Hot & Healthy Menopause

Nicole van Hattem
  • 4.5 (11)
  • ALTERNATIVE HEALTH
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Smart, often funny, and sometimes surprising. Everything's up for discussion: from divorce to dating app disasters, hot sweats, menopause myths, changing body image, family responsibilities, solo travel adventures, and challenging societal norms. Join me for candid chats, expert insights, and the conversations you wish you had. Subscribe here: www.nicolevanhattem.com

  1. 204 - Eye Changes in Menopause: Dry Eyes, Blurry Vision & What Your Hormones Are Really Doing

    2D AGO

    204 - Eye Changes in Menopause: Dry Eyes, Blurry Vision & What Your Hormones Are Really Doing

    Have your eyes started feeling dry, irritated, or more sensitive to light in midlife? Are you updating your glasses prescription more often — or struggling to wear contact lenses comfortably? You're not imagining it. Hormonal shifts during perimenopause and menopause don't just affect your mood, sleep, and metabolism — they also impact your eyes. In this episode of Hot & Healthy Menopause, we explore: - Why declining estrogen affects tear production - The real reason dry eye syndrome increases in midlife - Blurry vision, burning sensations, and light sensitivity - Subtle changes in eye shape and lens comfort - The connection between hormones, inflammation, and eye health You'll also learn practical, evidence-informed strategies to support your eyes: ✔️ Simple daily habits that protect tear quality ✔️ Nutrition and omega-3 support ✔️ When to consider medical treatments ✔️ How to talk to your optometrist about menopause Dry eyes are often dismissed as minor — but chronic irritation can affect your work, driving, reading, sleep, and overall quality of life. Menopause is a whole-body transition. Your eyes deserve care too. If you're ready to connect the dots between your symptoms and your hormones: ✅ Download your free Menopause Symptom Tracker at nicolevanhattem.com ✅ Take your Zinzino Balance Test to explore your inflammation and omega profile ✅ And join me at a Hot & Healthy Retreat to experience what calm, clarity, and confidence really feel like.

    5 min
  2. 203 - Emotion & Hormones: Mood & Menopause

    FEB 10

    203 - Emotion & Hormones: Mood & Menopause

    Have you noticed your mood changing in ways that feel sudden, intense, or completely out of character? One minute you're calm, the next you're overwhelmed, irritable, teary — or irrationally annoyed by chewing, pen-clicking, or breathing. In this episode of the Hot & Healthy Menopause Podcast, Nicole van Hattem breaks down what's really happening in your brain during perimenopause and menopause — and why your emotions can feel so unpredictable. We explore the powerful relationship between hormones and neurotransmitters, including: How declining estrogen affects serotonin (your "happy" chemical) Why falling progesterone weakens GABA, leading to anxiety and poor sleep How changes in dopamine impact motivation, joy, and focus Why cortisol spikes make everyday stress feel overwhelming Nicole explains the science in clear, relatable language — with real-life examples that will make you feel seen, not broken. This episode also looks at how these changes can show up: In the workplace (patience, performance, leadership, confidence) At home and in relationships (irritability, withdrawal, decision-making) In how you regulate stress, communicate needs, and care for yourself You'll learn practical strategies to: Better self-regulate at work Recharge after hours without guilt Communicate what's happening (without excusing behaviour) Get support through coaching, therapy, and medical options such as menopause-informed care and HRT If you're navigating mood swings, emotional overwhelm, or questioning yourself during this transition — this episode will help you replace self-doubt with understanding, compassion, and clear next steps. Work with Nicole at www.nicolevanhattem.com

