Charlotte Birch and the Menopause Thrive Hub.

Yes, that’s me - doing the other thing I love - travelling!

So, back to reality and menopause…..why did I set up this website, what am I hoping to achieve and what is my mission and promise to you?

Most importantly, how can I help you?

Who? What? Why?

Charlotte Birch - really on a mission to help (because menopause doesn’t have to be a struggle.)

I'm Charlotte Birch and when I hit perimenopause, I knew absolutely nothing about it. I don’t mind admitting that - to be honest, up until recently, who did know much about it?

Did you know that oestrogen wasn’t even discovered until 1934 but it wasn’t until the 1990’s that scientists connected sex hormones with brain function - part of the reason for this is that in the 1960’s, women of child bearing age were denied access to clinical trials by the FDA. Pretty hard to study menopause on men alone!

I was young when I entered perimenopause (39) and it never even occurred to me that I was heading to the big M. I struggled for many years and, in a bid to find a renewed sense of purpose, I trained as a PT but I found that exercise alone wasn’t giving me the knowledge I need to help so I trained as a nutritionist with Precision Nutrition. As more and more women in their 40's started coming to me complaining about various issues including stubborn weight gain and low energy, I began to piece together what was happening to us all - MENOPAUSE!. We all had these incredible symptoms in common yet none of us understood what was happening, why it was happening and, more importantly, what to do about it.

I initially took a 'weight loss in menopause' MyMT course....but it wasn't enough to really help my clients so I qualified as a menopause practitioner. What I learnt was absolutely fascinating and many things fell into place.

• I could suddenly understand weight gain and why it was happening.

• I could make connections between low energy and certain vital nutrients missing from the diet.

• I could explain night sweats and hot flushes based on scientific connections around the body.

• I developed a much deeper understanding of the effect foods have on our menopause experience.

• In a nutshell, I understood hormones and learnt how we need to manage them in menopause.

I have very few symptoms now as I continue further on my menopause journey and I’ve made it my mission is to teach women how to manage theirs. I don't want menopause to be dreaded with negativity or for it to cause women to suffer as they transition through it.

It's essential to understand how to eat, how to move, how to sleep, how to relieve stress.

I am doing what I do to help women thrive in their menopause and to transition to post menopause as strong, confident, out going women who are ready to embrace their second spring and start putting themselves first.

I want women to be more in control and the only way to do this is through education - and that's why I created the Menopause Thrive Hub.

A simple logo depicting Venus - the symbol for women and the love that we need to show ourselves after years of giving.

What does the Menopause Thrive Hub aim to give?

I have created the Menopause Thrive Hub as a source of information for women of all ages who are at any point in their menopause journey. It has been designed to bring positivity and a sense of community - one of the worst things about menopause is feeling that you are the only woman in the world going through your current experience.  It is estimated that a current 1 billion women are in menopause so it’s actually a pretty cool international club that we’re in - and we mustn’t forget that we’re not alone.

The site has a lot of advice and a lot of ideas. It has been designed to educate and help women develop a deeper understanding of what they are going through. Menopause isn't an option - it's going to happen to you so the website is about making the experience real and teaching women what to expect and how to handle it. 

As well as offering advice, there are a variety of courses, presentations, trainings, community experiences and healthy recipes that women can access.

I want the website to make women feel part of something bigger - and not to shy away from something that has a taboo and stigma attached to it. We can’t help that menopause happens to us, it’s not a mistake of nature. It’s something natural and inevitable so let’s get ready for it!

For me one of the most interesting parts about menopuase is how our experiences are affected by our lifestyle - and this is what the website aims to convey - you are in control of certain things that will help manage your menopause. There are holistic options other than HRT and the website is a hub to access these options.

There’s ALOT of women out there in the same club going through the same thing as you - never ever feel like you’re alone.

What options do I offer women for working with me?

I have created a range of ways for women to work with me - some are free, some have a price tag but the important part is that I can offer help at many different levels to suit different time frames and different budgets and different symptoms. 

My site has many amazing recipes on it which are accessible for all because women need to understand that food is the 1 single thing that we can control and what we put in our mouths will affect your menopause experience. I also have pages dedicated to advice on how to manage symptoms and I have a strong focus on sleep management. 

My courses range from 1 hour sessions (on line or in person) to 3 month + coaching experiences where we get to the bottom of everything and turn you around: MENOTHRIVE.

I have a 30 day lifestyle coaching course: MENORESET which is a course about the lifestyle changes you need to make to make your menopause experience more healthy and you'll receive this via whatsapp every day. It can be done in a group or by yourself.

Another 30 day course is my online nutrition course: MENOPLATE which is a 30 day course that teaches you everything you need to know about nutrition and how it helps you in menopause. Every day you will receive an email about a certain aspect of nutrition because unless you understand the reason behind something and the benefit it brings you then you won't commit to making changes. It includes recipes and daily changes you can make to help the process. 

As a qualified PT I also offer online training sessions and group fitness classes (locally in Sitges) but if you want to learn about exercise remotely then I can offer you: MENOFIT - a course that looks at how, why and when you should be training with workout plans. 

I have an online course (go at your own speed) which will help you to sleep through the night again and get rid of night sweats or the need to go to the toilet or the need to look at your phone: MENOSLEEP.

I don't believe in 1 size fits all which is why we'll have an hour's consultation before we start our journey together and I can advise you on the best way forward.

I offer presentations about the menopause and on the last Wednesday of every month I hold a webinar on a topic that I know is relevant to many menopausal women - weightgain, poor sleep, nutrition. 

In the workplace I come and hold round table discussions where you get the chance to talk, ask, listen, laugh or cry! It's a wonderful chance to feel part of a community and to gain a deep basic understanding of what is going on in your body and how to handle it - many clients go on to topic based coaching after these sessions.

If I don't currently have a course that you think will work for you, I will create one but I am confident that I have everything covered. 

Menopause can be confusing but it takes education and a community to see it as a natural transition and to make it a healthy transition.

We’ve got this.

THRIVE, DON’T JUST SURVIVE!