#Tag · bonfire.cafe

Perimenopause and menopause is so much more than hot flushes and brain fog. It can disrupt many bodily systems causing both physical and mental health problems and it often isn’t intuitive to consider whether hormones might be involved in those.

This book is relatively inclusive of trans and nonbinary folx, also mentions the common experiences of people with ADHD, early menopause (for various reasons), post natal depression, and many relevant health conditions from PMDD to POI.

Don’t wait until you’re a “certain age”, read up about it all now because the impacts can begin sooner than you might realise.

To fellow autistics: I saw a survey of autistic people a while ago that showed most people really benefit from know about perimenopause and menopause in advance. On the flip side of this, many people end up discovering they are neurodivergent because perimenopause broke their ability to mask and cope. This book (and others like it) can forearm you with enough knowledge to ask a GP for help and early.

For anyone with a pre-existing chronic illness that has an inflammatory component to it like I have, note that perimenopause can mess things up with that too!

@mecfs @autistics
#ADHD #ActuallyAutistic #pwME #MEcfs #perimenopause #menopause

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The image shows the cover of a book titled "The Definitive Guide to the Perimenopause & Menopause" by Dr. Louise Newson. The background is yellow, featuring colorful circular designs. It is labeled as a Sunday Times Bestseller

An open page in the book with a yellow highlighted section under the heading “Spotlight on oestrogen”. The section says “However, it is the effects of ostradiol on your immune cells that is the most important and relevant when it comes to your” …and then continues over the page. See the next image for the full highlighted text.

An open page of the book with large highlighted section. It reads as follows, including the beginning from the previous page in the previous screenshot:
“However, it is the effects of ostradiol on your immune cells that is the most important and relevant when it comes to your health. All your different immune cells have receptors for oestradiol on them and when it stimulates them, these cells can increase in number, be genetically reprogrammed and also change their function.

Research has shown that low ostradiol levels can lead to more inflammation in the body, whereas your immune cells work optimally when oestradiol levels are adequate. More inflammation leads to an increased risk of numerous conditions, including cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and cancer. Even Alzheimer's disease, osteoporosis and clinical depression are considered to be inflammatory diseases.

When your immune system is not working optimally and there is more inflammation in your body, you age faster and the risk of disease increases. This process is often referred to as 'inflammageing’.
Menopause leads to accelerated inflammageing in your body, due to the low hormone levels that occur. A healthy lifestyle is also important in reducing inflammation.” — An open page of the book with large highlighted section. It reads as follows, including the beginning from the previous page in the previous screenshot: “However, it is the effects of ostradiol on your immune cells that is the most important and relevant when it comes to your health. All your different immune cells have receptors for oestradiol on them and when it stimulates them, these cells can increase in number, be genetically reprogrammed and also change their function. Research has shown that low ostradiol levels can lead to more inflammation in the body, whereas your immune cells work optimally when oestradiol levels are adequate. More inflammation leads to an increased risk of numerous conditions, including cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and cancer. Even Alzheimer's disease, osteoporosis and clinical depression are considered to be inflammatory diseases. When your immune system is not working optimally and there is more inflammation in your body, you age faster and the risk of disease increases. This process is often referred to as 'inflammageing’. Menopause leads to accelerated inflammageing in your body, due to the low hormone levels that occur. A healthy lifestyle is also important in reducing inflammation.”

JB 🐎 :neuro:

@AnAutieAtUni@beige.party · 2 days ago

Finished reading this almost cover to cover - Dr Louise Newson’s book called The Definitive Guide to the Perimenopause and Menopause.

If you or someone who know might be impacted by perimenopause or menopause - in the future or now - read this! Or a book like it.

Don’t wait until you’re a “certain age”, read up about it all now because the impacts can begin sooner than you might realise.

For anyone with a pre-existing chronic illness that has an inflammatory component to it like I have, note that perimenopause can mess things up with that too!

@mecfs @autistics
#ADHD #ActuallyAutistic #pwME #MEcfs #perimenopause #menopause

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Jess Mahler boosted

tasia

@thereaders@disabled.social · 4 days ago

I'm still $83 away from paying my energy bill, and I could desperately use food money.

