To mark Menopause Awareness Month, Oxfordshire consultant gynaecologist Dr Lee Lim is encouraging women to focus on lifestyle changes as a first step in managing menopause and perimenopause symptoms.
Dr Lim, who works at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Welbeck Health Partners, emphasised the importance of preventative medicine in improving quality of life. “Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) should not be the first line of treatment for patients experiencing symptoms,” she said. “Investing in perimenopause and menopause health through simple lifestyle changes can significantly improve quality of life.”
This year’s theme, lifestyle medicine, highlights how daily habits — including nutrition, sleep, stress management, and self-care — can ease symptoms such as hot flushes, mood swings, anxiety, changes in sexual health, and disrupted sleep.
Dr Lim advises that establishing a balanced diet, regular exercise, and a good understanding of preventative health are key foundations before considering medical treatments such as HRT. Monitoring key health metrics like heart rate, blood pressure, weight, and blood sugar levels can also help clinicians tailor care plans to each individual.
“Experiencing the menopause is an important stage of a person’s development and will affect everyone who has had a uterus and ovaries,” Dr Lim added. “Healthy lifestyle choices and consistent routines can make a much greater difference than people often assume, reducing the need for hormone replacement therapy. When hormone therapy is required, dosage and treatment should always be tailored to the individual, but making healthier choices is something we can all start today.”
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Dr Lim is among the team of specialists joining Welbeck’s new £30 million medical practice in Jordan Hill, set to open in north Oxford next year. The new centre will host 12 medical specialties — including heart, lung, digestive, and neurological health — and provide same-day care plans using advanced technology to monitor menopause symptoms.
“Menopause treatments are rarely covered by medical insurance and women should check what cover they are eligible to receive,” Dr Lim warned. “That’s a significant issue for many, but timely advice and professional support can make a real difference. Welbeck Oxford will transform private healthcare in the city by providing unrivalled access to expert specialists who can fulfil on-the-day diagnosis and treatments.”
Welbeck Health Partners was founded to transform patient care through innovative technology, enabling early disease detection and minimally invasive interventions with same-day recovery. Further information is available at welbeckhealthpartners.com.
