Candice Baker Life Coach

Tag: Wellness coach

  • Menopause Mayhem- Volume 2: Homicidal Rage.

    MENOPAUSE MAYHEM VOLUME 2: HOMICIDAL RAGE

    Now everybody gets a little cross from time to time. Sometimes even for no reason, and that is a fine and human thing. But what happens when your oestrogen bottoms out, your progesterone is in decline and those well worn dopamine channels run dry?

    Aside from developing a dark sense of humour and dry wit, your people pleasing seems to wither away and is replaced with an undeniable urge to slap people!

    Rage during menopause is caused by fluctuating hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone) impacting brain chemicals like serotonin, leading to mood instability. Combine this with physical symptoms like sleep loss, hot flashes, and stress, and your irritability is going to go through the roof. That shopping list that your partner keeps leaving in the kitchen is likely to get stapled to his forehead, whereas the old you would have sent a photo on WhatsApp or just gone to the shops yourself.

    Emotional sensitivity is increased too when these hormones wobble or bottom out completely, creating a difficult situational cycle for everyone to endure. Estrogen changes affect mood-regulating brain areas and neurotransmitters, while increased cortisol from stress further fuels anger, making everyday triggers feel overwhelming. And lets not even talk about what the damn cortisol is doing to your previously slim waistline…

    The Chemical Cascade explained.
    Estrogen and Serotonin: Declining estrogen levels disrupt serotonin, a “happy chemical” that regulates mood, leading to irritability and anger. This is why you are far more likely to tell people what you really think these days. No more sugar coating anything (because you probably are it all at midnight)
    Hormonal Rollercoaster: The fluctuating, rather than steady, decline of hormones makes mood swings unpredictable, similar to puberty. Things you used to brush off are suddenly wildly irritating. And although it’s great to hold people accountable for their misdeeds, murder is probably going a step too far!
    Cortisol & Stress: Menopause can heighten the stress response, increasing cortisol (the stress hormone), which amplifies irritability and emotional sensitivity, making it harder to cope.
    Neurotransmitter Imbalance: Reduced estrogen also lowers GABA, a calming neurotransmitter, which diminishes your ability to self-soothe.

    So what to do when your mood-regulating brain chemicals are fucking with your chi?
    Consult a Doctor who is well educated on menopause. Possibly a female for more knowledge and enpathy. Discuss hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or other treatments for severe symptoms.

    Find a menopause coach or wellness coach who can recommend natural supplements and holistic supplements to help you self-soothe. Explore how Dialectical Behaviour Therapy can help you, there’s even an app for this called Liven.

    Manage your stress by practicing mindfulness (living in the moment), try joining a yoga or meditation class. Exercise, put your bare feet on the ground and find creative outlets like pottery, painting or making sour dough to channel your emotions.

    And finally, optimize your lifestyle. Start by prioritizing sleep and staying hydrated. Your wellness coach can assist with a balanced diet that can also reduce cortisol levels (magnesium and B vitamins help). Swop out your coffee for cacao and sugar for honey. Find a calm space to retreat to when those murderous impulses rise, take a bubble bath and lock the door. (Yes please, it’s called boundaries)

    At the end of the day, menopause can be a real shit show. But it’s your shit show so try to implement some of these before you become one of those bad things that happen to good people.

    You’ve got this babe, just make a start and see how your life can change and grow through all of this.

    I am a holistic life coach and wellness coach, with a special interest in relationships and woman empowerment.
    T/DR Candice Baker
    00013133614
    You can book a session with me on WhatsApp
    +0027833613255

    “Your most aligned life is crafted—element by element.”

  • Menopause Mayhem-Volume One

    MENOPAUSE MAYHEM-VOLUME ONE

    Menopause Mayhem- Volume 1
    For every woman experiencing the train wreck that is menopause, there is the realisation that the information around it does not flow freely. Yes, we all know about rage and mood swings, but there is so much more.
    I’ve been doing some research, and I’ll be sharing it to raise awareness, because I understand how it can feel like you’re going crazy and don’t know why!