Please, anything helps

etrans: tasiathereader@gmail.com
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/ourinsatiabesouls

#BlackMutualAid #MutualAidRequest
#BlackMastodon #queermutualaid
#HelpFolksLive2025 #Queercrowdfund
#disability #disabilityaid #actuallyautistic #DisabilityCrowdFund #MutualAid

@mutual_aid@hexbear.net @mutual_aid@starflower.space @MutualAidVisibility @anarchomutual @blackfedi @mutualaid

PayPal.Me

Maksa vastaanottajalle Tasia Smallwood käyttämällä PayPal.Me-palvelua

Siirry osoitteeseen paypal.me/ourinsatiabesouls ja näppäile summa. Maksaminen tapahtuu PayPalissa, joten se on helppoa ja turvallista. Eikö sinulla ole PayPal-tiliä? Ei hätää.

tasia

@thereaders@disabled.social · 4 days ago

I'm still $83 away from paying my energy bill, and I could desperately use food money.

Please, anything helps

etrans: tasiathereader@gmail.com
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/ourinsatiabesouls

#BlackMutualAid #MutualAidRequest
#BlackMastodon #queermutualaid
#HelpFolksLive2025 #Queercrowdfund
#disability #disabilityaid #actuallyautistic #DisabilityCrowdFund #MutualAid

@mutual_aid@hexbear.net @mutual_aid@starflower.space @MutualAidVisibility @anarchomutual @blackfedi @mutualaid

PayPal.Me

Maksa vastaanottajalle Tasia Smallwood käyttämällä PayPal.Me-palvelua

Siirry osoitteeseen paypal.me/ourinsatiabesouls ja näppäile summa. Maksaminen tapahtuu PayPalissa, joten se on helppoa ja turvallista. Eikö sinulla ole PayPal-tiliä? Ei hätää.

Alex, the Hearth Fire boosted

Cassian [main]

@cassolotl@eldritch.cafe · 4 days ago

Hello!

I'm Cassian, I'm nonbinary (they/them) and I live in Wales. I mostly post about TV I'm watching, surveys I'm interested in, being neurodivergent, environment stuff, things I'm making, and spontaneous grumpy rants of little consequence.

I do the @gendercensus annually.

I first tried the Fediverse over 10 years ago, but didn't really get ensconced until the first wave of Mastodon in 2016.

#introduction #introductions #ActuallyAutistic #ActuallyADHD #neurodivergent #disabled #disability #environment #Wales #knitting #sewing #3DPrinting #recycling #upcycling #nonbinary

Cassian [main]

@cassolotl@eldritch.cafe · 4 days ago

Hello!

I do the @gendercensus annually.

I first tried the Fediverse over 10 years ago, but didn't really get ensconced until the first wave of Mastodon in 2016.

#introduction #introductions #ActuallyAutistic #ActuallyADHD #neurodivergent #disabled #disability #environment #Wales #knitting #sewing #3DPrinting #recycling #upcycling #nonbinary

hypebot and 2 others boosted

Adrianna Tan

@skinnylatte@hachyderm.io · 4 days ago

Someone on a call told me they liked reading about my info dumping about #Food even though they don’t love food as much as I do.

I said I enjoy Info Dumpling

#Puns #ActuallyAutistic

Adrianna Tan

@skinnylatte@hachyderm.io · 4 days ago

Someone on a call told me they liked reading about my info dumping about #Food even though they don’t love food as much as I do.

I said I enjoy Info Dumpling

#Puns #ActuallyAutistic

Alex, the Hearth Fire boosted

Gal (they/them)

@Gal_they@kind.social · 5 days ago

neurodivergent-berlin.com shared prepped.to in their community, which resulted in 25 new visitors 🎉

Looking at anonymous session recordings, it became clear that the homepage UX can still be improved.

Now:
- The entire surface of location cards is now clickable
- The close button of location infoviews on the map is much more obvious
- The See Details button in the location info-view was moved up, so people can easily find and click it

What do you think? Is it easier now?

#ActuallyAutistic

The prepped.to homepage with a location info-view open, featuring a prominent close button and better positioned See Details button, both in prepped violet.

Gal (they/them)

@Gal_they@kind.social · 5 days ago

neurodivergent-berlin.com shared prepped.to in their community, which resulted in 25 new visitors 🎉

Looking at anonymous session recordings, it became clear that the homepage UX can still be improved.

What do you think? Is it easier now?

