym when I feel like it because it just really helps with my menorrhage sometimes. And yeah, and I do a lot of meditation and I'm kind to myself. Now, all that has been like work in progress for months and months and months and.
Holly Lamb (10:26.702)
Mm.
Holly Lamb (10:33.646)
Sounds great to me.
Holly Lamb (10:42.574)
Mm.
karen (10:51.24)
I finally feel like, wow, I actually like this person. I actually like who I am. And, you know, talking about that, we were, I was talking to one of my clients on Friday and we were talking about, you know, how much we love ourselves and we're so like how we talk to ourselves. And I say to her, do you actually look in the mirror and say, I love you, to yourself. And she was really upset. I was like, didn't really, you know.
Holly Lamb (10:57.134)
Wow.
Holly Lamb (11:12.654)
Mm -hmm.
Holly Lamb (11:17.198)
No.
karen (11:18.344)
But it's something that she realized that, no, she didn't. And we are working with that. And that's how, you know, I try to be with myself, you know, love. Yeah.
Holly Lamb (11:22.734)
Mm.
Holly Lamb (11:29.998)
Mm -hmm. Yeah, absolutely. Because we are so quick to give that advice to our friends or our clients, but to actually do it to yourself can become really, really difficult. So even like the other week where I was just feeling like really, really tired, feeling like I couldn't take time off. And I was like, if that was my client, I'd be telling them to slow down, to rest. So I was like, right, I'm going to take my own advice.
and I'm going to slow down and I'm going to rest. And the world didn't fall apart because it doesn't, because just like our bodies have seasons and cycles, we have seasons in life as well. And sometimes it's just about taking a few weeks or a month or however it is just to slow down. And that's, that's okay. That's allowed.
karen (12:15.112)
Yeah, I mean, I don't know. I don't know about you, Holly, but I find myself, if I do too much, then my mental health suffers.
Holly Lamb (12:23.182)
Hmm.
Yeah, same.
karen (12:27.88)
And then everything starts collapsing. If you know what I mean, it's like a knock on effect. If I do too much, then everything will start, like dominoes, it falls down. And I've learned in the past, you know, that I've said yes when I really should have said no. And, you know, having to put those boundaries in place as I've got into the perimenopause, because I used to get myself in a right mess, I'll be honest. And, you know, and then it would stress me out.
Holly Lamb (12:31.15)
Mm -hmm. Yeah.
Holly Lamb (12:41.966)
Mm.
Holly Lamb (12:51.374)
Yeah.
karen (12:55.4)
And I just don't do it anymore. I just don't do it. I just take time to say, well, actually, does that fit in with what I feel? Does that, does that suit me? And I'm like, well, actually, it doesn't at the minute. So it's going to be a no from me.
Holly Lamb (13:09.71)
Yes, yes to boundaries. Love it. It's really difficult because I think from growing up, from being kids, especially as girls, it was very much, we've always been in our people pleasing persona for so many years. And you know, you grow up, you get a job, you get married, you have kids and you're constantly looking after other people. Whereas this time in your life is a time to look after you.
karen (13:12.616)
Yeah. Yeah.
karen (13:38.408)
Yes. Of course.
Holly Lamb (13:39.662)
And a big one of that is boundaries and saying no and not giving a reason. No, thank you.
karen (13:45.168)
I mean in my classes on a cheesy night they will come in and it's like we call it it's like a flow class so we do a bit of Pilate, a bit of yoga, we stretch and we have a lot of meditation and I'm always talking about your feminine and your masculine, the sun and the moon. You know we're always talking about that the feminine side that needs to be softer and the male side that's always doing the masculine side that we do too much you know and I try to explain to you know people how to my ladies how
You need to be softer on yourself as we get into this kind of like period of our lives when we're always doing too much. So I think for me, definitely, definitely being in the holistic side of things and being present and finding clarity in every day. I don't live, I mean, this is, it's been very hard for me, but I am very present. I live in the day in the moment.
Holly Lamb (14:19.438)
Mm.
Holly Lamb (14:33.198)
Mmm.
karen (14:41.672)
I don't live in the past and I don't live in the future. I mean, pinning me down anyway like as an Aquarian is hard enough, but yeah, and to be in that kind of place, it took a long time to get here, but you know, it's just such a nice place to be.
Holly Lamb (14:41.774)
Mm.
