When Mother-Well Came to Town: A Must-Read for Every Woman and Every Mother-Daughter Duo

Did you know that "menopause" is technically just one single day in your life? It’s the day you've gone 12 months without a period, everything else is either perimenopause (the lead-up) or postmenopause (the journey afterward).
We just had the incredible Mother-Well team here for a hormone workshop, and it was an absolute eye-opener. And not just for women approaching menopause, this workshop truly highlighted why every woman should understand this, no matter her age.

Why This Workshop Is for Everyone, From Teens to Grandmothers

One of the most powerful insights was how much of your hormonal journey can actually be traced through your genealogy. The symptoms you experience, the timing of your perimenopause, how your body responds, these things often echo what happened for your mother and grandmother.

It’s a reminder to start those conversations.
Ask your mum what her journey was like. Ask your grandmother if you can. Those family stories can give you clues about your own pathway long before symptoms even begin.

From Genes to Lifestyle: Understanding Your Whole Picture

Every woman’s experience is different. For some, hormonal shifts show up as:

• dry eyes

• mental fog or mood changes

• anxiety or feeling “revved”

• bloating

• weight that suddenly wants to sit around the tummy

• changes in sleep

• migraines

• or just a sense of “something feels off”

The body speaks in patterns and the Mother-Well team are unbelievably skilled at helping you decode those patterns quickly and clearly.

What I loved most is the way they blend holistic, natural-first care with the clinical expertise to know when medical support is needed. You’re not left guessing or googling your symptoms at 2am. They look at your genes, your history, your current stress load, your lifestyle, and put it all together in a way that finally makes sense.

It takes the overwhelm out of trying to figure it all out on your own.

The Treasure Trove of Knowledge

We left with so many resources — podcasts, books, blood test panels, blogs, and tools for midlife, hormones, and wellbeing. I’ve listed everything below so you can explore them in your own time.

If you ever feel lost in the maze of women’s health, these are the women to turn to. They’ve been running a leading clinic in Auckland for over 20 years, they’ve walked through all these stages themselves, and they have a whole team of practitioners behind them. And yes — you can book Zoom consults from anywhere.

You walk away feeling informed, supported, and empowered — like someone finally turned the lights on.

In Summary:

• Menopause is one day — the rest is the before and after.

• This knowledge is for every woman, not just midlife.

• Your family story matters: your mother’s and grandmother’s patterns can reflect your own.

• Your symptoms are clues — every body expresses hormonal shifts differently.

• Mother-Well makes it simple, natural-first, and personalised.

NEXT STEPS: WHAT TO DO NOW

1. Book with Mother-Well

You can:

• Call and book a Zoom appointment from anywhere in NZ or

• Visit the clinic in Auckland for an in-person consultation

Their approach helps you understand your body clearly without the overwhelm.

2. Explore the Resources Below

Podcasts, books, blogs, midlife support, gene-based insights, everything we were given at the workshop is listed below for you.

3. Start the Conversations

Talk with:

• your mum

• your grandmother

• your daughters

Your hormonal story lives in your lineage and those conversations can change everything.

MENOPAUSE & MIDLIFE RESOURCES

Books on Menopause:

• New Menopause — Dr Mary Claire Haver

• Everything You Need to Know About Menopause — Kate Muir

• The Menopause Moment — Dr Kelly Casperson

• Oestrogen Matters — Avrum Bluming

• Unbreakable — Vonda Wright

Midlife Books Worth Reading

• How to Have a Magnificent Midlife Crisis — Kate Muir

• Much More to Come — Eleanor Mills

• We Can Do Hard Things — Glennon Doyle, Abby Wambach & Amanda Doyle

Podcasts on Menopause

• The Dr Louise Newson Podcast

• You Are Not Broken — Dr Kelly Casperson

Other Podcasts for Women in the Freedom Phase of Life

• We Can Do Hard Things — Glennon Doyle, Abby Wambach & Amanda Doyle

• Begin Again — Davina McCall

• Midlife, Menopause & Magnificence — Kate Muir

Inspiration & Community

• NOON — https://noon.org.uk/
  A brilliant hub for midlife support, stories, and inspiration to start women’s groups.

BLOOD TEST PANEL FOR PERIMENOPAUSE

(Discuss these with your doctor and tailor based on symptoms.)

If you are still menstruating (Day 2–3 of your cycle, morning):

• Oestradiol

• FSH

• Free Testosterone

• LH

To be done any day, before 9am:

• Fasting Cortisol

• TSH

• FT4

• FASTING Cholesterol Panel

• Kidney Function

• Liver Function

• Ferritin / Iron Panel

• B12

• Vitamin D (non-funded in NZ)