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Adele Johnston was 33 when she developed painful symptoms such as heart palpitations and itchy skin.
BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityScotlandScotland PoliticsScotland BusinessEdinburgh, Fife & EastGlasgow & WestHighlands & IslandsNE, Orkney & ShetlandSouthTayside & CentralAlbaLocal NewsDid bodybuilding bring on my early perimenopause?Published2 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Adele JohnstonImage caption, Adele was a Scottish double gold bodybuilding championBy Angie BrownBBC Scotland, Edinburgh and East reporterWhen Adele Johnston was a bodybuilder she was on gruelling diets and fitness regimes that left her hungry and exhausted all the time.The Scottish double gold bodybuilding champion’s hair began to fall out, she had bleeding gums, heart palpitations, itchy skin and painfully swollen genitals.After years of scans and painful tests it was discovered these were symptoms of early perimenopause – the stage before a woman’s period stops.On average, it starts when women are 46 years old. Adele, a mother-of-two from Fife, was in her early 30s.”For years and years I was pushing my body beyond its limits physically and mentally. Bodybuilding is an extreme sport and I wasn’t healthy,” she told BBC Scotland News. “You could see my ribs and my bone structure, I was emaciated. How my body looked was not nice and healthy and I went against my intelligence and knowledge to put myself through those gruelling diets.”I was always hungry and was never satiated.”Image source, Adele JohnstonImage caption, Adele Johnston with her husband Sean and twin daughters, Clara and ShannonAt 5ft 8ins (1.7m), Adele was only 8 stones 3lbs (53kg) as a bodybuilder – two stones lighter than she is now.”I’ve started to question why I went into an early perimenopause and have asked many doctors if it was due to my bodybuilding and they said ‘It is possible but we don’t have the research,” she said. Dr Heather Currie, a specialist gynaecologist at NHS Dumfries and Galloway, suggested the extreme bodybuilding could have caused Adele’s menstrual cycle to “stall”. “Anything in extreme you have to question if that is going to have other effects and what I often talk about is everything in moderation,” she said. “Any over excess or excess of not enough of something is not going to be good overall.”If the whole cycle is able to stall then you could see why some people might have symptoms [of perimenopause].”Dr Currie, who advises the Scottish government on the menopause and women’s health, suggested the ovaries could “return to normal” once Adele stopped bodybuilding. “Bodybuilding could have influenced it but she will never know,” she added. Image source, Adele JohnstonImage caption, Adele now runs a menopause business and training academy as the Menopause CoachAdele has now given up bodybuilding – but she has also been put on HRT and a Mirena coil, which completely stops her monthly periods, to help her perimenopausal symptoms. The 40-year-old is finally feeling better and is not prepared to come off the medication to check whether her cycle has recovered. “I suffered from horrific perimenopause symptoms,” she said. “I had heart palpitations and thought I was having a heart attack, I couldn’t sleep at night so was exhausted, I had cold sweats and I was itchy all over my body.”I had so much pain in my vulva I had to stand at my desk at work. I had abdominal bloating and bleeding gums and was losing my hair. It was very traumatic.”Because I have the Mirena coil and my hormones feel stable, I’m not prepared to remove it to check if I’m having a bleed.”What is the perimenopause? Image source, Dr Paula Briggs, Fast facts for MenopauseThe menopause is when women’s periods stop, which normally happens around the age of 51.The lead-up to this happening, when periods become irregular, is known as the peri-menopause. It starts, on average, at 46.This is when many women notice their periods becoming unpredictable or heavy, and have feelings or physical problems they haven’t experienced before.When periods haven’t happened for 12 months, you have reached menopause.What is the menopause and what are the signs?Vicky McCann, the chairwoman of the British Natural Bodybuilding Federation, said any potential link between bodybuilding and the early perimenopause was a “very interesting subject”.The 54-year-old said: “I have been competing for 30 years and have only had signs of menopause in the last three years.”I had no issues up until then and I have dieted and trained all my life. I can think of about three other people my age who have also had no problems.”However, the thing is people are all unique, it’s an interesting subject.”Jessica Watson, co-founder of menopause education organisation, Gloriah, said she had encountered many stories like Adele’s. “There is an urgent need for greater recognition