If you’re the proud owner of a pair of ovaries, and you’re “of a certain age” you may have noticed that things are starting to change. Could it be…perimenopause??? It can be hard to talk about perimenopause and the menopause transition…not the least of which is that there is still such a ridiculous stigma about women getting older. Like it’s a “use by date” in society and as a woman in her mid-40s, I want to help contribute to a mindset shift around this important transition in our lives.  We need to educate ourselves about how are bodies are changing and how we can best facilitate that change, so I’m thrilled to welcome Dr Nitu Bajekal MD, a UK-based OBGYN BACK on the pod, in honour of her newest book, Finding ME in Menopoause. Dr Nitu is an advocate for reproductive health for all humans, and this episode is a deep dive into what perimenopause and menopause actually is, the signs and symptoms to discuss with your physician as well as a look at evidence-based lifestyle medicine - sleep, movement and nutrition - that complement traditional care. Hormone health is definitely a trending topic - filled will all sorts of wacky ideas about how to care for yourself during this transition so we’re going to cover everything from how perimenopause presents itself to why hormone tests are generally useless during this time as well as the confusing around hormone therapy and why the microbiome is so important for hormone balance! On this episode we chat about: Perimenopause vs Menopause How perimenopause shows up in the body Dr Bajekal’s own experience with early menopause What we get wrong about menopause hormone therapy Brain health: is it perimenopause or your lifestyle? Why you probably don’t want to do a hormone test How the gut microbiome affects your hormone balance Why soy is so important for hormone health The question of weight gain in menopause Support the Pod! We couldn’t make this podcast happen without the support of our amazing listeners…and our sponsors! Today’s episode is sponsored by Bio-K+ Probiotics, a leader in evidence-backed probiotics. Go show them some love at www.biokplus.com  I love hearing your feedback on these episodes to be sure to join the conversation on our instagram @theallsortspod @desireenielsenrd @drnitubajekal as well as in our Nutrition with Desiree community. If you love this episode, please share it with your friends and family, or take a minute to rate, review or subscribe on your favourite podcast app. We appreciate EVERY. SINGLE. LISTEN!