Holly Lamb (14:47.534)
Hehehehe
Holly Lamb (14:57.966)
Yeah. And like you said, it takes time. It takes trial and error. And when you start heading into this time of life, it can literally feel like the rug's been pulled from under you and all these things are happening and all these symptoms are happening. But a big one for me was just listening to what my body needs. And the times where you don't want to go out or go for a run or go to the gym are the times when you definitely should, because it's going to make you feel better. Like I did a run yesterday evening, because it, the...
karen (15:06.472)
Yes.
karen (15:12.744)
Yes. Yes.
Holly Lamb (15:24.622)
The weather hadn't been great, but then the sun came out and I was like, right, this is my opportunity. I'm going to take time. And I did a 5k and I beat my previous time. I was like, yes. And I didn't feel like it, but I did it. And it made me feel better.
karen (15:34.088)
That's amazing. Yeah. Yeah. That's amazing. I think you have to. I think there's so much out there on, I think we've chatted about this last time, about so much on the internet, on social media about how you should be. And I'm going to speak out of turn here. You know when you see all like people saying, do this, do that.
Holly Lamb (15:49.134)
Mm.
Mm -mm.
karen (16:00.2)
and they've got the tripods and I'm like saying, well don't invest in a tripod, invest in a personal trainer because they're going to show you how to train properly. Everyone should at least have, if you're going lifting, you need to have a personal trainer to show you what to do. Whether that's in gym, it's usually face to face is better, but I don't know about you after doing my level three personal training.
Holly Lamb (16:05.422)
Mm, yeah.
Holly Lamb (16:12.302)
Mmm.
Yes.
karen (16:25.192)
There's no way I could have gone and shown somebody how to do a deadlift, how to do a hip thrust. I digress here, Holly, but, you know, I had to go and get a trainer who I was with for a long time. And, yeah, it was, it was an eye -opener for me.
Holly Lamb (16:36.046)
Mm. Yeah, we all need the help. And it's just about investing in yourself a little bit more and putting yourself first. And if that means that you have to pay out just maybe for a few sessions of a personal trainer, then, you know, so be it.
karen (18:04.648)
Go to sleep, love. Go to sleep.
Holly Lamb (18:58.247)
I'm back.
Holly Lamb (19:02.695)
That was my fault. That was my internet that dropped then. So annoying. You know when it rains, the internet drops. So irritating.
karen (19:05.608)
Don't worry.
karen (19:13.992)
it raining now anyway record's not with her. Anyway you I don't know just ask me a question and we'll go from there.
Holly Lamb (19:17.031)
Yeah, it don't matter. Where were you up to?
Holly Lamb (19:22.375)
Yeah, let's just do that. So you were talking about hiring a personal trainer. So let's...
karen (19:28.904)
Yeah, I think everyone will skip that bit and we'll go into something else because I was digressing a little bit there.
Holly Lamb (19:36.327)
It's alright.
Let me have a look at my questions and then we can get.
Holly Lamb (19:44.807)
Holly Lamb (19:53.607)
Okay, so if you are working kind of one -to -one with a client, either in person or on an online basis, like how do you tailor your programs to kind of meet that individual's needs?
karen (20:09.16)
I mean, obviously my clients that I see on a one -to -one basis, they do have some online which are quite structured. It's either they're going to have a Pilates session or yoga. They're either having a personal training or they could have all three in that session. My clients have been with me for quite a long time. So they are sometimes, it depends who it is, I'll say to them, what kind of session do you want today?
Holly Lamb (20:26.983)
Mm.
karen (20:34.568)
And sometimes they can be, well, can we just do yoga and can you do my angel cards for me and can we do a little bit of meditation? So I will call that the holistic hour. So sometimes we have a holistic hour where there's a few things going on in there and they might have a neck, back and shoulder massage or something, and then a meditation. And then the next week we might be full on with the weights, doing a personal training session.
Holly Lamb (20:40.807)
Hehehehe
karen (21:01.192)
It just depends how they're feeling, which comes into the flow of perimenopause. Most of my clients are in perimenopause, apart from a couple of gentlemen that I have. And yeah, so it depends how they're feeling on that weekly basis and what they want to do. And sometimes more often than not, we're chatting and I'm giving advice, you know, or saying, well, if it was me, but it's not, I would do this. Yeah. So it's like...
Holly Lamb (21:07.495)
Hmm. Yeah.
karen (21:29.448)
It's just nice to have that support network there with my clients. They help me as much as I help them.