#ActuallyAutistic

Alexis Bushnell

@alexisbushnell@toot.wales · 5 days ago

First coaching appointment this morning, very exciting!

If you're interested in working with a "no bullshit but kind" Autistic coach on life stuff (including ND and/or chronic illness and/or disability stuff), relationships, and/or sexuality and kink, let me know.

I charge £50 a session with sliding scale options available.

#Coaching #ActuallyAutistic #Kink

Quixoticgeek boosted

Damon :sparkles_trans:

@damonology@lgbtqia.space · 6 days ago

Idk who needs to hear this but your autistic traits are real, even if no one notices them, and they are worthy of care, especially your own.

#ActuallyAutistic

Damon :sparkles_trans:

@damonology@lgbtqia.space · 6 days ago

Idk who needs to hear this but your autistic traits are real, even if no one notices them, and they are worthy of care, especially your own.

#ActuallyAutistic

Jess Mahler boosted

Onigiri

@transience@beige.party · 6 days ago

My Assessment of U.S.-based Left-Wing Media Podcasts

I’ve been listening to left-wing podcasts since the 2024 election and this is how I feel about them:

1. Pod Save America: Regurgitation of MSNOW talking points, venting. Conditioning for eventual resignment of situation, not solution-oriented.

2. The Bulwark/Bulwark Takes: Conditioning for eventual resignment. Not solution-oriented at all. Listening to this makes me feel hopeless. Increasing regurgitation of MSNOW talking points.

3. The Rachel Maddow Show: On the days she’s actually on there and not substituted by someone else or not plugging her projects, she’s solution-oriented and calling for action. She’s actually the only solution-oriented host on MSNOW. All the rest are telling you to be afraid and worry. She’s relaying news about the growing resistance.

4. Countdown With Keith Olbermann: Highly solution-oriented. 2/3rds of his podcast is scathing but the final third focuses on sports or his rich personal life as a media veteran. (I’ve been a fan of Keith’s since he told then-president George Bush Jr. to “shut the hell up” back in 2008.)

5. Thom Hartmann Show: Thom used to be on Russia Today until their U.S. branch got kicked out of the country. Thom got wise and bailed ship when he saw the writing on the wall. Now he’s affiliated with the left, but sometimes offers good advice for resistance. The call-ins are interesting but too rushed. The AI slop filler music his wife makes for the show is so embarrassingly bad, it makes the show unlistenable at times.

6. The Thinking Atheist with Seth Andrews: Seth’s been increasingly political on his shows and his occasional speeches and monologues are often inspiring.

7. The David Pakman Show: If you can get past the self-serving snark, sometimes his analyses are insightful. No real call to action, but good for hearing different angles of corporate & government-pushed media narratives.

8. Democracy Now! with Amy Goodman and Juan González. Amy’s a long-time respected independent journalist and she often covers the stories corporate media won’t. She also covers protests on-the-ground that corporate media won’t. (She’s one of my role models.)

9. MSNOW podcasts (The Last Word, The Beat, All In, The 11th Hour, etc…) Corporate sponsor-filtered left-leaning talking points. Guests are either retired generals, writers for corporate-sponsored major publication companies, legislators or campaign spokespeople/advisors. All guests are given the same media training, starting their interview answers with “Look… “ , sprinkling a dozen mentions of “the American people” and ending with “At the end of the day…” They tend to focus on the Government stance and sensationalism, normalizing the current regime via high repetition.

🙏🙏🙏 Feel free to disagree! These are just my personal impressions but my perspective is just one of billions. If there are podcasts you recommend, do feel free to share them in Comments! I’d love to know alternatives! 🙏☺️ (NOTE: I personally want to listen to solution-oriented podcasters that give the public ideas on how to make change, not just a retelling of news narratives with reactions. Kinda tired of reactions at this juncture. Also, no rage-baiting podcasts, please. I understand the need for them, but my cortisol levels are dangerously high enough. Need something more thought-out and rational. And I can’t handle ad-libbers who say “like…” every other word. It throws my old regimented Autistic brain off too much. 😅🙏 I’m picky but that’s just me. I’m formally trained a bit in broadcasting and that background is where my standards come from. Thanks in advance? 🙏)

#usmedia
#podcasts
#liberalmedia
#actuallyautistic