AI Summary
5 min readAt 41, Chris Swell was a mother of three young children, finally emerging from the baby-and-toddler years and expecting a period of calm. Instead, her body was hit by a cascade of symptoms: insomnia, joint pain, back pain, and acne. She saw rheumatologists and autoimmune specialists, bouncing from one to the next because she didn’t fit any diagnostic box. It was only when hot flashes finally arrived that she learned she was in perimenopause — a transition she had no idea could begin that early, let alone with symptoms that had nothing to do with periods. That experience, combined with a late-in-life ADHD diagnosis and a background as a national-level gymnast, shaped how she now coaches other women through the same confusing terrain.
The Hidden Onset of Perimenopause
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What you'll learn
- 1 (00:24) **Episode Introduction & Host Welcome** - Chris Swell returns from a brief pause to introduce an interview format episode that will serve as a lead-in to a new series on women’s health, focused on perimenopause and menopause.
- 2 (02:04) **Guest Introduction: Chris Swell’s Background & Credentials** - Lindsay Berry, host of the Fempreneur Marketing Podcast, introduces Chris as a life and health coach with multiple certifications and asks her to describe her skills and how she started her business.
- 3 (03:27) **The Perimenopause Journey: Symptoms, Misdiagnosis, and Frustration** - Chris shares her personal experience of entering perimenopause at age 41-42, describing the confusing array of symptoms and the difficulty of getting a diagnosis.
- 4 (06:14) **The Need for Education and Breaking the Stigma** - Chris discusses her first women’s health workshop and the broader cultural stigma around menopause, arguing that this natural process should be openly discussed and taught.
- 5 (08:23) **Early Entrepreneurial Spirit and ADHD Discovery** - Chris reflects on her childhood personality, revealing she always had an entrepreneurial drive and discovered she has ADHD at age 42, a common diagnosis age for women.
- 6 (10:48) **High-Level Gymnastics Background** - Chris shares her history as a national-level power tumbler, a journey that taught her discipline, coachability, and how to pursue a goal with intense focus.
- 7 (15:48) **Coaching Philosophy from Gymnastics Mentors** - Chris connects the dots between her gymnastics coaches and her own coaching style, highlighting the importance of being firm yet kind and keeping the journey light and fun.
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Guests on this episode
Show Notes
This episode is of Chris being interviewed after hosting her first workshop on the ever-important but until recently almost taboo subject of Women's Health! You'll hear about why Chris is elevating conversations about Women's Health, particularly about the long years of perimenopause which can start, gasp, when a woman is in her late 30s! You'll also learn more about Chris, who she was as a youngster, and how it's helped guide her to where she is today.
Thanks, Lyndsie, for sharing this interview with Chris!
For more information on services and programs that Lyndsie Barrie of YYC Fempreneurs offers, visit:
www.yycfempreneurs.com
For more information on Chris's Life and Health Coaching services and to find info about her latest workshops, visit:
www.alittlebitbetter.ca
IG: @chris.swail
Chris helps women conquer overwhelm and create the life they're ready for in mind and body!
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