Kate Rowe-Ham - I thought I was dying - Why so many women are misdiagnosed during perimenopause

What if everything you were feeling wasn’t “just stress”… and you weren’t imagining it? In this episode of The Showing Up Stronger Podcast, I sit down with Kate Rowe-Ham, leading women’s health coach, menopause fitness expert, bestselling author, founder of the Owning Your Menopause app and mum of three. This isn’t just a conversation about menopause. It’s a conversation about finally listening to your body, challenging the narratives women have been taught for decades, and discovering that midlife can be your strongest chapter yet. Kate opens up with incredible honesty about her own journey through perimenopause, a time when she experienced terrifying heart palpitations, anxiety and overwhelming symptoms that left her convinced she was seriously ill. After countless GP appointments, chest X-rays and being offered antidepressants instead of answers, she realised she had to become her own advocate. We also talk about Kate’s battle with disordered eating, growing up believing her worth was tied to being smaller, and how becoming a mother completely changed the way she viewed health, fitness and body image. This conversation is packed with practical advice and hope for every woman navigating midlife, proving that strength isn’t about shrinking yourself, it’s about building yourself back up. Together, we discuss: •⁠ ⁠The signs of perimenopause that too many women are still missing •⁠ ⁠Why lifting weights is one of the most powerful things women can do as they age •⁠ ⁠Healing your relationship with food after years of diet culture •⁠ ⁠Why movement should be about feeling strong, not looking smaller •⁠ ⁠How to build your own menopause toolkit through nutrition, strength training, community and mindset •⁠ ⁠Why women need to stop dismissing their symptoms and start advocating for themselves •⁠ ⁠The importance of healthy ageing and building strength for the decades ahead Kate is honest, relatable and incredibly passionate about helping women realise that menopause isn’t the beginning of the end, it’s the start of a whole new chapter. Sometimes showing up stronger starts by believing your body, trusting your instincts, and realising it’s never too late to put yourself first. •⁠ ⁠Follow Kate on Instagram •⁠ ⁠Follow Showing Up Stronger •⁠ ⁠Follow Sarah Campus This series is proudly sponsored by Revive Active, who are offering an exclusive discount for all Showing Up Stronger podcast listeners. Use code STRONGER15. Find Revive Active in Boots, Holland & Barrett, pharmacies and health stores, or online at [reviveactive.com](reviveactive.com).