Helpful Resources
A Resource for Men by Ali Daddo
“What makes conflict so painful is that we are desperate to be heard but too upset to listen, desperate to be understood but too upset to be understanding, desperate to be validated but too upset to be validating. What can help you get what you need is the willingness to stoke even a small ember of empathy for your partner's experience" - Alexandra Solomon I remember my husband looking at me in horror as I was mentioning to someone about all my crazy symptoms, that I don’t know how long I’ll feel this way, or how long my menopause will last,...
Some of the many things I wished I knew about Menopause before experiencing it. By Ali Daddo
Some of the many things I wished I knew about Menopause before experiencing it. by Ali Daddo I began to notice subtle changes in my body around the age of 45, changes to my cycle, my sleep became erratic, and my energy levels were dipping. Someone mentioned the term “peri menopause". And what pray tell is Peri Menopause? A mini Menopause, the gentle beginning of menopause. Nope. Shit got real. The sweats, mood swings, weight gain; changes in my skin, my hair. My laundry list of vitamins and tonics skyrocketed. Oh, and the belly grew. Let me put it this...
Hormone Replacement Therapy (Menopause Replacement Treatment MHT) and other non-hormonal treatments.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (Menopause Replacement Treatment MHT) and other non-hormonal treatments. When we hear and speak about menopause we often hear about “hot flushes”. Not everyone will experience that as a symptom but that doesn’t mean she is not going through hormonal changes. There are about 20 different symptoms that your doctor may ask you about or should ask you about. There might be symptoms that you didn’t associate with perimenopause which can be relieved with treatment. Hot flushes (chest, neck, and face)/night sweats Feeling lightheaded Headaches Irritability Depression and Anxiety Mood changes Difficulty concentrating and making decisions Sleeplessness Unusual...
Chill and Tone: A Fresh Take on Weight Management by Katie Lyons
Chill and Tone: A Fresh Take on Weight Management by Katie Lyons Weight management can be a complex and challenging journey, especially as we age. Many of us find ourselves in Rachel's shoes, struggling with hormonal changes, unpredictable emotions, and stubborn pounds that seem resistant to our old weight loss methods. But what if there's a different approach that not only transforms our bodies but also empowers us to cultivate resilience, confidence, and overall well-being? In this blog, we'll explore how prioritising muscle growth can be a game-changer in our quest for effective weight management and wellness. Rachel's Story: Meet...
Menopause - The unwanted gift that keeps on giving
Oh menopause, you’re like the unwanted gift that keeps on giving! Menopause brings a slew of challenges like weight gain, bloating, hot flashes, and night sweats. However, its impact on your sex life can be particularly distressing. It's not just about missing your period; it's about what your period represents. And the same is true for your connection to your sexuality. So many women I speak to admit to feeling “less desirable and attractive” as a result of these changes. Losing confidence, particularly sexual confidence during menopause is very common. Sexual confidence is a crucial aspect of feeling young and...
Understanding Insulin
A GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING INSULIN What is it: When we eat foods containing carbohydrates, like bread, rice, or fruits, our body breaks down these carbs into glucose during digestion. Insulin is a natural hormone that is produced by the pancreas. It has the important job of controlling how our body uses and stores this glucose (or blood sugar). It is vital part of our metabolism. How Does It Work: You can think of insulin being like a little key that allows glucose to enter cells throughout our bodies. After we have eaten, insulin is secreted into our bloodstream, it...
Sexual Health issues & options for Menopause Symptoms
Sexual Health issues & options for Menopause Symptoms Hey Ladies, Strong Coach Mary here. Meet Dr Paul Fowler - Obstetrician/ Gynaecologist. FRANZCOG. Paul practises at: Sydney’s Northern Beaches Hospital, The Mater Hospital, North Shore Private Hospital. He is also the Acting Clinical Director Obstetrics and Gynaecology Gladstone Hospital. Paul has offered insights into the realm of perimenopause and menopause, shedding light on the impacts of hormonal changes. Let’s delve into this! Menopause is the cessation of the female monthly period for 12 months. This is due to the lack of hormonal output by the ovaries-oestrogen and progesterone. Perimenopause is the time...
I'd rather be a Phoenix
I’d rather be a Phoenix Puberty, pregnancy, childbirth, breast-feeding, and then The Pauses (peri and meno); all of these are life-changing. Men, on the other hand, get The Drop. Full stop. They’ll never know the wonder, the incredulity, the grudging capitulation, the inescapable connectedness with the rhythms of the moon, the cycle of reproduction. Poor bastards. But at each of these stages, so many of us apologise for our femaleness. We hide our bleeding (please God, make it a more palatable blue), say sorry when milk seeps through our work jacket, declaring, “I am an animal.” Why? In...