Holly Lamb (21:38.055)
that's amazing. And I love that it's so diverse. And I would love that. Like some days, like you want to go in and you want to lift heavy shit. And then other times, no, I just want to chill and I just want to have my angel cards read.
karen (21:39.88)
Hehehe
karen (21:49.064)
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, sometimes, like, you know, it's like yourself, you'll get her up and I'm training with an amazing trainer and she's still living in Manchester but now she lives in London. And she's saying, Karen, you need to take aggression in the gym with you. And I do and I love it. And I take aggression into the gym and it's really helped me with my menore age. I've just, yeah, it's been brilliant. And then other times, I think, you know,
Holly Lamb (22:10.567)
Yeah.
karen (22:17.096)
Well, I'm just gonna like stretch and then do some light light weights or I might just just stretch and then if I go to the gym and be kind to myself. So I try to offer that to my clients as well too. I always say train how you feel. That's been my motto for a long time. You've got to train how you feel. If you're running on empty through whatever in the menopause or perimenopause, you have to be kind to yourself and you have to listen to what your body is telling you.
Holly Lamb (22:21.351)
Mm.
Yeah.
Holly Lamb (22:32.039)
Absolutely.
Holly Lamb (22:39.079)
Mm.
karen (22:46.76)
Because cortisol is raised enough, isn't it? Stress. No.
Holly Lamb (22:50.119)
Mm -hmm. Yeah, we don't want any more stress. And that's so true. And I think especially for women who are quite used to going in the gym and lifting a certain way, there's going to be times in your cycle, even if it is irregular, or even if you're not cycling as such, there are going to be times where you aren't going to feel as strong and it's not a step back. It's actually about honoring your body and not pushing yourself.
and listening to it. And this is, I know we keep banging on about it, but it does come back to this tuning into you and listening to you. So for me recently, I've just really enjoyed running. So I'm probably only in the gym twice a week, an upper and a lower, focusing on, you know, lower to help with the running and then upper just because, you know, we still need to train upper body as women. Yeah, exactly. I want to be able to lift all my shopping from the car in one go.
karen (23:22.344)
Yep.
karen (23:36.936)
Yeah, you want to be strong. Yeah, yeah, I know. I've been to a class this morning and I want to do the ladies that go, Karen, imagine you carrying your wine home. I was like, I was doing farmer's walks and it was doing really heavy. But yeah, I mean, sometimes, you know, I can put headphones on with Rocky, you know, no easy way out. And then I'm really...
Holly Lamb (23:51.335)
Ha ha ha ha ha.
Holly Lamb (24:01.959)
Mm.
Love it.
karen (24:06.6)
having a go with the you know the dadlifts and then sometimes just want to put some more lovely yoga music on and just you know MHZ whatever and then just just really chill and just methodically listen to my body so I think I think yeah with that is being kind to yourself so yeah and I think it is with with the nutrition side of things as well that's been a that's been a huge thing for me to find out.
Holly Lamb (24:16.007)
Mm -mm.
Holly Lamb (24:29.895)
Mmm.
karen (24:34.632)
I've just actually found out that really sugar is not my friend.
Holly Lamb (24:40.263)
No, no it isn't. For most women, when they hit that perimenopause, it just doesn't agree with them anymore, which is not a bad thing.
karen (24:49.192)
Yeah, me and Crunch have had to part ways and now I'm with Lindt. 90 % dark chocolate.
Holly Lamb (24:52.295)
yeah, are you still? Yeah, that's all like, like the really dark chocolate. I'm this exactly the same. Like I used to love a Cadbury's caramel, but there's too much sugar.
karen (25:02.088)
Yeah.
Yeah, and you know, it's like, honestly, it's just like different things, but I'm really enjoying trying out different foods and just, you know what, I'm, I feel good because I'm fueling my body with the right things. I'm not starving myself and yeah, I'm just, I am feeling quite good at the minute from it. So that's good. And like I say, it's been trial and error, you know, massive trial and error.
Holly Lamb (25:27.655)
Mm.
Yeah. And that's, but that's what it is. Yeah. And if, if you are struggling with what's working for you, then I would always recommend just go in and getting some help either from a personal trainer or from an online coach who's, you know, within this menopause space, who's got some information, who's going through it because they're the people that have trialed and erred on themselves, which is what we have both done. And they will be able to help you trial and error. So yes, fasting works for me.
karen (25:53.672)
Yeah.
