I am often asked where the idea of MPowder came from, well, the motivation was entirely selfish! I call it my personal journey that has become a public mission! I was 45 when I entered peri-menopause. Night sweats. Heightened anxiety about stuff I used to do relatively confidently in the past. A lot of anger. Bloating. Oh, and a nice dose of random skin breakouts! I visited my doctor and was told I was too young to be menopausal and that my symptoms were most likely to be burn-out or depression.
I knew I wasn’t depressed. And although life was hard (when isn’t it?!), I didn’t think I was experiencing burnout either. Something else was happening. And it was impacting my body and mind. I simply didn’t feel like me.
I’m a researcher and planner by trade. So I did the thing I always do when I want to solve something. I went deep. I learned that most of us start our peri-menopause transition from around the age of 43 (and for around 10% of us, it is even earlier). I read about the myriad symptoms connected to this life stage and how long it takes women to receive support. I looked at the research that exists around lifestyle changes, medical interventions and mindset shifts that can help us ‘meno-well’.
And then I headed to my local health food store to see what supplements were available.
Those shelves were confusing AND depressing. The women depicted on pack were frail, tired – and always hot! They seemed to target ‘end of life’ rather than mid-life! The blends felt like blunt instruments at best – few catered for the distinct biochemical stages our bodies go through. At the time of my search, I could find just one brand targeting peri-menopause specifically. Many use herbal components that clinical trials had shown categorically not to work. Others use such low dosages of vitamins and minerals that they are unlikely to achieve the results seen in trials. Most relied heavily on synthetic low-grade sources that the body simply doesn’t absorb well.
I wanted a solution that was focused on optimising my body. I wanted products that were based on clinical insight. I wanted to see the results of trials with real women from all walks of life.
I also wanted honesty rather than the promise of a silver bullet.
I started in early 2019 in my kitchen, dehydrating fruit and vegetables and blending them into a powder that would deliver the nutritional hit my body needed. I started to layer on the lifestyle changes I knew were gaining traction and scientific support.
And I began to feel better. I worked with a medical and naturopathic team to get recipes into community trials. I consulted on the value of HRT and how smart supplementation can make it work harder. I collaborated with menopause experts across multiple complementary fields too. From CBT to CBD. From breathwork practitioners to executive career coaches. And slowly MPowder took shape. Today we are a community that co-creates products and complimentary programmes to nourish the body and mind in menopause and beyond.
We believe the right nutrients at the right moment, can make a difference. MPowder is the world’s first plant-based supplement powder range crafted to target the three distinct biochemical stages of menopause. Our recipes are guided by peer-reviewed clinical testing of functional food, vitamins and botanicals, as well as direct feedback from trials undertaken in our community to blend a product range that tastes good as it does good. More than this our community helps steer the direction of travel for our business as a whole, so if you’re looking to be part of an empowering movement you’ve come to the right place.
OUR PROMISE IS SIMPLE…
ONLY plants
Our recipes use only plant-based nutrients and vitamin sources to give our bodies what they need through the three stages of menopause. Each scoop contains ingredients you recognise, blended to supplement a healthy diet. Even Mother Nature needs a little help sometimes, so we also add botanical extracts and vitamins to ensure you get the dosage level required. Our powders are all Vegan.
Organic, WHENEVER we can
We all know the importance of buying organic when we can afford to. Our ingredients are organic when quantity allows. We hope that, as our sourcing volumes increase, we can achieve full organic status.
ALWAYS the truth
The truth is that menopause is poorly understood. Symptoms vary wildly. And many of the supplements that crowd the shelves of health food stores perform worse than placebos under test conditions.
But what we do know is that our bodies need a different blend of nutrients as they transition through menopause. This is true regardless of how you feel.
So you CAN BE YOU
MPowder recipes only use ingredients and dosages that have shown potential in clinical conditions to address both the nutritional needs across the three stages of menopause and the most common symptoms. And we continue to monitor the research space closely. As new evidence comes to light about the benefits of plants, herbs and vitamins, our Boosts will evolve.
EVERYONE is welcome
We believe that diversity, in all its forms, is a driver for new ideas, creativity, and excellence. We also believe that diversity builds the best communities. And community is at the heart of our business. We are a new business in a world finally waking up to societal injustice and inequality. We want to put what is in our hearts into action.
We will start with the right mindset; committing to represent and raise the volume of voices from all walks of life. To celebrating diversity in the stories we seek out, the brands and experts we collaborate with, the communities we serve and the individuals we welcome onto our team at all levels. We will build a culture that actively opposes intolerance, bigotry, bias and discrimination. Internally, and within the spaces we facilitate.
But the right mindset is also a learning mindset; our DEI board will ensure we employ continuous improvement policies, facilitate feedback – and listen hard; until the world we live in is one we’re proud to hand down to future generations.
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