When Ali met Mary
In May of 2021 I released my book “Queen Menopause”, a book I was driven to write due to my own major health challenges with Menopause and the lack of support and information around this topic. Gratefully I can now say we have come a long way, though Australia can still do better with funding and support on this topic, hence the creation of Aviiana. It was at one of my book events that a statuesque, gorgeous Greek Goddess asked for a photo and to sign my book. She said she was already in the Menopause industry teaching her program to...
Menopause @ Work
Author: Mary Doube Strong Coach Mary You probably know by now that Menopause is a natural phase in a woman's life that marks the end of her reproductive years. However, the hormonal changes and associated symptoms can present unique challenges, especially in the workplace. As professional women navigate the complexities of their careers, understanding how to cope with Menopause at work becomes essential. This blog post aims to provide practical strategies and advice to help you manage menopause-related challenges while maintaining productivity and well-being in your professional life. It doesn't matter where you work or the type of job...
Great Sex & Menopause - Is This Really a Thing?
Author: Mary Doube Strong Coach Mary When women embark on the transformative journey of perimenopause and menopause, it's important to acknowledge the unique challenges we may face in our sexual life. The burning question is… (insert drum roll) Is My Sex Life Over? Menopause does not equal an end to your sex life. Hell No! Intimacy, pleasure, and sex are not just for the young. Nothing could be further from the truth. In this blog, we will explore the impact of perimenopause and menopause on libido & sexual health and offer advice to support women during this significant time in...
Emotional Eating During Peri/menopause
Reduce Stress Eating and Foster a Healthier Relationship With Food During Peri/menopause.
Taking Control of Your Hormonal Balance During Peri/Menopause
Taking Control of Your Hormonal Balance During Peri/Menopause
Finding Your Tribe: Here's Why You Need a Community When Going Through Menopause
Author: Mary Doube Menopause is no joke and unfortunately, both awareness and access to menopause-related information and services remain a significant challenge in most countries. BUT don’t worry ladies, I will start and KEEP the conversation going! It's no secret that I have struggled with my health over the last 15 years, and through my own pain & suffering, I have learnt to heal myself and so many women through the principles of the Aviiana Wellness App. Sometimes I wish I didn't have to go through the pain, but it taught me so much about how the body works and...
Anxious and Feeling Crazy? It may be Menopause. Here’s How You Can Cope.
Author: Nic Monteforte You are not going crazy, I promise, but boy does it feel like that. You can’t focus, you start to get sweaty palms and everything around you blurs into one. You can't think straight, you can’t make any decisions – even the basic ones like what shoes to wear. Someone asks something from you and it's like you have been asked to cut your right arm off. Yep, this is the one symptom no one really tells you about and the one symptom that happens whether you like it all not. Also Read: What is Menopause and...
Mary’s Journey of Self-Love, Self-Prioritisation, and How You Can Do The Same
Author: Mary Doube Warning: Tearful intro ahead. Get your tissues, you’ve been warned! Sistas, I’d like to start the year with a STRONG mantra. Say it with me: #2023StartsWithMe! I’m going to be honest. This piece was a difficult one for me – I literally cried the whole time I was writing this. I’m going back to my past to remember when I really struggled with my mental health, suffering with severe anxiety. I had reached 120kg (265lbs) and my world was so dark. My body was weak and broken, while my mental health was severely deteriorating....
#2023StartsWithMe: Habits, routines, and rituals you can do to prioritise yourself in 2023
Author: Nic Monteforte “I love you, but I love me more” - Samantha, Sex and the City I have decided to own this quote and make 2023 a year that starts with me. Easier said than done, I know. However, as I sit here and write this blog, I am exhausted, burnt out, my body is sending signals that it's tired and I find myself overwhelmed at the smallest things. I have been here before, too many times and fortunately for me, I also know exactly what I need to do to shift it. (Also read: Menopause Fatigue is...
Aviiana Approved Festive Cocktail Recipes
Author: Katie Lyons - Strong Formula Leading Nutritionist IT’S OFFICIAL. The holiday season is here, woohoo! Starting this week, we can brace ourselves for a month of parties, feasts, festivities, and holidays, but it can also be scary, especially for health-conscious people like us. So, I’m making a plan! Even though my number one philosophy is that life should be grand and you should not restrict yourself from things you enjoy, it can be helpful to enter the holidays with a plan to keep your lifestyle in healthy balance as you continue to focus on managing those menopausal symptoms. These are...
