Spy: Broadcaster Toni Street on approaching 40 and menopause

Toni Street says she is on “high alert” for menopause. Photo / Babiche Martens

Months away from her 40th birthday, broadcaster Toni Street says she is on “high alert” for menopause.

The Coast radio host has been podcasting for nearly a year and her latest series on menopause has well known Kiwis opening up.

This week, Sunday host Miriama Kamo revealed how big a part anxiety can play in the transition.

“She was incredibly open about her sudden development of anxiety and how she couldn’t believe it was linked to menopause,” Street tells Spy.

“Miri went through menopause at 42, so for me at 39 it was a big wake-up call, my Mum went through it at 39 too, so I’m now on high alert.”

Street turns 40 in September and says lots of her friends are also 1983 babies, so this year is a party year.

“When it comes time for my party, it will be dress-up too, and I want people to go hard, so we wanted to return the favour in advance.”

She and husband Matt dressed up as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles characters last weekend. “Matt and I wanted to go as a pair and were both obsessed with the Ninja Turtles as kids so it was the perfect choice — the feedback has been hilarious with most people telling me I should dye my hair red.”

Toni Street and her husband Matt France dressed up as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles characters. Photo / Supplied

These 40ths have been “wild” and Street confides there was an incident at the latest one. “My neighbour decided it was a good chance to try his first ever “caterpillar” and he headbutted the dance floor and lost half of his front tooth.”

Surely a party incident series is a must for her podcasts.

Street was initially hesitant to start her We Need To Talk lifestyle and wellness podcast, which is an extension of her breakfast radio show and allows her the time to reveal and educate more on the topics that interest her.

“I was actually sceptical about starting a podcast to begin with, but it has been the biggest, pleasant surprise,” she tells Spy.

“I am absolutely loving the interviews — I can delve much deeper into topics I’m interested in and that I know my friends and audience will really care about.”

The subject of anxiety — and normalising talk about it — is a constant thread in her podcasts.

Street has always been passionate about health and wellbeing and says she has buckets to share because of her own health journey.

“I had a very personal chat with Dr Galia Barhava-Monteith who has the same auto-immune condition as me.

“We talked about our shared experiences, coping with steroid use, our symptoms and weight gain.”

Her other standout interviews have been with Gemma McCaw, who advised on making yourself happy with small daily routines to enhance wellbeing. And former Shortland Street star and personal trainer Monique Meredith (nee Bree) who talked to Street about her tough upbringing and how fitness became her beacon of light.

Men should listen up too — divorce coach Bridgette Jackson talked about and how good communication and recognition of the changes around menopause can help strengthen a relationship.

There’s more to come in the series, with Dr Libby Weaver talking about the part sugar plays in perimenopause/menopause and why it is especially important for women in this group to be across their sugar consumption, as well as an interview with the UK’s Dr Louise Newson, who created the Balance Menopause website, home to the world’s largest menopause library.

Street will also do a series on weight loss, which she says will be fascinating.