Shirley Ballas of Strictly opened up about a difficult time in her life when she felt as though no one understood her.
Shirley Ballas has opened up about a difficult period in her life when she had “no one to talk” to and felt no one “understood” what she was going through, until an important wake-up call came.
Strictly’s head judge appeared on This Morning to discuss how badly the menopause affected her. When asked how it impacted her, she said: “Terribly, and no one to talk about it with. Eventually, I talked to my son because I really felt in a dark place.
She continued, “My mother went through the menopause,” and that it wasn’t something you were supposed to talk about at the time. As a result, Shirley didn’t feel prepared for the difficulty. They were too far apart, so she could have spoken to her mother more about it. I moved to America because I was a “far away person” from my mother at the time.
Menopause is when monthly periods stop because hormone levels have dropped. The NHS estimates that it affects those aged 45-55, but it can start earlier. Sometimes, the menopause comes with no symptoms, but for many it can come with heightened anxiety, mental fog, hot flushes, sleeping difficulties and an irregular heartbeat.
Shirley described how the menopause caused her to feel “absolutely out and down.” She felt like the only person who understood what she was going through, which was reflected in her work as a dance teacher. She said, “No one seemed to understand me. My teaching was impacted by this. Every day, I would go to work, and I would learn a little something new about everyone.
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Then, a crucial wake-up call assisted her in getting back on track. I was turned to one side by a lovely young man named Wrangel, who said, “I don’t know what is happening in your life, but this isn’t the teacher we are used to.
“And that was a wake-up call,” she continued. Then, after speaking with my son, he had a doctor, bioidentical hormones were administered, and my life was forever changed.
Plant-derived hormones that have been made artificially are known as bioidentical hormones. Because they are used by the body in the same way as naturally occurring hormones, they are frequently prescribed to those who suffer from hormonal imbalances. They can be accessed through the NHS, and a doctor should always be in contact with patients prior to taking their medications.
Shirley was questioned by Cat Deely about whether the hormones would be sufficient to lift her out of “that darkness.” Riley responded, “Just to get my body balanced.” My body was therefore very imbalanced. And I now perform that annual check. I regularly check my hormone levels to make sure everything is working and functioning, even at the age of 65.
Shirley is back on screens as the head judge on Strictly Come Dancing. The show got off to a bang on Saturday (27 September) as all the couples took to the dancefloor, including Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin, who only had 24 hours to rehearse. The Love Islander winner stepped in after Dani Dyer had to pull out when she fractured her ankle.