    8 min
  3. 202 - Confidence Loss in Menopause — When Hormones Hijack Your Mojo

    FEB 4

    202 - Confidence Loss in Menopause — When Hormones Hijack Your Mojo

    Have you noticed a sudden dip in confidence during perimenopause or menopause — even though nothing about your capability, intelligence, or experience has changed? You're not imagining it. And you're definitely not alone. In this episode of Hot & Healthy Menopause, we unpack one of the most common yet least talked about menopause symptoms: loss of confidence. Not just self-doubt — but that unsettling feeling of second-guessing yourself, losing your voice in rooms you once owned, and wondering where you went. Drawing on Australian research, real women's stories, and evidence-based menopause science, we explore: Why falling oestrogen affects confidence, mood, and motivation How brain chemistry changes can trigger anxiety, self-doubt, and "imposter syndrome" Why so many women don't realise confidence loss is hormonally driven The cultural and workplace pressures that amplify confidence dips in midlife Practical ways to rebuild confidence through movement, nutrition, mindset, and support This episode is for women who are high-functioning on the outside but quietly struggling on the inside — and for anyone who wants reassurance that confidence loss in menopause is biological, temporary, and treatable. ✨ If you're ready to stop pushing through and start rebuilding your confidence with the right support, you're invited to work with me. Find out more at nicolevanhattem.com

    7 min
  4. 201 - Hormones, Rage & Responsibility: Emotional Maturity in Menopause

    JAN 28

    201 - Hormones, Rage & Responsibility: Emotional Maturity in Menopause

    Hormones can explain a lot — but they're not a free pass for bad behaviour. In this raw, compassionate, and deeply honest episode, Nicole dives into one of the most uncomfortable — and necessary — conversations of perimenopause and menopause: emotional responsibility without shame. Yes, the hormone rollercoaster can be brutal. Mood swings, rage, tears, exhaustion, brain fog — it's real. But blaming hormones and expecting everyone else to absorb the fallout costs us our power, our relationships, and our self-respect. In this episode, Nicole shares her own lived experience — the moments she's acted out, apologised, and sought therapy — and reframes emotional regulation not as suppression, but as maturity, self-leadership, and compassion. You'll explore: • Why guilt and shame around women's emotions keep us stuck • The surprising connection between puberty and perimenopause — and what we were (and weren't) taught about emotions • How to express anger, sadness, and overwhelm in healthy, productive ways • Why humans aren't meant to navigate this transition alone — and how to build your support squad • How to ask for what you need with clarity and kindness (without apology) • Why this phase isn't your undoing — it's your becoming This episode includes powerful coaching questions to help you reflect, reset, and parent your perimenopausal self with love. Because you won't get it right every time. Because it will catch you off guard. And because a wise woman is waiting for you on the next shore. 🎧 Resources mentioned: • Download the Hot & Healthy Menopause Symptom Tracker • Listen to the episode: The Perimenopause Support Squad • Join Nicole on a 3-day Hot & Healthy Retreat

    8 min
  5. 200 - Reclaiming Your Power: Stress, Sleep & Self-Worth - part 3 on weight

    JAN 22

    200 - Reclaiming Your Power: Stress, Sleep & Self-Worth - part 3 on weight

    You can eat well and exercise perfectly — but if stress and poor sleep are running the show, your body will struggle to heal. In the final episode of this 3-part series, Nicole explores the often-overlooked drivers of weight gain and fatigue in midlife: cortisol, chronic stress, broken sleep, and self-worth. This episode is about nervous system regulation, rest, boundaries, and learning to treat your body as an ally — not an enemy. In this episode, we explore: • How chronic stress and cortisol affect weight and hormones • Why sleep is essential for metabolism and mood • Practical ways to calm the nervous system • The link between self-worth and sustainable health • How to shift from survival mode into thriving at midlife This is a powerful reminder that health is not about punishment — it's about safety, support, and self-respect. If you're ready to reset your stress, your sleep, and your self-worth: ✅ Download your free Menopause Symptom Tracker at nicolevanhattem.com ✅ Take your Zinzino Balance Test to explore your inflammation and omega profile You're not broken — you're becoming. And I'm here to support you to live a hot and healthy life.