Holly Lamb (26:00.007)
And it works for you, Karen, but it might not work for another woman. It might just not suit her. So then it's just a different approach.
karen (26:04.328)
No, of course it is. And one shoe doesn't fit all. And I say this to everybody that walks through my door, not one shoe does not fit all. And you know, and I think again, it's how we speak to us and it's how we perceive and it's how we are, you know, I think, I don't know, I put one of my posts up on Instagram. We, you know, when the 40 hour working week was brought in, that was back in the sixties when you cut your husband's tea and we're a different world now, aren't we? And we're still doing that, but still doing everything else.
Holly Lamb (26:08.615)
Hmm.
Holly Lamb (26:30.631)
Mmm.
Yes.
karen (26:35.112)
You know, and it's great when I hear people say, do you know what? I just like the Hoovering. And I thought, that's great. Did you see the one? Did you see, it's just an illusion last night with Ian Hoovering on about my other half here. Yeah, he's got the new Hoover. I was like, what are you doing? And I couldn't stop laughing. I was sat there last night just putting this thing on. He said, Karen, he said, don't put that on. So I did.
Holly Lamb (26:41.255)
I know, yeah.
Holly Lamb (26:47.559)
I saw, yeah, on your Instagram.
Holly Lamb (27:01.607)
Definitely. I love that. See, I do all the cooking and then Dave is really clean and tidy freak. So it's great. It works great. I cook, he cleans. Fantastic. I know, I'm lucky.
karen (27:12.552)
amazing yeah sort of we're a bit scatty in this house it's all like I do a bit and then Ian will do a bit so yeah anyway I digress there but yeah it's it is it's a it's a roller coaster ride the perimenopause and honestly and I think I was getting back to how we talked I was listening to somebody I was sat there I was sat in an office the other week and it was just like
When we had that nice weekend, and I'd just been to a teach on a retreat in Ballard, which was amazing. that's amazing ladies. And this lady had said, I didn't know what to wear at the weekend. I tried something on, I'm like, I'm not putting my arms up terrible. And I thought, why do we feel like this? Since when? and it's because a lot of social media, isn't it, of expectations of how we're supposed to look. And do you know what? Life's not like that at all.
Holly Lamb (27:44.519)
Mmm.
Holly Lamb (27:56.615)
Hmm.
Holly Lamb (28:01.479)
yeah.
karen (28:07.688)
Like if you keep yourself away from that, we should not be made to feel like that. I mean, you know, I'm a huge feminist. We should not be made to feel like we need to look like that. Again, we're not stuck in the 1960s, you know.
Holly Lamb (28:20.103)
No, definitely not. And I always say to my clients, I'm like, if they make me feel shit about yourself, then you just need to unfollow them. Like you don't need to look at that. Like get rid of all the crap, all the 20 year olds. Why are you following 20 year old influences who have not got an ounce of fat on them because they're 20? Unfollow them.
karen (28:28.904)
yes.
karen (28:35.528)
I know.
Yeah, they're 20 and obviously they've got all this to come. And you know, it's just like, yeah, it's such a learning curve. And you know, you just, I always say to people, we just stay in our own lane. It's great because when you stay in your own lane, you with like -minded people, that's gonna make you feel great. It's gonna make you feel amazing because to be fair, I would not want to be 20 again, no.
Holly Lamb (28:44.679)
Mmm.
Holly Lamb (28:54.503)
Yeah.
Holly Lamb (29:06.183)
No, me neither. I love being the age I am now. I wouldn't want to be 20.
karen (29:08.68)
I do. No, it's great. I can say what I want and then go, it's the perimenopause. No, I'm only joking. But, you know, it's how I know who I am and I know what I want and I know what I don't want. And I think, you know, when you get to that stage in life, you win him. And, you know, yeah, I've always never struggled with my weight, but obviously perimenopause has given, it's put a little cast a spell on me and given me other ideas. It's put his little arm around my shoulder and go, come on, Karen, we're on a journey here.
Holly Lamb (29:28.423)
Mm.
Holly Lamb (29:37.359)
But it is, and you can look at it as a time of like self -discovery and just a time to go inwards and kind of, I know that I don't want to say this, but like find yourself again, but like not in the cliche way, like in a find your purpose in life type way.
karen (29:38.76)
Thanks.
karen (29:42.792)
yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
karen (29:49.608)
Yeah. Well, yeah. It's really strange because usually like, you know, way back when, like me and Ena doing for mental health, we're doing 1 .4 miles a day, because one in four people have mental health. So we're starting our carriage to 5k journey. And honestly, like if it was like, what, 10 years ago, I'd have gone, yeah, let's go. And I'm thinking, do you think I need to get my knee checked out? You know?
because of the perimenopause. What about my feet? They might, because I broke my foot just before Christmas. And it's like, you know, I don't know, you just, it's just a different time, isn't it? And just, yeah. A time where you can laugh as well, you know, about different things. I mean, for me, brain fog has been the worst.