of, and research into, the causes of early menopause – which is at the heart of what we are campaigning for,” she added. ‘I could barely function’Adele is now a menopause coach after resigning from her job as an operational resilience manager in an investment bank.”My debilitating symptoms eventually forced me to leave my job,” she said. “The company I worked for couldn’t support me in my needs when I was going through perimenopause.”I’d asked for six weeks of reduced hours while I adjusted to being on HRT and they refused.”I was so unwell I could barely function. So my husband Sean said leave and we would work it out.”Adele said she was nervous leaving her job.”It was petrifying to say goodbye to my salary, pension, benefits and career path, but I saw it as an opportunity to retrain as a menopause coach, using what I’d been through to help others.”She added: “Bodybuilding is a glitzy and glamorous sport but behind the stage we have to be mindful of the health implications.”Related TopicsEdinburghHealthDunfermlineMenopauseMore on this storyWhat is the menopause and what are the signs?Published23 March 2023HRT medicine to be sold over counter for first timePublished8 September 2022Related Internet LinksAdele Johnston CoachingGloriahBritish Natural Bodybuilding Federation official websiteThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.From other local news sitesTemperatures set to plummet as snow predicted this weekExternalEdinburgh Evening NewsCoco and Tallulah at heart of Lia Louise McBride’s new bookExternalEast Lothian CourierMan threatened with weapon before van was stolen in DundeeExternalTayside and Fife CourierHyperclub eventually has new home with base in LochgellyExternalCentral Fife TimesBallingry woman has admitted booting a police officerExternalCentral Fife TimesPolice stop speeding driver on A1 near Queen Margaret UniversityExternalEast Lothian CourierInformation about BBC links to other news sitesTop StoriesI would speak to killer’s mother – Brianna’s mumPublished52 minutes agoLive. 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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaCould you be a fair juror for Trump? We asked New YorkersThis video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Could you be a fair juror for Trump? We asked New YorkersCloseJury selection is under way in Donald Trump’s New York City hush-money trial, with hundreds of people selected as potential jurors.They must answer a questionnaire to determine, among other things, if they can be impartial about the former president.The BBC asked some of those questions to Manhattan residents.SubsectionUS & CanadaPublished50 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRead descriptionExplore moreCould you be a fair juror for Trump? We asked New Yorkers. Video, 00:02:16Could you be a fair juror for Trump? We asked New YorkersSubsectionUS & CanadaPublished50 minutes ago2:16Up Next. A view from inside court for Trump’s blockbuster trial. Video, 00:01:15A view from inside court for Trump’s blockbuster trialSubsectionUS & CanadaPublished19 hours agoUp Next1:15Press, police and protesters: Outside Trump courthouse. Video, 00:01:12Press, police and protesters: Outside Trump courthouseSubsectionUS & CanadaPublished1 day ago1:12Trump’s ‘perp walk’ moment explained in 60 seconds. Video, 00:01:00Trump’s ‘perp walk’ moment explained in 60 secondsSubsectionUS & CanadaPublished31 March 20231:00Editor’s recommendationsCopenhagen stock exchange engulfed by huge fire. Video, 00:01:03Copenhagen stock exchange engulfed by huge fireSubsectionEuropePublished12 hours ago1:03Moment spire collapses at Copenhagen stock exchange. Video, 00:00:43Moment spire collapses at Copenhagen stock exchangeSubsectionEuropePublished11 hours ago0:43Dormice ladders built in the Forest of Dean. Video, 00:00:51Dormice ladders built in the Forest of DeanSubsectionGloucestershirePublished1 day ago0:51Liz Truss: The world was safer under Trump. Video, 00:00:35Liz Truss: The world was safer under TrumpSubsectionUK PoliticsPublished22 hours ago0:35Huge fires blaze along Miami highway. Video, 00:00:33Huge fires blaze along Miami highwaySubsectionUS & CanadaPublished12 hours ago0:33Watch: Georgia opposition leader punches MP during debate. Video, 00:00:34Watch: Georgia opposition leader punches MP during debateSubsectionEuropePublished21 hours ago0:34Wheelie bins fly and a caravan overturns in strong wind. Video, 00:00:24Wheelie bins fly and a caravan overturns in strong windSubsectionStoke & StaffordshirePublished1 day ago0:24Hannah Waddingham calls out demanding paparazzi. Video, 00:00:28Hannah Waddingham calls out demanding paparazziSubsectionEntertainment & ArtsPublished1 day ago0:28Endangered California condor chicks hatched in LA. Video, 00:01:28Endangered California condor chicks hatched in LASubsectionUS & CanadaPublished1 day ago1:28
