Dr Ruth Blackham, Aurora Bariatrics

Dr Ruth Blackham, Aurora Bariatrics A/Professor Blackham is a Consultant Surgeon and Director of Aurora Bariatrics.

Our Surgeon ensures compassion and excellence in caring for all her patients, located SOR at SJOG Murdoch Hospital and NOR at The Mount Hospital.

12/06/2026

If menopause weight gain feels frustrating, exhausting, or completely different to anything you’ve experienced before - you’re not imagining it.

Hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause can affect:
• Fat distribution
• Insulin sensitivity
• Muscle mass
• Appetite and cravings
• Sleep and energy levels
This is why “just eat less and move more” often stops working.

The good news? You do have options.
From hormonal and metabolic support through to evidence-based medical and surgical treatment options, the right strategy should work with your biology - not against it.

You deserve proper support, clear information, and care that sees the whole picture.

10/06/2026

The exercise guidelines you’ve been following were designed for men.

A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in 2024 looked specifically at s*x differences in resistance training - and the findings should change how every woman in midlife thinks about exercise.

Here’s what the data actually shows:
➡️ One resistance training session per week produces a substantial reduction in all-cause mortality in women. Not two sessions. Not five. One.
Women get a 19% mortality reduction from resistance training. Men get 11%.
➡️ Women achieve three times greater cardiovascular risk reduction compared to men - at the same training load.
Three times. Same effort. Women win.

The researchers concluded that current guidelines - which recommend the same training frequency for everyone - are biologically sub-optimal for women. You don’t need to do more. You need to do the right thing.

For women in midlife specifically, the evidence points to one to two resistance sessions per week, two to three sessions of moderate cardio, and one session of something you genuinely enjoy. That’s it. That’s the prescription.
If you’ve been burning yourself out with daily cardio and wondering why nothing is shifting - now you know why.

Save this. Send it to the women in your life who need to hear it.

💬 Drop a comment - does this change how you think about your training?

If you've been trying everything and your weight won't budge - this is for you.We see women every week in the clinic who...
08/06/2026

If you've been trying everything and your weight won't budge - this is for you.

We see women every week in the clinic who have spent years blaming themselves. Cutting calories, doing more exercise, trying every programme - and still gaining weight through perimenopause and menopause.
It is not a willpower problem.

Here's what's actually happening, and what the evidence says actually works.

Swipe through for the full guide - and save it to come back to.

A few things we want you to take away:
✳️ The metabolic changes of menopause are real, documented, and significant.
✳️ Your body is not the same body it was at 35. It stores fat differently, responds to food differently, and requires a different approach.
✳️ Visceral fat - the fat that accumulates around your organs during menopause - isn't cosmetic. It raises your cardiovascular risk, your metabolic risk, and your inflammatory markers. This is a clinical issue that deserves clinical attention.
✳️ The exercise prescription that works for women in midlife is not five cardio sessions a week. Research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in 2024 shows one resistance training session per week delivers meaningful mortality reduction for women. Start there.

And if you've tried structured approaches and they haven't worked - specialist support exists, and it works. Bariatric surgery in postmenopausal women produces 60-70% excess weight loss. These are not marketing numbers. They're peer-reviewed outcomes.

You deserve real answers.
Save this guide. And if you're in Perth and want a proper conversation about your options - book via the link in my bio.

One of the greatest gifts of surgical training is the people you meet along the way.Many years ago, the three of us were...
05/06/2026

One of the greatest gifts of surgical training is the people you meet along the way.

Many years ago, the three of us were trainees together—sharing long operating lists, exams, night shifts and all the challenges that come with becoming a surgeon. Today, Dr William Tjhin is an endocrine surgeon, Dr Sanj Kariyawasam is an upper GI surgeon, and we’ve each built careers in our own areas of expertise.

What hasn’t changed is the respect, friendship and collegiality that developed during those training years.

Medicine can be demanding, but it is made infinitely better by good colleagues. The friendships formed through shared experiences, hard work and mutual support often last a lifetime.

A lovely reminder that while surgery is about technical skill and clinical excellence, it’s also about the people beside you on the journey.

Dr Ruth x

Why can't you lose weight around your midsection?You're not lazy, there are reasons!The weight gain you're experiencing ...
04/06/2026

Why can't you lose weight around your midsection?

