Alva

Alva Supporting women through menopause with evidence-based information and advice.

A note from our CEO: “Today, we stepped outside of our menopause bubble and into the real world. We crossed London shari...
18/10/2021

A note from our CEO: “Today, we stepped outside of our menopause bubble and into the real world. We crossed London sharing with over 2,000 people (of all genders) to try and get people talking about menopause. We gave out flyers. We asked people questions. We even shouted across Westminster Bridge 'We need to talk about Menopause. NO ONE is talking about it!'

Why did we bother? Well we bother because we fundamentally believe that every woman deserves access to diagnosis, advice, treatment and long term support for their menopause. And we don't think women are getting this now.

We bother because we want to help every woman who said to us today 'not for me' - and then came back to us 2 minutes later to ask for help. We bother for every man who said 'no no no' with their head down, and then turned around after 10 steps to say 'he did know someone this might help.' We bother for every person who looked us in the eye and just said 'thank you for doing this.'

Alva are reinventing healthcare for women in midlife because they deserve better. And so do all the people around them.

Menopause impacts every life. So educate yourself. Support those around you.

Happy World Menopause Day”

Many feel overwhelmed when it comes to understanding what is the best treatment option for them - and let's not forget t...
21/09/2021

Many feel overwhelmed when it comes to understanding what is the best treatment option for them - and let's not forget that this can look different for each and every single person!

Whilst hormone replacement therapy is the most evidence-based solution to help with symptoms, many prefer to go the natural route first or combine both. And that is okay!

Throughout the last few months, we have had conversations with various experts who have highlighted the importance of ensuring we incorporate a healthy self-care routine and take care of ourselves through good nutrition, proper hydration, exercise, and looking after our mental health.

Alva’s a place that supports all women on their journey - giving them evidence-based information to choose what’s right, when it's right, for them💛

Did you know that around 90% of endometrial (womb) cancer cases are diagnosed due to irregular bleeding or in those that...
11/09/2021

Did you know that around 90% of endometrial (womb) cancer cases are diagnosed due to irregular bleeding or in those that are post-menopause that are also experiencing irregular bleeding?
Some factors that may increase the risk of womb cancer are:

👉🏼 Menstrual History: Longer exposure to ovulation such as starting your periods at an earlier age or having menopause later on in life, means longer exposure to estrogen
👉🏼 Obesity: The higher levels of body fat can cause changes to your body's hormones
👉🏼 Hormone Replacement Therapy: If you have not had a hysterectomy, it is important you take combined HRT - oestrogen and progesterone. This is because too much estrogen can cause the lining of your womb to build up and increase the risk of cancer. By taking progesterone, this build-up stops, and your overall risk is reduced.
👉🏼 Breast Cancer treatments: Drugs such as Tamoxifen may increase the risk of womb cancer but its benefits outweigh this risk.

The Lady Garden Foundation has some excellent resources that go in to depth on some of the most common symptoms such as abnormal vaginal bleeding to those such as constipation, breathlessness, loss of appetite, amongst others that are just as important to keep an eye out for.
It's important to remember when looking at the symptoms that most women with symptoms like these do not have cancer.

Early diagnosis and awareness can save lives 💛

What are some good ways in which I can remember to take my medication?🤔⁠⁠Remembering to take your medication every day c...
08/09/2021

What are some good ways in which I can remember to take my medication?🤔⁠

Remembering to take your medication every day can be extremely difficult! Struggling with this is definitely not something you need to be ashamed of, many women do!⁠
Here are a few suggestions that we have which may help:⁠

1. Use a HRT calendar 📆- Mark the days that you need to take your medication. Especially for those of you who still have their period, as you will need to take progesterone periodically⁠

2. Set an alarm on your phone⏰ - Set a daily alarm on your phone with a reminder to take your medication. This way you will see the notification daily and hopefully be in a position to take your HRT⁠

3. Change your patch on the same days each week OR take your daily medication at the same time each day💊 - If you have an HRT patch that needs changing only twice a week, try and keep the days you change it consistent. If you are taking daily HRT, try and get yourself used to taking this at the same time every day. This way you will get used to when it needs changing and create a bit of a routine for yourself⁠

4. Try and associate taking HRT with another routine🧘🏽‍♀️ - Maybe this means taking your medication in the morning with breakfast, or maybe this means taking it in the evening before bed. We highly suggest that you keep this consistent though so your body falls into a routine⁠

We know everyone has their own ways of remembering when to take their medication- what are yours?

This September we are working with  to raise awareness and funds for Gynaecological cancers."Today, and every day, 58 wo...
03/09/2021

This September we are working with to raise awareness and funds for Gynaecological cancers.

"Today, and every day, 58 women in the UK receive life-changing news of a gynaecological cancer diagnosis. Gynaecological cancers have devastating outcomes for women, with an average mortality rate of 44%. Out of the 58 women diagnosed with gynaecological cancer today, 21 of them will die. Understanding the symptoms will save lives, so we need to start talking today!"

There are 5 types of gynaecological cancers that can affect women- each with its own set of unique symptoms that are crucial for us all to be aware of and know what to look out for.

Use this as a time to familiarise yourself with the symptoms, and join us in making this conversation bigger, louder and life-changing.

