How I Reclaimed Myself Through Menopause — Body, Mind, and Spirit

Hot Flashes, Shrooms, and a New Me

How I Reclaimed Myself Through Menopause — Body, Mind, and Spirit

The Beginning: A Tipping Point

I never imagined Menopause would bring me to my knees.

I've been in love with functional mushrooms for years. As co-founder of PURE JOY Mushrooms, I've seen firsthand their power to improve mental clarity, balance mood, and support energy. I've always advocated for natural wellness — committed to a Mediterranean diet, thirty years of regular weight training and power walking, and daily practices in meditation and mindfulness. I thought I had my health fully in check.

And then… it hit.

The hot flashes. The sleepless nights. The anxiety that crept into conversations. The brain fog that blanketed my thoughts. Menopause had arrived like an unexpected storm, shaking the very foundation of everything I knew about health and self-care.

Doctors told me:
"It’s part of ageing. Just deal with it.”
Or quickly prescribed HRT — often without explaining the full picture.

But what I needed was a real conversation. A compassionate, whole-body approach.

I believe in HRT — I use it and stand by it — but I also believe it’s just one piece of the puzzle. For me, functional mushrooms were the missing link. They gave me back clarity, calm, and connection in a way nothing else had.

The Turning Point: Taking Back My Power

This was the moment PURE JOY Mushrooms was truly born — not just as a business, but as a lifeline. Alongside my incredible partner, Jordan, we founded PURE JOY Mushrooms with a shared passion for helping others live more vibrant, balanced lives. But I never imagined our mission would come full circle in my darkest hour.

I turned inward, back to the tools I had always believed in: medicinal mushrooms. I trusted their wisdom. But this time, I went deeper. I increased my intake of our Mind & Mood Blend, a powerful mix centred on Lion's Mane and Reishi.

Lion's Mane gave me mental clarity when I felt lost in a haze. It helped restore my focus, balance my mood, and quite literally brought my mind back online.
Reishi, the "Mushroom of Immortality," helped me sleep. It softened the edge of my stress, balanced my hormones, and brought back a sense of calm I hadn't felt in months.

What followed was a day-by-day transformation. I started journaling to stay grounded — and what began as a personal experiment turned into a revelation.

The 12-Week Journey: From Surviving to Thriving

Week 1–2

The hot flashes were still there, but not as frequent. From 5–6 a day, I was down to 3–4. My body was beginning to listen.

Week 3–4

Sleep began to return—not perfect, but better. There were fewer night sweats and less dread at bedtime. Hot flashes dropped to 2–3 per day, each one gentler than before.

Week 5–6

Some days, I had no hot flashes at all. I felt energised. The mental fog started to lift, and I could actually think clearly again. I found joy in my workouts and presence in my meditation.

Week 7–8

I woke up rested. I was more emotionally balanced, more like myself. I laughed again—genuinely. There were fewer mood swings. Relationships improved. I didn't feel like I was at war with my body anymore.

Week 9–12

This final stretch felt like coming home—not to who I was before, but to someone new—stronger, clearer, and wiser. I felt radiant, grounded, and hopeful.

The Birth of PURE JOY Mushrooms

This personal transformation wasn't just mine — it became the heart of our mission. Together with Jordan, we created PURE JOY Mushrooms to share the healing power of functional mushrooms with the world and stand as living proof that you don't have to settle for suffering.

That 12-week journal became the blueprint for the Mind & Mood Blend and a testimony that Menopause is not something we just put up with. It's a portal, a transformation, and it deserves tools, compassion, and empowerment.

MIND & MOOD - Lion’s Mane and Reishi Dual Extracted Mushroom Powder

Menopause fog, anxiety and sleepless nights?

I’ve been there. That’s why we created Mind & Mood — with Lion’s Mane for clarity and Reishi for calm.

It helped me feel like me again — naturally.

If You're There Too…

…in the fog, the frustration, the tears — please hear me:

You are not broken.
You are not alone.
And you do not have to "just deal with it."

Functional mushrooms—especially when supported by nourishing food, movement, mindfulness, and consistency—can help. They helped me rise, reminding me of my power and giving me back my life.

So here's to the new us, to reclaiming our stories, to transforming what they call "the change" into our becoming.

With love, strength, and PURE JOY,
Gio