In our Menopause Gamechangers Series, we'll be meeting the people behind the innovate brands and supportive communities, who are helping women navigating the menopause.
Cat Armor, aka The Hormone Fairy, is 44 and a widow with 2 children. She started her journey as a Health Coach and Homeopath in 2009 after her dad passed away, but her passion for alternative medicine started in 1997 - when her first baby had a bad reaction to her vaccinations and she was desperate for a solution.
Through her role she began to see more and more women with hormonal issues and depression. As she reached 39, she started to notice her own hormonal imbalance as she entered the Peri Menopause young. She knew she wanted to help other women understand their emotional and physical symptoms, when navigating this phase of life.
The name 'Hormone Fairy' came from a visit her mum made to a homeopath for her own menopause at the age of 42. The homeopath asked "If I had a magic wand, what is the one wish I could grant you" - That stuck in her mind when training in homeopathy and hormones, now she is granting women those wishes.
Often women have been to see their GP and have been told they are too young to be experiencing the menopause or that they are just suffering with anxiety or depression and are told to take anti depressants. These women want answers and not a pill to mask their symptoms. They come to see Cat for natural medicine and for their emotional, as well as physical symptoms.
One of the Hormone tests that Cat offers is called a Dutch test. The DUTCH (Dried Urine for Comprehensive Hormones) is a urine test, showing an extensive profile of sex and adrenal hormones and melatonin, along with their metabolites, to help identify symptoms of hormonal imbalance.
Natural medication can be used to help the side effect alongside more traditional medication - although some Herbal Medicines and fruit are not suitable for people on certain medication so it is worth having a consultation with someone who is trained rather than just buying online.
There is still a long way to go in educating women about the menopause, some women still refuse to talk about it and bury their heads in the sand - but with more celebs speaking out and breaking the taboo plus the education system introducing the menopause onto the curriculum, we are getting there.
Visit Cat at HormoneFairy.co.uk for more information about how homeopathy can help you through the menopause.