    Today’s issue: Sensory Overload
    Did you know that menopause can cause sensory issues? This can lead to heightened sensitivity (sensory overload) or altered sensations like skin prickling, taste/smell changes, and balance problems, largely due to fluctuating estrogen affecting brain chemistry (serotonin, dopamine) and nerve pathways, impacting how you perceive the world. These shifts can make you more sensitive to lights, sounds, textures, and smells, impacting daily coping.

    Here are some common Menopause-Related Sensory Issues:
    Heightened Sensitivity (Overload):
    Your partner has verbal diarrhoea while you’re trying to watch a movie and it’s taking every ounce of self control not to stab him with your dinner fork. Normal stimuli (lights, noises, crowds, textures) can feel overwhelming, triggering panic or needing to escape.

    Altered Skin Sensations: Are your feet on fire, without doing the fire walk your guru says will change your life? You might be experiencing formication (insects crawling), burning, itching, numbness, or tingling (paresthesias).

    Taste & Smell Changes: You used to love mincemeat and now you can’t even cook it without gagging like an adult film star.
    Fluctuations in estrogen can alter your sense of smell and taste, or cause a burning mouth sensation (burning mouth syndrome).

    Balance & Coordination: You tried to catch the cat, went flying out of your bedroom door and impaled your boob on the garden gnome. Changes in the cerebellum, affected by hormones, can lead to dizziness, vertigo, clumsiness, and spatial disorientation.

    Touch Sensitivity: Your forehead is flaking like an old paint job and you have to sit on your hands to stop clawing at your face.
    Skin can become drier and more sensitive, or conversely, responsiveness to touch (even intimate) might decrease.

    Why It Happens:
    -Estrogen Decline: Estrogen influences neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, crucial for mood, cognition, and sensory processing. Lower levels disrupt these pathways, lowering your sensory threshold.
    -Nervous System Impact: Hormonal shifts affect nerve function, potentially increasing pain perception and disrupting sensory input.

    If you have read this and some of these issues have resonated with you, there are some things you can do.
    Now that you know you’re not going crazy, give some thought to how you can adapt to this new and confusing version of you. Recognising these changes are hormonal, not you being “difficult,”is the first step. Try adjusting your environment (dim lights, quiet spaces) to feel more comfortable.

    Seek support from a doctor or therapist, or life coach like me. A menopause coach perhaps, it’s important to speak with somebody who has knowledge of menopause and its symptoms. Women have been gaslit by the medical community for far too long. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can help manage overwhelming feelings, and is such a great life skill to learn in general.

    Start managing underlying factors like getting a hormone test and putting in place a plan to correct them holistically or with HRT. Address stress, sleep, and overall health, as these can worsen sensory issues. Once you’ve realised you’re not the problem and your hormones are betraying you, you can approach these challenges with more insight and patience, and make some key changes to suit this latest version of you. After all, sometimes a little rage is a valid and necessary thing. People pleasing is so last decade. Anyway, this is me signing off because my socks are driving me nuts…

    I am a holistic life coach and wellness coach, with a special interest in relationships and woman empowerment.
    T/DR Candice Baker
    00013133614
    You can book a session with me on WhatsApp
    +0027833613255

    “Your most aligned life is crafted—element by element.”

  • Age Is Just A Number, Babe!

    AGE IS JUST A NUMBER, BABE!

    I read a post this morning about ageing, and all the traditional ideas women have swallowed for years about it.

    Historically, women are made to feel irrelevant as they age. Men get ‘sexy’. They get gray hair, they’re the silver foxes. We’re just…OLD. The crones, our time is up. We’re done with our baby making years, our primary purpose for being. And when we’re done with that at 40, there’s nothing left for us.

