155: Her Health and Happiness with Jenni Russell - Episode 155155: Her Health and Happiness with Jenni Russell - Episode 155
UK Health Radio Podcast
Jenni Russell talks about menopause during a heatwave, sharing her “heal by force, not by lion” philosophy while unpacking the roles of sleep, hydration, alcohol and stress. She also reflects on grief, introduces her health frameworks and invites women to an intimate September event with Lurine Cato MBE.
48:39•17 Aug 2026
Menopause, Heatwaves and Healing by Force with Jenni Russell
Episode Overview
- Healing is framed as using disciplined, directed force based on knowledge and wisdom rather than constantly pushing the body like a lion in battle.
- Menopause experiences are unique, but heat, dehydration, alcohol, caffeine and stress can strongly worsen hot flushes and sleep problems.
- Hydration needs to include both water and electrolytes, with Jenni highlighting the role of quality salt and structured water-rich foods for cellular health.
- Genitourinary syndrome of menopause and recurrent UTIs are linked with hormonal shifts, dehydration and heat, and may benefit from both lifestyle changes and clinical support.
- Sleep is described as a “physical pension plan”, with cool rooms, lighter evening habits and reduced alcohol and caffeine key to midlife health.
“Healing isn’t about overpowering the body; it’s about learning how to work with the forces within and around the body.”
What can we learn from those who have battled addiction to overdoing, overworking and even over-healing? Jenni Russell steers this episode of Her Health and Happiness straight into the heart of menopause, heatwaves and how women can care for their bodies without waging war on them. Speaking from her own recent bereavement and time away from public life, Jenni shares how grief, stress and midlife hormones collide, and why she’s now gently stepping back into work with renewed purpose.
You’ll hear her core message summed up in one striking line: “Heal by force, not by lion,” as she contrasts raw, aggressive effort with calm, directed discipline, knowledge and wisdom. Jenni walks through her “She Comes First” framework, past archetypes and the 15-spoke health wheel, asking which areas of health might be “bent, broken or straight”. From breathwork and swimming to rest and routine, she shows how small, consistent actions can support menopause symptoms rather than overwhelm the body.
For anyone juggling hot flushes, poor sleep, stress and alcohol, there’s grounded, practical talk about caffeine, late-night drinking, liver load and those 1–3 a.m. wake-ups in a “personal swimming pool”. Jenni stresses hydration, structured water-rich foods and a pinch of quality sea salt, while repeatedly linking these habits to urinary health, recurrent UTIs and the new focus on genitourinary syndrome of menopause.
She also shares her excitement for an intimate September event with gospel artist Lurine Cato MBE – an evening of “confession, conversations and chorus” limited to a small in-person audience with global online access. This is one for midlife women, especially those in sobriety or cutting back, who want honest chat, gentle humour and solid health education rather than quick fixes or fads.
It leaves you asking: are you fighting your body like a lion, or working with it like a wise, steady force?
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