There's a condition that leads to an increased risk of heart disease, dementia, and early death that's been affecting people for as long as they've existed. The many symptoms can severely impact quality of life - ranging from headaches and memory problems to anxiety and weight gain. This condition affects more than half of the world's population, but unbelievably its rarely discussed and the scientific research that exists on it is limited. It's called menopause, and it affects 1.2 billion women worldwide. It's not a disease, but the effects can be just as serious for some women.Jonathan talks to the British doctor who's working to educate us about menopause and bring the discussion on the topic into the mainstream.Dr Louise Newson is a GP, menopause specialist and founder of the Newson Health Menopause & Wellbeing Center. Director of the Balance Menopause App and the non-profit Newson Health Research and Education. Founder of The Menopause Charity.Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguideTimecodes:00:00 - Intro00:09 - Jonathan Intro01:11 - Episode start01:24 - What is menopause and why is it important for Dr Louise04:17 - Being hormone-deficient is bleak07:27 - The overall scale of menopause12:41 - What is HRT?17:24 - How little menopause is talked about19:30 - Dr Louise’s push for menopause understanding & education23:02 -What’s the accurate test for perimenopause?28:10 - Understanding hormone deficiency symptoms31:58 - What else can you do besides HRT: Nutrition considerations41:09 - Does your body shape change while menopausal?41:55 - Summary44:06 - Goodbyes44:31 - OutroEpisode transcripts can be found here.Dr Louise’s non-profit organisation about improving and understanding women’s hormone health: https://www.nhmenopausesociety.orgCheck Dr Louise’s app on perimenopause and menopause: https://www.balance-menopause.comFollow Louise: https://twitter.com/drlouisenewsonFollow ZOE on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe/This podcast was produced by Fascinate Productions.