What this episode is about
Discover how menopause can become your midlife superpower with Rebekah Brown, founder of Liminal. Learn how to navigate perimenopause and beyond with confidence, community support, and innovative natural solutions.
Key takeaways
- Gabriella says she likes having options in menopause, so she never feels backed into a corner about HRT. A range of choices lets you try different things.
- Rebekah Brown treated her own symptoms like a research project. The more she looked, the more she saw perimenopause as a life stage no one had told her about.
- Rebekah Brown says women's lived experience is as valuable as clinical data. She says studies have left women out, and stories help fill the gaps.
Moments from this episode
Word for word from the recording. Tap a time to hear it.
She treated her body like a project
“I almost treated my body like my next project and I allowed myself to be curious.”
A life stage no one told her about
“The more I looked into the symptoms I was struggling with and the feelings that were kind of coming up for me, the more I realized there was this life stage that no one told me about.”
We need those who went before
“We need that woman who's gone through menstruation before us, that woman who's gone through birth before us, that woman who's gone through marriage before us, that woman who's broken through the glass ceiling before us. We need those reference points.”
“How are you feeling about this life stage? What are you feeling? I, I think many women are never asked that question, even by their doctors.”
Gabriella Espinosaat 11:24
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Show notes
Watch on YouTube:
The journey into menopause can feel life altering, but what if we could harness the lessons from this transition and use them as superpowers to create what's next for us in midlife, whether it's a new business, creative project or simply equipping ourselves to live our healthiest life?
In this conversation, I had the pleasure of speaking to my friend, colleague and all-around inspiring human, Rebekah Brown, visionary founder of the co-creation community Liminal, a company dedicated to helping women "meno-well" through innovative products and education. She talks about how she is using her meno-powers to listen to the stories of women, change the narrative around aging and what it means to thrive in this life stage.
Read the full show notesShow less
Reframing Menopause as a Time of Opportunity
Rebekah's journey into menopause advocacy and entrepreneurship began with her own challenging perimenopause experience in her early 40s. As she shared:
"I went from being relatively comfortable doing a job that I was good at and rising to a senior level... to becoming absolutely crippled by anxiety. And it kind of crept up and became so significant that I felt unable to do my job, I felt that I was no longer capable of having deep, relevant thoughts."
Like many women, Rebekah initially struggled to get proper support and diagnosis. Her doctor suggested antidepressants, not recognizing the hormonal changes at play. This experience sparked Rebekah's curiosity to learn more about menopause and eventually led her to create Liminal, a multi-award winning brand and community focused on the brilliance of female biology and the phenomenal wisdom and value women bring as we age.
Key Takeaway: Our menopause experiences can become catalysts for positive change and new directions in our lives if we approach them with curiosity and openness.
The Power of Women's Stories in Shaping Solutions
What sets Liminal apart is its focus on co-creation and incorporating women's lived experiences in the formulation of their products. As Rebekah explained:
"I'm really passionate about the fact that lived experience and individual stories are as valuable as clinical data. They perform very different roles, but they are equally as valid... and if you can bring the two together, then that's where true innovation and systemic change can take place."
By listening deeply to women's stories and combining them with scientific insights, Liminal has been able to create innovative products and expert-led educational programs that truly meet women's needs.
Action Step: Start sharing your own menopause story with trusted friends or in supportive communities. Your experiences are valid and can help shape better solutions for all women.
The Menopause-Gut Connection
Gut health plays a crucial role in our overall well-being, especially during menopause. Rebekah Brown shared fascinating insights about the connection between gut health and menopause symptoms. While probiotics have been popular, she emphasized the importance of prebiotics in nourishing our gut microbiome. Interestingly, menopause can cause shifts in our gut microbiota and impact our metabolic rate, potentially leading to issues like bloating, weight gain, and food intolerances.
Liminal's star product, Gut Instinct, is a prebiotic blend designed to support gut health during menopause. It includes carminative herbs that "coach" the gut, helping to alleviate symptoms quickly. What's particularly striking is how gut health affects not just physical symptoms, but also our mood, social confidence, and even intimate relationships. By addressing gut health, we're not just improving digestion – we're enhancing our overall quality of life during menopause.
Holistic Approaches to Menopause Wellness
Rebekah emphasized the importance of taking a holistic, individualized approach to menopause wellness - a key underpinning of Liminal's focus on a whole body and mind approach to menopause.
Some key elements she highlighted:
- Addressing stress management
- Rethinking exercise routines
- Exploring mindfulness practices like meditation and breathwork
- Considering cold water therapy
- Reassessing nutrition needs
She noted that what works can change over time: "The tools that served me when I was 41 or 43... are very different to what they are now that I'm 50."
Quick Tips for Creating Your Meno-Well Toolkit:
- Approach new practices with curiosity and playfulness
- Evaluate what's working for you regularly
- Be open to trying unexpected modalities
- Focus on stress reduction as a foundation
Shifting the Generational Narrative
One of the most touching parts of our conversation was hearing how Rebekah's menopause journey has impacted her relationship with her mother. By openly discussing menopause, they've been able to heal some old wounds and create a new understanding:
"What's been lovely actually, about her supporting me on my journey, and also her support of Liminal has been this opening up and a rediscovery of her own journey and I think actually laying to bed some wounds, where she felt like she had failed at certain points in her life."
This illustrates the power of breaking the silence around menopause and creating intergenerational dialogue.
Conclusion: Your Menopause, Your Superpower
Rebekah's visionary leadership with Liminal reminds us that menopause doesn't have to be a time of loss or struggle. By approaching this transition with curiosity, community support, and holistic tools, we can truly activate our menopause superpower.
Whether that means starting a new business, deepening our relationships, or simply living with more joy and authenticity, the possibilities are endless.
Remember:
- Your menopause experience is unique and valid
- Community and shared stories are powerful tools for healing and growth
- A holistic, flexible approach to wellness serves us best in midlife
- It's never too late to rediscover pleasure and play
I'm so grateful to Rebekah for sharing her wisdom and to all the women in the Liminal community who are changing the menopause narrative. Together, we can create a world where all women can truly meno-well.
Guest information:
Rebekah Brown is founder of the vibrant midlife community and menopause supplement range, Liminal. Launched in 2020 as a response to her own journey into menopause, Liminal’s ambition is to make midlife a superpower for women everywhere - through its product range, which is developed with medical doctors, naturopaths and herbalists, its community of women who trial every recipe to measure impact, and its team of experts that ensure a whole body and mind approach to ‘Part 2’.
Visit Liminal at: liveliminal.com and follow them on Instagram @live_liminal: instagram.com/live_liminal
About the guest
Rebekah BrownFounder of the vibrant midlife community and menopause supplement range, LiminalGuest on this episode of Pleasure in the Pause.More about them
