Hot Topic: Hooha's & Menopause with Rach Bird

Rach is a dear friend of dea and a Functional Wellness expert who marries science with a sprinkle of magic to help women achieve incredible wellness in every area of their life. With over 20 years experience in the wellness space and well over 55 years of wisdom she’s on a mission to teach women to be the CEO of their own body. She’s trained in all sorts of cool stuff (naturopathy, psychology, herbal medicine, integrative nutrition, functional medicine, human design & pilates). Her unapologetic, no BS approach supports women to experience holistic health and vitality in all areas of life. Rach lives in Hawke’s Bay with Mr Bird, their two beautiful teenagers and many, many animals. Let's see what she's got to say:

Your top tips for caring for our hooha’s?

First of all, have a relationship with it. We live in a culture where it is very much taboo. Secondly, treat it nicely from a physical point of view. Don’t wear tight synthetic underwear. If you’re menstruating, use a menstrual cup. Don't put nasties up there. Avoid using soap, sprays, or perfumes. Give it air and sunlight. Dance around without undies every now and then. Give it some LOVE. And also (touchy subject), give it some pleasure. That’s how you should be treating your hooha.

How can a woman walk through the rite of passage of menopause feeling powerful?

Menopause is not a fucking disease. It’s a normal transition of life. Firstly, acknowledge that. Stop referring to symptoms as if they are a disease. Yes, symptoms happen, and there are hormonal changes occurring in your body–but the symptoms are happening because of things we are doing to our bodies in other ways. So, women can walk through the transition by really tuning into how they are living. Are there other factors that are making the transition more rocky than it needs to be? We live in a patriarchal model that doesn’t serve us and really doesn’t support us as we approach menopause.

Your top ways to support women through that transition?

Look after your adrenal glands! The biggest thing is to put food into your body that serves you. Understand there is no good or bad food. It’s just information for your body, and different food gives your body different info. When you’re in menopause, that information needs to be tightened up a little bit; otherwise, you’ll feel like shit. It’s not about right or wrong. It’s about changing the relationship as your body is changing. Alcohol and menopause are not friends. Talk to someone who actually has a uterus and has experience with menopause. Get someone to walk with you, because as women, that’s what we’ve lost.

What are your obsessions at the moment? Food, Podcasts, Books, or anything else you want to share!

Animals! I’m obsessed with animals.

I’m reading a book at the moment called Mary Magdalene Revealed: The First Apostle, Her Feminist Gospel & the Christianity We Haven't Tried Yet. I do go to church sometimes, but the whole patriarchal world we live in is very interesting to me. Perhaps not the rabbit hole to go down right now however…

Food, food, food. I LOVE FOOD. I love coffee. Always obsessed with coffee. I am also now 3.5 years alcohol-free, not that I’m obsessed with that.

I eat a lot of plant-based foods. I do eat meat. I like to get my food as clean as possible, but not from a right or wrong point of view. It’s all about balance. I think the extremes of eating aren’t good. But also, I don’t think using ‘balance’ as an excuse for eating chocolate 17 days out of the week is good either, haha.

I’m obsessed with Pilates, especially Pilates reformers. It’s my happy place.

I’m also obsessed with any podcast for women and mums that’s only 10 minutes per episode. Because if it’s an hour, I don’t necessarily want to spend an hour doing that!

If you want to find out more about Rachel Bird head over to her Instagram @rach_bird_ or her website www.rachbird.co.nz