You're not going crazy. You're not broken. And no — it's not "just stress."

Somewhere in your 40s or 50s your body starts doing things no one warned you about — the broken sleep, the rage out of nowhere, the anxiety, the brain fog, the aching joints — and none of it makes sense. So you ask for help. And too often you're turned away. Told you're too young. Too stressed. That your bloods are "normal." You leave more defeated than when you walked in, quietly wondering if you're imagining the whole thing.

You're not. And you're not alone.

What the Peri? is for the woman navigating perimenopause or menopause — or lying awake wondering if this is it — who's done being confused and just needs someone to make it all make sense. I'm Kirsten Cooke: 30 years in health and fitness, and I've lived every one of these symptoms myself. This isn't a lecture from someone who read the research. It's the conversation I wish someone had sat me down and had with me years ago.

In this episode:
→ My personal perimenopause journey — and why this podcast exists
→ The statistics that prove this is a systemic failure, not a personal one
→ What perimenopause actually is — and why it's different from menopause
→ All 34 recognised symptoms — plus the extras that don't always make the list
→ Why these symptoms happen, at a hormonal level
→ What to do this week: starting your symptom diary

DOES ANY OF THIS SOUND FAMILIAR? Hot flushes & night sweats · broken sleep · brain fog & memory lapses · anxiety, low mood & unfamiliar rage · joint pain & stiffness · weight that won't shift · low libido · thinning hair · heart palpitations · burning mouth · a changed sense of smell · easy bruising… and many more. If you're nodding along — this episode is for you.

Not sure if this is you? → Download your FREE Guide: www.kirstencookecoaching.com/free-guide

Ready for real support? → Work with me: kirstencookecoaching.com/apply

RESOURCES
Track your symptoms with the free Balance app by Dr Louise Newson: drlouisenewson.co.uk

REFERENCES
– Australian female suicide rates by age group: AIHW / ABS Causes of Death 2023 — aihw.gov.au
– UK divorce & menopause: Office for National Statistics; Stowe Family Law Survey 2022
– USA divorce rates over 50: Bowling Green State University, 2022
– 39% of menopausal women offered antidepressants first-line: Newson Health Survey — drlouisenewson.co.uk
– Newson Health survey of 5,744 women: drlouisenewson.co.uk
– Menopause research underfunding: Nature, 2023
– Female-specific conditions receive ~1% of biopharma R&D: McKinsey Health Institute
– Santoro N et al. (2021), The menopausal transition — Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism

If anything in this episode hit close to home, please reach out for support. In Australia, Lifeline is available 24/7 on 13 11 14.

The change you didn't ask for. The conversations you need.

Work with Kirsten: https://www.kirstencookecoaching.com
Say hi: @kirstencookecoaching on Instagram and Facebook