Rebelle Health

28/11/2025

✨ It’s been a minute ✨

✨ I’ve been pretty absent from social media this year. 2025 has been a complicated year for me personally. Sometimes life doesn’t go the way we planned—the ground shifts beneath us, and we find ourselves walking a path we never expected to take.

✨ This year, I’ve learned that even when change isn’t chosen, it can still open space for growth, clarity, and unexpected opportunity. What began as an incredibly difficult season has slowly unfolded into a new chapter for me and my whānau.

✨ And so, Rebelle Health is evolving too.

✨ From 18 December, Rebelle Health will move to a Telehealth-only Hormone & Menopause Service as my family settles into our new life on the Gold Coast, Australia.

✨ Our mission remains the same—supporting women’s hormonal health, especially through midlife, with compassion, evidence, and empowerment.

✨ My own personal journey is mirroring what I support women with in my clinical practice.

✨ Life changes. We adapt. We rise. And often, the horizon that appears is wider than the one we left behind.

✨ Thank you for being part of this journey.
— Dr Deborah Brunt

Last Dunedin Clinic: Tuesday 16th December 2025
Last Telehealth Appointment for 2025: Monday 22nd December
Clinic Closed till Monday 5th January 2026 when ongoing telehealth appointments will be available.

13/10/2025

Let's get testosterone cream funded in NZ that has been tested and validated for use in women and that has a dosing regime that can be accurately measured.
Sign the petition!



https://www.change.org/p/get-pharmac-to-fund-the-only-approved-testosterone-treatment-for-women-in-nz?fbclid=IwVERDUANZoWlleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHrBD79ay9RBbILhmVik33mkpiLXrTn8S7K3co707AHLL4nvx4HOb9oxcRSqw_aem_ppwyWGfAHuRKV5w-zKjfAQ

Get Pharmac to fund the only approved testosterone treatment for women in NZ

10/09/2025

Why is my body changing—and why can’t I control it?

If you feel like your shape is shifting during perimenopause or menopause, you're not imagining it. Perimenopause is like puberty, in that changes in your hormones change your body shape, composition and metabolism.

🔹 Hormonal changes (especially declining estrogen) shift fat storage toward the abdomen - both subcutaneous and visceral.
🔹 Muscle mass begins to decline, even without lifestyle changes
🔹 Poor sleep—common in menopause—disrupts appetite and metabolism, increasing cravings and fat gain

💡 These changes are normal, but not irreversible.
With the right support—like strength training, sleep repair, hormonal support and targeted nutrition—you can feel strong, clear, and back in control.

📍 Ready to work with your body, not against it? Book a consult today.



Learn more:
Lovejoy JC et al. Increased visceral fat and decreased energy expenditure during the menopausal transition. Int J Obes (2008); 32(6):949–958. https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2008.25

07/09/2025

Lifestyle Support for Menopause

Lifestyle changes aren’t just helpful—they’re backed by science. And making them life-long habits will help your not only navigate menopause, but improve your quality of life along the way.

Here are a few key strategies proven to ease symptoms and support your long-term health in perimenopause and menopause:

•🧘‍♀️ Yoga to reduce hot flashes, improve mood, and support pelvic health
🥗 Phytoestrogen-rich foods (like soy, flax, and legumes) to support hormonal balance
🏋️‍♀️ Strength training to protect bones, build muscle, and reduce symptoms

✨ These small shifts can create big, lasting change.

Want personalised support?
📍 Book a consult—let’s help you feel strong, clear, and in control.



References:
– Cramer H et al., Yoga for menopausal symptoms, Maturitas, 2018
– Taku K et al., Soy isoflavones & hot flash reduction, Menopause, 2012
– Capel-Alcaraz AM et al., Strength training & menopause, J Clin Med, 2023

05/09/2025

Am I too young for Perimenopause??

If you're in your 40s and feeling off—you’re not imagining it.
Welcome to perimenopause!
The hormonal rollercoaster before your periods stop.

Perimenopause typically starts between ages 40–44
But for some women, it begins in their mid to late 30s 😮

It can last 4 to 10 years before you officially hit menopause (which is 12 months without a period).

Common early signs:

* Worsening or new PMS, including premenstrual headache, breast tenderness, irritability, mood changes or low mood.

* Irregular or variable cycles - your period may be normal length one cycle and then longer shorter or lighter or heavier the next

* Mood swings or anxiety - often most pronounced in the week before the period.

* Brain fog

* Sleep issues - problems going to sleep or staying asleep

* Hot flashes or night sweats

* Weight changes

🎯 You’re not too young. You’re not crazy. You’re in transition.
And support is available.

Book an appointment at Rebelle Health. We'd love to help.