Holly Lamb (30:34.055)
god yeah. Yeah, you've got to. Yes, you've got to have a sense of humour.
Holly Lamb (30:43.431)
Yes, that happens quite a lot. I'll be mid -sentence. Like I did a podcast before and I was mid -sentence and I just forgot what I was saying. And so I just went brain fog, completely lost my train of thought. That's it. It might've been, it was one, yeah, I just went, no, it's literally gone. It just gone out my head, but that's, it just laugh about it and just be like, it's okay. It doesn't matter.
karen (30:53.192)
I think... was that on your boundaries one? It was!
karen (31:03.752)
Yeah. Yeah, I know I can be at work and you know, and I'm talking and like my, you know, and then it'll go off and people like staring at me, especially if they're younger and they don't understand they're looking at me thinking, yeah, what you want about, I said it's just like, it's mellow brain. Yeah, my, for me, is I keep losing my keys at the minute.
Holly Lamb (31:23.279)
Yeah.
Holly Lamb (31:29.671)
really?
karen (31:31.176)
I can't remember what I've done with my keys, that's me at the moment. But yeah, I think I've not had the normal symptoms. I think that a lot of people have. I've never had the hot sweats. I am in full menopause now. I mean, I had my blood done recently and they've confirmed, you know, I've got to go to Liverpool Women's to, I mean, we go onto the road of testosterone here. I know I've got to go and get tested, my blood's tested.
Holly Lamb (31:42.663)
Mm, same.
Holly Lamb (31:55.463)
Mm.
karen (31:58.664)
for testosterone. Yeah, I mean, I'm on the max of the gel and everything. It's all going on. But you know, I embrace that. And that's right for me to do. It might not be right for me in five years time to be on this. And I might decide, well, do you know what? I'm going to come off it. But yeah.
Holly Lamb (32:04.903)
Yeah.
Holly Lamb (32:10.855)
Mm. Mm -hmm.
Yeah, exactly. It's what works for you and there's no right or wrong. And I would always say, do your own research. If you want to go down the route of HRT, be your own advocate for it and, you know, make sure that you kind of read the menopause, nice guidelines before you go to your GP so that you fully understand. Because if you're 45 and over, they don't need to be doing any kind of blood tests. They just need to be diagnosing you from symptoms alone. So.
karen (32:26.056)
Yes.
karen (32:33.608)
Yeah, exactly.
karen (32:39.528)
Nope.
Yeah.
Holly Lamb (32:42.695)
And if you've decided you want HRT, then that's your decision and they should prescribe that for you. And if you don't like what they're saying to you, you just go and ask to see a different doctor. But it's what works for you.
karen (32:52.776)
Definitely. Definitely. And, you know, I obviously, I don't know about you, but I have supplements as well. I have magnesium at night and that helps me massively with jumping legs and it helps me sleep. Yeah, definitely magnesium. And I don't think there's really many more that I would have. I mean, I have collagen and things like that, but magnesium has been the main one for me.
Holly Lamb (33:03.879)
Mm -hmm.
karen (33:20.904)
along with vitamin D3. Yeah. Do you know what? No, I've run out and I thought I'm going to have to go and get some new shit this time of year. I don't actually take it. And so we've got summer solstice next week and I've had to, I usually go down to the beach and we do, we were swimming in the sea this time last year on the summer solstice. And I did all the yoga, we had a yoga event there last year and I've canceled it this year.
Holly Lamb (33:21.159)
Yeah. Yeah, that's going to save it a bit of an end. We all need that at the minute.
Holly Lamb (33:32.359)
Yeah.
Holly Lamb (33:39.047)
Mm.
Holly Lamb (33:43.207)
Yeah.
Holly Lamb (33:49.863)
Wow, because it's crap.
karen (33:50.408)
just because it's too cold. The weather's absolutely crap, like you say. And you're not going to get me in the Irish sea in this. To be fair, I know. Put me wet suit on. But yes, so I mean, everyone's journey has been unique. And I'm still learning definitely on this one. Yeah.
Holly Lamb (33:55.047)
Yeah.
Holly Lamb (34:02.183)
Might be a tad cold.
Holly Lamb (34:12.583)
Hmm.