    But the women I know are only just starting to live! We’re reclaiming this as our enchantress phase, and connecting to our wild woman. Were finally free from rearing our families and getting our groove back. Women don’t want to talk about being a midlifer because that means there’s no place for them. They’re not wanted. So, it’s about us women reclaiming that narrative, and changing the way we’re seen throughout the entirety of our life. It was never about our looks, it was only made to seem that way. Whatever your age, claim your magic and grow into your path.
    It is a privilege to age, to have wisdom and experience makes us valuable. So be an icon for younger women.

    Women are aging beautifully because they are taking care of themselves. I know many older women who are in their prime and styling life. Many men on the other hand are not! Fat bellies, bald heads and “old mentality.” They are quick to critisize but slow to look at themselves in the mirror. Older women are embracing their sexuality, free from the constraints of fertility. Sometimes, it’s the older men who are no longer sexually appealing. But no one ever noticed, because men are not judged by their looks to the same extent. They have been chasing around younger women to tap into our fountain of youth. But today’s women… we are noticing and some are looking for younger companions too. The tables have been reversing.

    Things are no longer what they were, and women are rising. So take the focus off how you look and poor your female energies into creating something beautiful. Pick a project today, it could be something within yourself, or to uplift something outside of yourself. You have the power of creation at your fingertips and it’s time to birth something new.

    My name is Candice Baker-The Mermaid Life Coach
    I am a life coach and relationship coach, a traditional doctor and I can support you holistically on your journey.
    WhatsApp inquires 0833613255

  • When Menopause Hijacked My Body

    WHEN MENOPAUSE HIJACKED MY BODY

    Menopause. We’ve heard about it, whispered conversations amongst women of a certain age, secret conversations between friends. It’s the thing no woman talks openly about, because she doesn’t want to feel old or admit her age.

    Or perhaps she is dreading the middle aged spread, in denial about the rage, and blaming the world for her mood swings. (Yes, it’s still your fault, but she may have overreacted a tad). And when it hits, it takes no prisoners. Your partner will fear you, your kids will think mom’s gone off the reservation and your GP wont know what to do with you.

    So here’s what I have worked out along the way. It can be a good thing, giving less fucks and speaking your mind more. Creating better boundaries and stepping out of your mother role and into a new journey as a wild woman. Wise, independent, free.

    But the downside is real too, menopause is associated with increased inflammation in the body, a phenomenon sometimes referred to as “inflammopause”.
    This is primarily due to declining estrogen and progesterone levels, which have anti-inflammatory effects. The shift towards a pro-inflammatory state can contribute to various menopausal symptoms and increase the risk of certain health conditions.

    As a result you may experience:

    1. Hormonal Changes:
      Estrogen and progesterone, which decline during menopause, have anti-inflammatory properties.
      Their reduction leads to an imbalance in cytokines, shifting the body towards a more inflammatory state.
    2. Inflammation and Menopause Symptoms:
      -Joint pain:
      Reduced estrogen can affect joint health, leading to pain, stiffness, and increased risk ofosteoarthritis.
      -Fatigue:
      Increased inflammation can contribute to lower energy levels.
      -Weight gain:
      Menopause can lead to weight gain, which can further exacerbate inflammation.
      -Mood changes and depression:
      Inflammation has been linked to mood changes and an increased risk of depression.
    3. Increased Risk of Chronic Diseases:

    I can help you with managing Inflammation During Menopause:
    -Diet:
    Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce inflammation.
    -Exercise:
    Regular physical activity can help lower inflammation and manage weight gain.
    -Stress management:
    Stress-reducing activities like yoga, meditation and spending time in nature can help lower inflammation.
    -Prioritize sleep:
    Poor sleep can increase inflammation, so establishing a regular sleep routine is important.

    *I offer yoga and aerial classes in Benoni and Bedfordview 💓

    *I offer meditation

    *I can help with anti-inflammatory diet tips

    *I have designed a beautiful range of holistic supplements to support you on your menopause journey.


    I am a wellness coach, and have spent the last 3 years figuring out menopause and it’s effects on the body.
    Send me a message to arrange a wellness consultation with me.
    I can help.
    WhatsApp 0833613255