Your go-to podcast
For Women's health &wellness in midlife
The Opt to Thrive podcast is for you, the midlife woman! Designed to educate, support, empower, inspire and motivate you to THRIVE!
About Your Host
Dr Corina Sims is a Rural GP Obstetrician with a passion for helping women manage their health. With nearly 18 years of experience in general practice, she pulls from this well of knowledge to bring you topics that are sure to interest and inspire!
Podcast Episodes
Opt to Thrive Trailer
Ep #1 - The Who and Why of Opt to Thrive
Ep #2 - Hormone Havoc It's NOT All in Your Head!
Ep #3 - The HRT Scandal Everything You Need to Know
Ep #4 - The Number One Health Hack EVER!
Ep #5 - If You Change Your Thoughts, You Can Change Your LIfe
Ep #6 - 5 Easy Ways to Manage Stress
Ep # 7 - 8 Top Tips for a Better Night’s Sleep
Ep # 8 - What Everyone Needs to Know About Contraception Around Menopause
Ep # 9 - Let's Talk About Sex
Blog Post
Being an empty nester… the bitter and the sweet, the yin and the yang
Raising my children were some of the best years of my life. At the same time those years were the hardest years of my life.
I was a single mother for the good majority of those years and literally on my own building a life and a career in what was to become my new home country.
I’ve raised two amazing young people who are now living their best lives, happy and thriving.
But, there is a grieving process involved in watching them fly from the nest.
My daughter is 23 and I think it really only just sunk in that it is very likely she won’t be coming home to live ever again. There is a sadness in my heart but at the same time it sings with joy and excitement and hope that she will make a life and a home for herself that makes her happy.
My son is nearly 21 and at university and I haven’t completely ruled out he’ll be back 😂😅 He’s my kindred spirit and we are drawn to many of the same things including the beauty of this old farmhouse I have made into our home. I know though that the days of coming back home on weekends and holidays are numbered while he finishes his studies and starts to realise the amazing life he is creating for himself.
So here I am an empty nester and though at times I have given myself some time for a little pity party I haven’t really wasted a second. I’ve learned a foreign language, used that language walking a pilgrimage on my own through Spain, learned to build furniture, lay flooring, restore a farmhouse kitchen including building the cabinets and the butcher block by myself and I’ve started a podcast which combines most of my favourite things…medicine, the human body, mental health, helping people, learning, and creativity.
I’m committed to making this body as healthy and strong as possible to protect my quality of life for what may be more many happy days to come, God willing. I’m committed to looking after my mental health and being kind to myself. I’m committed to continuing to grow and protect my brain as best I can for all those beautiful memories yet to come.
I want to be an example of what is possible. So here I am open and vulnerable and sharing with the masses. I can only hope it is helpful for someone who needs to see it.
With love and kindness❤️
Corina
“It’s not impacting our daily lives”
Hold on, wait a second….
In a video I posted yesterday something didn’t quite sit right with me and it has been gnawing at me since.
I talk about brain fog and the concerns that some women may have that they are getting dementia. The point I was making was that dementia is a progressive, debilitating illness and brain fog is not typically debilitating. We can still function, and at a high level it’s just, at times, ALOT harder than it used to be and quite frankly it can be exhausting.
I often feel like I’m playing charades…in the middle of a cesarean section “hand me the…the clampy tool with the flat ends I use for the angles” (making a “clampy” sign with my fingers). I know exactly what I want, the name has just gone off into the hinterlands…que crickets.
So you know what? I totally get it, I get what brain fog feels like. The thing that gnawed at me was thinking anyone could misunderstand what I was trying to say and think that I was saying brain fog does not have an impact on our lives because it absolutely most certainly can.
We KNOW that menopause symptoms can have a significant impact on attendance and performance in the workplace. We KNOW that women are often misdiagnosed as suffering from mental illness or other conditions. We KNOW that these symptoms can contribute to women deciding to leave their jobs early, or not put themselves up for specialist posts or promotions.
We also KNOW that early diagnosis, education for the woman and all of those in a position to support her (including employers) and proper management can make a big difference in outcomes. Currently there is an enquire in the Senate to make changes all across Australia in the way we manage perimenopause and menopause. So I think we are heading in the right direction…and I’m on a mission to do my part, hence Opt to Thrive.
For now, know that early onset dementia is extremely uncommon, a quick literature search gives a prevalence rate of 119 in 100 000 people which would include men). Brain fog is a lot more common and affects around 60% of women going through the midlife transition. The good news is most of us will return to baseline when we have gotten to the other side of the transition. Until then…I got you!❤️
Resources
Relaxation Exercise
Relaxation Audio - Use this relaxation exercise for complete body relaxation. This is a very good exercise to perform on waking in the night to get back to sleep or even before going to bed. Performing it regularly helps decrease your stress levels and soon you will be able to do it on your own without the use of the audio.
Contacts
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