    7 min
  6. 199 - from Diet Culture to Nourished Woman, what works now - part 2 on weight

    JAN 22

    199 - from Diet Culture to Nourished Woman, what works now - part 2 on weight

    What if the problem isn't your metabolism — but the way you've been taught to eat? In Part 2 of this series, Nicole helps you break free from diet culture and step into a more nourishing, sustainable relationship with food, your body, and your hormones. This episode shifts the focus from restriction and guilt to nourishment, strength, and balance — especially in perimenopause and menopause, when your body's needs change. In this episode, you'll discover: • Why diets don't work long-term for midlife women • How to eat for hormone harmony and metabolic health • The role of protein, fibre, healthy fats, and hydration • Why food quality matters — including organic, spray-free foods and reducing plastic exposure • How to nourish your gut to support hormones and energy This is about food as information, connection, and self-respect — not control. If you're ready to reset your stress, your sleep, and your self-worth: ✅ Download your free Menopause Symptom Tracker at nicolevanhattem.com ✅ Take your Zinzino Balance Test to explore your inflammation and omega profile

    8 min
  7. 198 - It's Not Your Fault: Understanding Midlife Weight Gain - part 1

    JAN 22

    198 - It's Not Your Fault: Understanding Midlife Weight Gain - part 1

    If your body feels unfamiliar in perimenopause or menopause — despite doing "all the right things" — this episode is for you. In Part 1 of this 3-part series, Nicole unpacks the real reasons weight gain feels so different in midlife. We explore the role of fluctuating hormones, cortisol, stress, gut health, inflammation, and ageing — and why this is not a personal failure or lack of willpower. We also shine a light on the diet and beauty industries that profit from women's insecurity, and begin the process of reclaiming your power, self-trust, and body confidence. In this episode, you'll learn: • Why fat distribution changes in perimenopause and menopause • How stress hormones influence belly fat • The link between gut health, inflammation, and weight • Why diet culture keeps women stuck — and who benefits • A new, empowering definition of health and beauty at midlife This is a compassionate, science-informed reset that reminds you: you're not broken — you're becoming. If you're ready to reset your stress, your sleep, and your self-worth: ✅ Download your free Menopause Symptom Tracker at nicolevanhattem.com ✅ Take your Zinzino Balance Test to explore your inflammation and omega profile

    8 min
  8. 197 - From Leaks to Liberation: Rebuilding Bladder Control, Confidence & Choice

    JAN 21

    197 - From Leaks to Liberation: Rebuilding Bladder Control, Confidence & Choice

    If urinary leaks, urgency, or fear of UTIs have changed how you move, travel, exercise, or live — this episode is for you. In Part 2 of this series, we shift from understanding why urinary changes happen to what actually works to restore bladder control, strength, and confidence in perimenopause and menopause. In this episode, you'll discover: How the bladder and pelvic floor can be retrained at any age Why pelvic floor exercises alone often aren't enough — and what to add The science behind movement, dance, and neuroplasticity for urinary control What research shows about combining pelvic floor therapy, bladder training, and local estrogen When medications are helpful — and when non-antibiotic strategies should come first Alternatives and complements to repeated antibiotic use for recurrent UTIs How to advocate for yourself (and older women) with doctors — using the right language and evidence We also talk openly about starting the conversation across generations — helping mothers, aunts, and grandmothers understand that leaking, infections, and discomfort are treatable medical issues, not personal failures. This episode is about liberation, not limitation — restoring dignity, movement, pleasure, and confidence in midlife and beyond. 🎧 If you haven't listened yet, start with Part 1 to understand the hormonal and anatomical foundations before diving into solutions. 👉 Download your free Menopause Symptom Tracker at nicolevanhattem.com 👉 Work with me as your Menopause Coach for a tailored, whole-body approach

    5 min
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4.5
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

Smart, often funny, and sometimes surprising. Everything's up for discussion: from divorce to dating app disasters, hot sweats, menopause myths, changing body image, family responsibilities, solo travel adventures, and challenging societal norms. Join me for candid chats, expert insights, and the conversations you wish you had. Subscribe here: www.nicolevanhattem.com

Information

  • Creator
    Nicole van Hattem
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Hot & Healthy in Business
  • Show Website
    Hot & Healthy Menopause