Davina McCall has opened up about the menopause, urging women not to underestimate the debilitating symptoms that come with it.
Speaking on daytime show Loose Women, she said she wanted to talk about the menopause because it "was the thing that nobody talked about".
Davina, who recently hosted Boots' Christmas Unwrapped showcase and is a health and beauty inspiration to women all over the world, is very open about her former addition to heroin. The TV presenter had a dependency on both drugs and alcohol in her earlier years, but after coming through the other side, believes that addiction, as well as other previously 'controversial' topics like the menopause should be discussed openly.
MORE:The menopause needs an image rebrand – let’s celebrate it for what it really is
She told panellists on Loose Women earlier this week, "Nobody told me about it. I hadn't learned about it at school, from my mum or my big sister. It was the thing nobody talked about it. There was so much shame about it. It was a sign you'd dried up, you were past your sell-by date, you were at the end of your life, which in Victorian days, I suppose you were...
"But now we live until we're 80, we're right in the middle of our lives. This is where the good bit happens where we know we're not going to have kids any more and we can go off and be a bit selfish after being selfless for so long."
MORE:Think you’re at the Menopause age? Join Davina McCall as she reveals what drove her to seek help
She also added, "Obviously I'm a reformed addict and I was waking up soaked in sweat, having to put towels on the bed, thinking, 'There's something wrong with me, I've got the flu or a virus or something'.
"It really reminded me of when I was using and I really hated it... and mood swings, shouting at the kids."
Davina also discussed the benefits of HRT and how, for her, the positives outweigh the negatives.
"The health benefits for me way outweighed the negatives," she told the Loose Women.
"I've got dementia running in my family, it massively reduces that, reduces diabetes and it reduces the risk of heart disease by 50%."
Lauren is deputy editor at woman&home.com in the UK and became a journalist mainly because she enjoys being nosy. With a background in features journalism, Lauren has worked on the woman&home brand for four years. Before woman&home Lauren worked across a variety of women's lifestyle titles, including GoodTo, Woman's Own, and Woman magazine. After starting out working for a local paper in Yorkshire, her journalism career took her to Bristol where she hunted out stories for national papers and magazines at Medavia news agency, before landing a job in London working as a lifestyle assistant.
Lauren loves helping people share their stories, bringing experiences to life online, honing her interview techniques with everyone from authors to celebrities, headteachers to local heroes. As well as having a good nose for a story, Lauren has a passion for the English language and years of experience optimizing digital content to reach the widest audience possible. During her time at w&h, Lauren has worked on big brand campaigns like the Amazing Women Awards and assisted in developing w&h expert-approved Buyer's Guides—the place to go if you're looking to splash out on an important purchase and want some trusted advice. In addition to her journalism career, Lauren also has a background in copywriting for prestigious brands such as Inhabit Hotel, eco-development K'in in Tulum, social enterprise The Goldfinger Factory and leading London architect Holland Harvey, using language in all its glorious forms, from detailed guidebooks to snappy social content.
A big fan of adventure, Lauren is also a keen travel writer and loves sharing tips on where to find the best places to eat, drink, and be merry off the beaten track. Lauren has written a series of travel guides for London hotels and loves sharing her insights into a destination's cultural and culinary offerings. If you need a recommendation on any UK destination, she's more than happy to help. At the weekend, you'll usually find her hanging out with her pet cat (or anyone else's pet she can get her hands on), escaping to the countryside, or devouring a good book.
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