4 Steps to Enjoy the Holiday Season
Author: Mary Doube 2022 – what a hell of a year but we pushed through! Now, time to enjoy the festive season. Hard to admit most times, but we tend to put so much pressure on ourselves around Christmas, like trying to hit a weight loss goal and feeling guilty to go out and enjoy some beverages. Isn’t Christmas hard enough? Let's be honest, who the heck wants to be tracking their food over Christmas? I encourage you to do the best you can during this busy time and not stress about it too much. If you focus...
Weight Gain and Menopause: Is Menopause Causing Weight Gain?
Author: Nic Monteforte Trust me when I say this: I totally feel your pain around weight gain from menopause. It has been the bane of my existence ever since the dreaded M-word started to play its role in my life. Now, whilst I have always had to be conscious of my weight (because I’m a 5’1 stocky Italian), I generally found it easy to manage in the past with movement and clean eating. However, since menopause came on to the scene, no matter what I did, my belly fat just would not budge. Why does this happen? If you’re going...
2 Food-Focused Steps to Alleviate Menopausal Weight Gain
Author: Mary Doube Menopause and weight gain are real, and most women are led to believe that fluctuating hormones are the major contributor as we go through the menopausal transition. The truth is, hormones are only one of the reasons for weight gain after menopause. Depression, anxiety, and lack of activity can also be contributing factors to weight gain for many women. (Also read: Weight Gain and Menopause: Is Menopause Causing Weight Gain?) Let’s look at the facts Here are some of the scientific reasons why women gain weight during the menopause phase: Drop in estrogen levels causes bad bacteria...
Menopause Fatigue is Real. Here's How You Can Counter It
Author: Nic Monteforte Menopause is real and it should not be ignored. Millions of women from all over the world have struggled with its symptoms whilst being unconsciously pushed to silently battle with it for a majority of their womanhood. One of Aviiana's amazing coaches, Nic, walks us through her own journey with menopause and how she avoided letting it take over her life. To learn about her story, including practical tips for minimizing her symptoms, read away! It started with Endometriosis Having spent the best part of 20 years suffering from severe endometriosis that led to an early partial hysterectomy (meaning,...
What is Menopause and 5 Signs You May Be Experiencing It
Author: Mary Doube As women, we will experience menopause at some point in our lives, and yet so many of us around the world are still not getting the support we need. So, what actually IS menopause and what are the different stages of menopause to help you identify its onset in your own body - either now or in the near future? Menopause – What is it and what are its phases? Menopause is a transitional period where our bodies start to slow down on their reproductive abilities. For most of us women, this transition is not a fun...
Strong Bones - Increase Your Bone Density!
Let's be honest…our BONES lack the sexiness of our other body parts like our “Gut” or “Muscles” - there is so much buzz around gut health at the moment - it's time “the skeleton” got some paparazzi too.Our skeleton is not just the “Coat Hanger” where bits hang! The skeleton plays a crucial role in providing mobility & support for our bodies and most importantly is a storage centre for minerals.STRONG BONES are crucial as we move into the next phase of our fabulous life.Here’s why….by the time we hit 40, less bone is made… and worse still, loss of...
JOIN MY FREE Menopause Support & Wellness Group
So far I have helped 1000's of women feel STRONG and AMAZING and I am ready to help you.
Don't miss your chance to join me in the FREE "Menopause Support & Wellness for Strong Women Group" to build a Stronger You.
Meet Your Secret Weapons!
I wanted to take a moment to introduce you to my AMAZING coaches and your additional secret weapons. These incredible women have been by my side in the background providing the most incredible support to my community. Without them I would be LOST, and now you can have access to them too.
The Results are Mind-Blowing!
SISTA’s that dare to get STRONG again…. Don’t take my word for it, read this post and hear what women from all over the world are saying.
Kick Menopause Out the Door!
Discover menopause support with the Strong Formula wellness program! Addressing symptoms like hot flushes and anxiety, this 6-week non-hormonal plan guides women 40+. Manage bone density, embrace golden years, and enjoy exclusive Rewards. Exciting news! The Strong Formula APP is here. Act now for limited-time lifetime access. It's time for the next chapter of YOU! Click to explore the 5 x 6 Strong Formula and reclaim your well-being.
