Where did it all go wrong?
Let’s begin with an excerpt from Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring. I was introduced to this book in a Functional Nutrition course. It was very impactful & profound for me as a Holistic Hormone Health Practitioner & Nutrition Coach.
In it, she paints a haunting picture of a town—not unlike our own—where life once lived in harmony with its surroundings.
The town sat amid prosperous farms, fields of grain, and orchards where, each spring, white clouds of blossoms floated above the green. In autumn, oaks, maples, and birches lit up the land, and foxes and deer quietly crossed the fields. The roadsides were beautiful year-round—laurel, viburnum, alder, great ferns, and wildflowers. Even in winter, birds came to feed on berries and dry weeds.
This town was famous for its abundance of birdlife. People came from afar just to witness the migrating flocks. But then, everything changed.
A strange blight crept across the land. Animals sickened and died—chickens, cattle, and sheep. Illness spread among the people. Doctors were puzzled by the rise of new diseases and sudden deaths, even among children.
The birds vanished. Feeders sat untouched. The few birds that remained trembled, unable to fly. Spring arrived, but the dawn chorus was silent. No robins. No wrens. Apple trees bloomed, but no bees came to pollinate them. There would be no fruit.
What had caused this destruction? No enemy. No witchcraft. The people had done it themselves.
Carson’s words may sound like fiction, but these events have happened—and continue to happen—across the globe.
Believe it or not, this book was written after World War II in 1958. The world was dramatically changing due to this particular event in history. The industrial revolution. In an effort to feed a growing & hungry population, the farming & food industry turned to chemicals and monocropping to feed the masses. Nutrient deficiencies were addressed through fortifying foods. At first, efforts were intended as helpful innovations but believe or not, this marked the beginning of a chemically saturated, profit-driven industry which has greatly impacted our female health, our self image and self worth.
In the 1950s and 60s, women were told they could—and should—have it all. Careers, sparkling clean homes, well-groomed children, and perfect appearances. Thus began quick and easy, convenience foods. Formula for babies, canned goods, condensed milk, Coffee-Mate, Jell-O salads, boxed cake mixes, Shake ‘n Bake, frozen vegetables, Spam, and TV dinners..these were considered modern miracles.
The cleaning and beauty industries also flourished—bringing harsh chemicals not just into our homes, but onto our skin. Aerosol sprays were used for everything!
Picture a freight train, carrying all that came to be in the 50’s & 60’s into the future decades.
In the 70’s & 80’s fast food boomed both in the homes and commercially. Microwaves soon became household staples. Who remembers their first microwave?
And then the diet culture... crazy crash diets like the cabbage soup diet, the grapefruit diet, liquid diets, cotton ball diet (?), sleeping beauty diet, laxative diet. There were countless ways to get skinny. The fitness industry health was all about being thin, tanned, and toned.
Real, whole food was becoming a thing of the past—unless you lived on a farm. The food industry continued to shift from nourishment to profit. The goal wasn’t to make us well—it was to keep us consuming.
To safeguard our homes, we continued to spray for insects and dandelions, prided ourselves on perfectly manicured lawns, and kept… using…chemicals. Meanwhile, our health, more specifically our hormone health was quietly suffering.
By the 90s and early 2000s, things only got more confusing. New fads promised health but offered more marketing than substance. In addition to crazy diets, the fat-free & sugar-free, carb-free diets, bernstein diet, weight watchers, and Jenny Craig were added to the mix—each trend was another layer in our health disconnect.
Then the new culture of Starbucks became the new “home away from home,” while Tim Hortons promised comfort in a coffee and donut.
Most of us were raising children, working full-time jobs, and trying to keep up with a picture-perfect life. We pushed through, not realizing our health—especially our hormone health—was being compromised.
Breast cancer, cervical and ovarian cancers were on the rise. We were told to trust the experts, but we weren’t getting the full picture.
Often for symptoms rooted in hormone imbalance… we’ve been dismissed, misdiagnosed and or not supported. Instead of answers, many women are handed anxiety or sleep medications.
LONG Pause…
And here we are! Welcome to Menopause in 2025.
Choo Choo! I want you to picture that Freight train again…it is still loaded and idling.
Not long ago, most of us didn’t even know the term perimenopause. Many of you are still in it, waiting and hoping for it to end. Others have entered post-menopause—the so-called “calm after the storm.”
My story brought me to this place. I too did not know what was happening but because of a private, very expensive natural health doctor, I was told “you are in perimenopause.” I had no idea what it was. Through many visits, countless bottles of supplements and a large amount of money, I was able to overcome the first stage of my perimenopause. My positive experience left me saying to myself “this care should not be exclusive, it needs to be told to as many women as possible. Nobody should suffer.” It wasn’t until a few years later I found a course to become a Women’s holistic hormone health practitioner. My mission was to educate, empower as well, provide accessible and affordable services.
In my practice, I focus on the foundations of hormone health—which are, in truth, the foundations of overall health. These haven’t changed. What’s changed is society’s influence on our relationship with food, what we eat, how we live and how we care for ourselves.
These are the simple but vital foundations that I base my hormone health coaching on. I help you offload what is on that train.
Real food — Whole, unprocessed, and nourishing.
Movement — Not for weight loss, but for vitality and strength.
Chemical-free living — Clean up what goes in and on your body. Choose safer products for your skin and your home.
Finding your Joy — Oxytocin is powerful. Reclaim pleasure, intimacy, friendship, and joy.
Rest/Sleep — Your adrenals love consistency. Create calming healthy bedtime routines. Turn off the news, the phones, let go of stress before sleep.
Stress support/management — It’s not easy, but it’s possible. Meditation, prayer, creativity, nature, and mindfulness aren’t luxuries—they’re necessities.
Favourite quote: The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison" - Ann Wigmore.(replace food ____)
Now, Let’s talk about Self-Advocacy
Unfortunately, doctors may and often do not have the answers. Your knowledge is your power. As a coach and as your business friend, I encourage you to seek support that aligns with your needs and values—naturopaths, functional nutritionists, hormone health coaches, acupuncturists, massage, energy work, prayer circles. Whatever speaks to you.
Ladies, we are at a pivotal moment—not just for ourselves, but for the generations that follow. The information we gather & learn, the choices we make can positively affect our daughters, our granddaughters, and the world they’ll inherit.
Gabriela Barclay a Holistic Coach & Blogger shares “Many cultures recognise menopause as a sacred passage when women transition into their "wisdom years." In Native American traditions, this phase is called "the moon pause," symbolising maturity and introspection.
In Chinese medicine, it is the Second Spring. This phase is a period of personal transformation, where self-nurturing becomes central.
Menopause is not an end but a beginning—a divine gift that ushers in an era of wisdom and self-discovery. It is a time to honour your body, celebrate your journey, and embrace the inherent power within you.”
We’ve all been through so much. Each one of us carries a story. The cargo is heavy but you have an opportunity to unload.
The wise woman within us has always been there.
Now more than ever, she is emerging & entering a new chapter.
One of empowerment.
Alignment.
Honouring the wholeness of who you are meant to be during these wonderful years called Menopause.