To learn more and find out how you can help, head on over to 💛

***a

Do you still have a period? 🩸Understanding how and when to take the HRT can be confusing, especially for those like you,...
26/08/2021

Do you still have a period? 🩸
Understanding how and when to take the HRT can be confusing, especially for those like you, that are still experiencing periods.. so let's go through it together 💪🏼
It's important to remember that as you go through menopause your HRT needs are going to change - and that's fine!
If you start HRT before your last period you'll need to move from taking hormones cyclically (around your periods) to taking them continuously after menopause. This switch generally happens after 2-5 years of you being on cyclical HRT or above the age of 54.
Read our article about this and more on irregular periods & menopause, click in the link in our bio 📲

We often get asked if there are ways in which women can prepare themselves for menopause. This is why we've created a qu...
24/08/2021

We often get asked if there are ways in which women can prepare themselves for menopause. This is why we've created a quick guide giving you some tips and suggestions on things you can start doing ahead of time.
Remember that not everyone will experience menopause at the same time and in the same way- some may have it earlier or later, while others may have symptoms and others none at all.
Nonetheless, it is important we educate ourselves early on with reliable research-based information and implement certain changes in our lives that can benefit us long-term.
Including those around us in the conversations that we have about menopause can make a tremendous impact too.
Swipe to read some of our tips 📲
Did you prepare yourself for menopause? If so, share with others below what you did 💛
Click the link in our bio to go through our article on this!

We're going back to basics and touching up on all things menopause. No matter what stage of your journey you're on - eve...
16/08/2021

We're going back to basics and touching up on all things menopause. No matter what stage of your journey you're on - everyone is welcome! 🙌🏼⁠

Unmasking Menopause with Alva will be the first episode of a 3 part series where we're joined by Alva's () Co-Founder and Doctor's alongside Fiona Clark from to discuss different topics relating to menopause.⁠

In this episode we’ll be joined by Annie, Alva's Co-Founder and CEO, who will be speaking with Fiona about what menopause is, how do we know if we're menopausal, what symptoms we can experience, and much more!⁠

Sign up today by clicking on our link in bio - limited spots available!⁠

If you have any questions you'd like to be answered during the event, leave it down below 👇🏽

Join us this Thursday (July 22nd) at 3pm GMT, where we’ll be talking all about progesterone with Davinia Taylor] on her ...
20/07/2021

Join us this Thursday (July 22nd) at 3pm GMT, where we’ll be talking all about progesterone with Davinia Taylor] on her platform!

This is such an important topic and one we often get asked about by those in our community. So expect us to cover the very basics of progesterone, to progesterone sensitivity, to HRT and even the contraceptive side of things.

We’ve got you covered💛

Make sure you follow and Davinia Taylor] so you don’t miss out!

Got any questions? Leave them down below and we will try our best to answer them ✨

Educating ourselves and those around us about menopause needs to start somewhere - which is why we have decided to provi...
19/07/2021

Educating ourselves and those around us about menopause needs to start somewhere - which is why we have decided to provide you with a digestible guide and introduction to menopause to make it easier for you.
Swipe through to read more 👉🏼

Don't forget to save the post and share it with your friends 📖

What is the main question you receive from your friends and family when educating them about menopause?🤔

Calcium plays an important role in our bodies, in fact, it’s what’s responsible for strengthening our bones and teeth, e...
15/07/2021

Calcium plays an important role in our bodies, in fact, it’s what’s responsible for strengthening our bones and teeth, ensuring our blood clots normally, and helps regulate our muscle contractions💪🏽

It can be especially beneficial for those that suffer from osteoporosis or joint pain. During menopause falling levels of estrogen mean that our bodies are no longer able to promote bone formation...meaning there is a higher increase of bones breaking down, and not being replaced- resulting in weaker and frailer bones 🦷

This is why ensuring we incorporate calcium within our diets is important - and it does not necessarily to have to come from dairy products!

Swipe below to learn more & make sure to save for future reference 👉🏼

Did you know that over 50% of peri/menopausal women experience some level of hair loss? Yet why is it one of the most un...
12/07/2021

Did you know that over 50% of peri/menopausal women experience some level of hair loss? Yet why is it one of the most underrated symptoms that are spoken about? 🤔

Hormones changing during the various stages of our menopause journey will impact different areas of our bodies - and for some women, it's their hair.
We know how hard changes to our appearance can be, regardless of the area of our body it is. Our self esteem & confidence can stumble and we may feel almost sense of loss for what once was there- the good news is that there are steps you can take to prevent & aid with this.

What can you do?
👉🏼 If you are looking for the quickest results, HRT is your best option (if you are able to take it) as it replaces the estrogen and progesterone you are losing. It will also help you with the management of other symptoms you may be experiencing.
👉🏼 Diet & Exercise will play an extremely important role in the growth of your hair. Ensure that you are eating foods rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals (especially iron) that will promote the health of your hair. Keeping active will contribute to your overall health, combating other symptoms and aiding with reducing your stress levels.
👉🏼 Consult your doctor for further advice if you have an under-active thyroid, suffer from anemia and have low iron levels as these can also be a possible contributor to the thinning of your hair.
👉🏼 Stress can also impact the growth and thinning of your hair, therefore try to find ways that help you manage it. Whether it is through exercise, meditation or through some of your favourite activities - it will make a difference.

Click in our link in bio to read more about hair thinning during the menopause ✨

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