Holly Lamb (34:16.135)
Yeah. And it's something that you'll just continue to do. And like you say, something that's working for you now might, may not work in a few years and that's okay. That's, that's life that you're allowed to do that.
karen (34:24.808)
Yeah, it is. Do you know what? I think, you know, I don't know. I think once you understand where you are and once you understand as a person, once you have those boundaries in place and once you have clarity for who you are, I think you're onto a winner. I really do. You know, I really do.
Holly Lamb (34:36.711)
Mm.
Holly Lamb (34:43.303)
Yeah, absolutely. So for listeners kind of wanting to improve their overall kind of wellness and especially heading into like the perimenopause kind of age, where would you suggest that they start?
karen (34:58.92)
For me, obviously we've talked about the nice guidelines, haven't we? But I would have a look at making changes to your diet, to your nutrition. You know, if you're feeling sluggish, if you're feeling that, you know, the weight gain is massive for women, isn't it, the weight gain? So all I'm saying is just have a little look at your alcohol intake, because not only that, I'm not one to preach here, but you know, I like a glass of wine, even though I've not drunk for a long time with the best of people, but...
Holly Lamb (35:12.359)
Hmm.
karen (35:26.696)
It can cause your anxiety to be worse, which we know is heightened in menopause. Look at what you're eating. Look at whole grain foods. Try and cut the sugar out. Move. You need to move, even though you don't feel like it. Go out for a walk, because you know what? Once you're out, and I know this, I love being outside. I have to be outside every single day. Obviously, I've got a spring spaniel that I have to walk, but Chester, but when you're outside or you're free.
Holly Lamb (35:47.015)
Mm. Yep.
karen (35:55.88)
sort of like hormones kicking in, the seborrtonin, endorphins, and you start feeling better and you'll start to smile. And that's priceless, you know, and it's free, it's free. So I would start with that, trying to make yourself feel better, move more, eat better, be kind to yourself. And then obviously, if you do need to go and see a GP, go and have a chat. But obviously there are other options out there. Get yourself a coach like Collie.
Holly Lamb (35:57.991)
Mmm.
Holly Lamb (36:06.919)
Yeah, completely agree.
karen (36:25.64)
yeah.
Holly Lamb (36:25.767)
All like Karen. Amazing. This has been so lovely, Karen. Like I love chatting with you. It's been fantastic.
karen (36:34.632)
I know, I'm just so random. But people that know me, people that know me know what I'm like. I'm an Aquarian, just really random. Yeah, and I think one thing that I would say also is that I enjoy spending time on my own and not in a sad way. I've really got to know myself spending time on my own and it's been an absolute game changer for me. And that enabled me to say no, because...
Holly Lamb (36:37.639)
Get off!
Holly Lamb (36:50.343)
Mmm.
karen (37:01.448)
I have, we've talked about Jomo, haven't we? And not Fomo. Joy of missing out. I know, it's amazing. I know. Yeah, just me, the quilt and the dog.
Holly Lamb (37:01.639)
you
Yes, Jomo. Love that. I love that more than anything. I love Jomo. I'm like, I'm not going anywhere.
Holly Lamb (37:16.199)
Yeah, fantastic. Thank you so much, Karen. So how can listeners connect with you and learn more about all like your services and things that you offer?
karen (37:21.384)
You're welcome.
karen (37:26.696)
Right, okay. So I am at Labindamoon Cheshire on Instagram and Facebook. Bit more present on Instagram and you can have a little look at my journey on there. Obviously, I have got retreats going out. I've got one out in October. We're going to be rewilding down in Lancaster.
and I will be having some online stuff coming out in September. I'm going to be doing some courses and I'm going to be doing some angel card readings online. I'm going to be a bit more present with those. So just give us a follow and just see what happens. It's organically growing, so we'll just see what happens from there. And if you want any advice about anything, just drop me a message.
Holly Lamb (38:11.783)
And I'll pop everything in the show notes so people can come and find you and follow you. thanks, Karen. Yeah, it's been lovely. I know it's been proper crap, proper crap weather, but it's okay because we bring the joy.
karen (38:14.664)
Perfect. I've so enjoyed it today. You've really cheered me up on a great day.
karen (38:24.904)
you
I always bring the sunshine with me wherever I go. Honestly, there's never two of me. thanks Holly. So enjoyed it.
Holly Lamb (38:31.399)
Yay, I love that. No. Thanks so much, Karen. Thanks for joining me. And thanks everybody for listening and I will see you all again next week.