[ad_1] Jury selection is under way in Donald Trump’s New York City hush-money trial, with hundreds of people selected as potential jurors. They must answer a questionnaire to determine, among…
BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityUKEnglandN. IrelandScotlandAlbaWalesCymruIsle of ManGuernseyJerseyLocal NewsFirst product of Meghan’s lifestyle brand revealedPublished11 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersImage caption, Meghan pictured at a polo match in Florida last weekBy Sean CoughlanRoyal correspondentA first glimpse of the new business venture from the Duchess of Sussex has been teased on social media, with pictures of a jar of strawberry jam.In a bid to preserve a sense of mystery, the jam from the new American Riviera Orchard brand seemed to be spread among friends and influencers.Fashion designer Tracy Robbins posted a picture of the jam on Instagram.It was numbered “17 of 50”, suggesting the number of recipients of this first fruit of the new business.The arrival of Meghan’s new California-based lifestyle brand had been signalled on social media last month and this suggests that it will be selling food products.What do we know about Meghan’s new brand?Five things about Harry and Meghan’s brand revampWhy did Harry and Meghan leave the Royal Family?There seemed to be have been something of a re-launch for Meghan and husband Prince Harry’s brands and businesses this year, beginning with the overhaul of their regal-looking website under the sussex.com label.Their latest projects seem to be moving away from a previous focus on their time as working royals, such as their Netflix film Harry and Meghan and Prince Harry’s memoir Spare.The hint about the strawberry jam from Meghan’s American Riviera Orchard brand seems to fit with the couple’s latest Netflix plans.Meghan is going to launch a Netflix show which will “celebrate the joys of cooking and gardening, entertaining, and friendship”.Prince Harry will be involved in another Netflix venture showing the inside track on the world of polo. That’s the equestrian sport, not the mints.Delfina Blaquier, married to Prince Harry’s polo-playing friend Nacho Figueras, also posted a picture of the new jam, with hers labelled “10 of 50”.The social media trail for American Riviera Orchard evokes a sense of the couple’s home in California – and this soft launch for the jam show pictures of the jars in a sunny basket of lemons.It’s not known how much items from the new lifestyle brand will cost. Although there are already plenty of other royals getting into jams. Visitors to the gift shops in royal palaces can get a Buckingham Palace Strawberry Preserve for £3.95 or Windsor Castle Fine Cut Seville Orange Marmalade, also for £3.95.On both sides of the Atlantic they seem to be conserving their finances.Related TopicsUK Royal FamilyMeghan, Duchess of SussexMore on this storyWhat we know about Meghan’s regal lifestyle brandPublished16 MarchMeghan launches surprise new lifestyle brandPublished14 MarchTop StoriesMPs back smoking ban for those born after 2009Published8 minutes agoMuslim student loses school prayer ban challengePublished2 hours agoBowen: Iran’s attack on Israel offers Netanyahu a lifelinePublished7 hours agoFeaturesJeremy Bowen: Iran’s attack on Israel offers Netanyahu a lifelineIranians on edge as leaders say ‘Tel Aviv is our battleground’A really, really big election with nearly a billion votersWhat is the smoking ban and how will it work?Martin Tyler: I nearly lost my voice foreverWho are the millions of Britons not working?How to register to vote for the local elections ahead of midnight deadlinePlaying Coachella after cancer emotional, says DJHow the Alec Baldwin fatal film set shooting unfoldedElsewhere on the BBCFrom weight loss to prolonging lifeIs intermittent fasting actually good for you? James Gallagher investigatesAttributionSoundsCould Nina shake up the unspoken rules of modern dating?Brand new comedy about love, friendship and being your own selfAttributioniPlayerWill the UK introduce tough anti-tobacco laws?Under new plans, anyone turning 15 from this year would be banned from buying cigarettesAttributionSoundsCan William Wisting find the truth?The Norwegian detective returns, tackling more grisly cold casesAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Nursery boss ‘killed baby she strapped to beanbag’2Birmingham Airport flights disrupted by incident3Muslim student loses school prayer ban challenge4First product of Meghan’s lifestyle brand revealed5MPs back smoking ban for those born after 20096Police told to shut down right-wing Brussels conference7Historic Copenhagen stock exchange goes up in flames8Bowen: Iran’s attack on Israel offers Netanyahu a lifeline9Marten a ‘lioness’ who ‘loved her cubs’, court told10Sons of McCartney and Lennon release joint single
[ad_1] The jars of strawberry jam, labelled America Riviera Orchard, have been shared with friends and influencers.