You're not lazy, there are reasons!
The weight gain you're experiencing in your 40s or 50s is not a character flaw.

When oestrogen drops during perimenopause and menopause, your body fundamentally changes where it stores fat - shifting from hips and thighs to your abdomen. Insulin sensitivity decreases. Blood pressure rises. Vascular stiffness increases (your vessels become more rigid).
These are documented metabolic changes. Not lifestyle failures. Backed by peer-reviewed cardiology research published in 2022.

And the fat that accumulates around your middle isn't just a cosmetic concern. Visceral fat (fat that sits around your internal organs) directly increases cardiovascular risk and metabolic disease. That's why this deserves a clinical conversation - not a calorie-counting app.

You can be eating well, exercising consistently, doing everything right - and still gaining weight in menopause. Because the rules changed. Your body is running on a completely different hormonal operating system to the one it had at 35.

Stop blaming yourself for a physiology problem.
Save this. Send it to someone who needs to hear it.

📍 Perth-based consultations | Aurora Bariatrics | Book via link in bio

02/06/2026

5 perimenopause signs nobody told you.

Most women go 2-4 years without realising they’re in perimenopause.

Not because they’re not paying attention. Because nobody told them what to look for.
Hot flushes are the symptom everyone knows. But for most women, the signs come years earlier - and they look like this:
❗️Suddenly can’t sleep through the night even though you never had insomnia.
❗️Anxiety or rage that feels like it came from nowhere.
❗️Weight going to your middle even though nothing changed.
❗️Brain fog - losing words mid-sentence, forgetting things you never used to forget.
❗️Periods suddenly heavier, more irregular, or closer together.

If any of those sound familiar - especially if you’re in your 40s - your hormones might be part of the picture.

You don’t have to go through this alone. And you’re not making it up.

Save this and send it to someone who needs to hear it.

Gastric sleeve surgery is often discussed as though the procedure itself is the whole journey.In reality, what happens a...
29/05/2026

Gastric sleeve surgery is often discussed as though the procedure itself is the whole journey.

In reality, what happens afterwards matters just as much.

In our latest blog, we explore why long-term support after gastric sleeve surgery can play an important role in helping patients feel informed, supported and set up for sustainable results.

We also share more about Aurora’s approach to aftercare, including the structured support available throughout the first 12 months after surgery.

Read the full blog: https://www.aurorabariatrics.com.au/contact-us

For many people, the hardest part is not wanting change. It is knowing what to do next after years of feeling stuck.At A...
28/05/2026

For many people, the hardest part is not wanting change. It is knowing what to do next after years of feeling stuck.

At Aurora, the conversation is broader than weight alone. It is about understanding the full picture, clarifying your options, and helping identify a pathway that makes sense for the individual.

Are you ready to have a more informed conversation about your options? Contact our team for more information: https://www.aurorabariatrics.com.au/contact-us

Surgery is one step, not the whole journey.What happens afterwards matters.Long-term support may include:💛 follow-up car...
26/05/2026

Surgery is one step, not the whole journey.

What happens afterwards matters.

Long-term support may include:
💛 follow-up care
💛 nutritional guidance
💛 monitoring progress
💛 education through different stages
💛 support as life and habits evolve over time

This is where many patients need more than a procedure.

They need a pathway.

To find out more: https://www.aurorabariatrics.com.au/the-aurora-difference

I really enjoyed the opportunity to speak at a Melbourne conference today about the hybrid approach to obesity treatment...
24/05/2026

I really enjoyed the opportunity to speak at a Melbourne conference today about the hybrid approach to obesity treatment — where bariatric surgery and pharmacotherapy work together, not against each other.

We’re finally moving past the “surgery vs medication” debate and toward something much more patient-centred. Different tools for different patients, at different times in their journey.

This is what the future of metabolic medicine looks like: personalised, multidisciplinary, evidence-based care focused on long-term health outcomes — not quick fixes.

Very grateful to be part of the conversation alongside so many colleagues passionate about improving obesity care.

Dr Ruth x

Address

100 Murdoch Drive
Murdoch, WA
6150

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+61864787631

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Dr Ruth Blackham, Aurora Bariatrics posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Dr Ruth Blackham, Aurora Bariatrics:

Shortcuts

Share

Category