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A well nourished life, Perth (2025)

22/06/2025

Daily Habit 7: Sleep Routine Matters

Your Sleep Routine Isn’t Just for Rest — It’s for regaining balance and healing.
When it comes to reclaiming energy and managing stress, quality sleep is non-negotiable. It helps regulate cortisol — our body’s primary stress hormone — and restores your nervous system overnight.

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Why Sleep Impacts Cortisol:

Your brain’s master clock — the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) — sets your 24-hour rhythm, including cortisol production.
☀️ Cortisol should peak in the morning to help you wake up, then gradually fall throughout the day.
🌙 Poor sleep or late-night screen use disrupts this rhythm, causing elevated evening cortisol — which increases anxiety, disrupts metabolism, and makes it harder to wind down.

What Science Says:
• Sleep loss activates the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, triggering stress responses and cortisol spikes at the wrong times.
• A dysregulated sleep–wake cycle flattens your cortisol curve, which is linked to fatigue, cravings, and mood swings.
• Even just one night of poor sleep can reduce your Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) the next day — leading to brain fog and low resilience.

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Sleep Hygiene to Support Cortisol Balance:

✔️ Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day
✔️ Switch off screens at least 60 minutes before sleep
✔️ Try journaling, gentle stretching or deep breathing to downregulate your nervous system
✔️ Aim for 7–9 hours of uninterrupted sleep

Reclaiming your energy doesn’t mean doing more. It often means resting better.

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📖 Sources:
Kalmbach DA et al. (2023). Rhythms in cortisol mediate sleep and circadian impacts on health. Sleep, 47(9), zsae151. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsae151

Fries E et al. (2022). The cortisol awakening response (CAR): Facts and future directions. Front Neurosci, 16, 995452. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2022.995452

(PDF) Impact of Sleep and Its Disturbances on Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis

Wang Y et al. (2025). Electronic Screen Use and Sleep Duration in Adults. JAMA Netw Open, 8(5), e2312345. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.12345

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21/06/2025

Reclaim Energy – Daily Habit 6
Move Daily — But Don’t Overdo It

Feeling drained? Gentle, consistent movement might be your cortisol-balancing secret.

Why It Matters:
Engaging in regular moderate exercise can help reduce cortisol levels and improve sleep quality . However, overtraining—especially without adequate rest—can lead to hormonal imbalances, including elevated cortisol, which may contribute to fatigue and decreased performance .

What to Do :
✔️ Incorporate activities like walking, yoga, or Pilates.
✔️ Engage in strength training sessions 2–3 times per week.
✔️Listen to your body and prioritise rest when needed.

🌀 Remember, movement should restore, not exhaust you.

📖 Sources:

Exercise and circulating Cortisol levels: The intensity threshold effect | Journal of Endocrinological

https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03345606

Beyond physical exhaustion: Understanding overtraining syndrome through the lens of molecular mechanisms and clinical manifestation

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smhs.2025.01.006

The effects of physical activity on cortisol and sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105843

Yoga, mindfulness-based stress reduction and stress-related physiological measures: A meta-analysis
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.08.008

19/06/2025

Reclaiming Energy – Daily Habit 5

Prioritise Foods that nourish during times of stress: Magnesium, B Vitamins & Vitamin.

Why it matters:
Chronic stress depletes essential nutrients like magnesium, B vitamins, and vitamin C, which are crucial for adrenal function and cortisol metabolism. Replenishing these nutrients supports your body’s stress response and overall well-being.

✅ Daily Habit:
Incorporate foods rich in these nutrients:
• Magnesium: Leafy greens, dark chocolate, almonds
• B Vitamins: Whole grains, legumes, eggs
• Vitamin C: Berries, capsicum, citrus fruits

📖 Supporting Research:
• Magnesium & Stress: Magnesium plays a vital role in brain function and mood regulation. Deficiency is linked to increased stress and depression.

Magnesium and stress - Magnesium in the Central Nervous System - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507250/

• B Vitamins & Mood: B vitamins are essential for energy production and neurological function. Adequate intake is associated with improved mood and reduced stress.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165032721002810

• Vitamin C & Adrenal Health: Vitamin C supports adrenal gland function and helps modulate the body’s response to stress.

Vitamin C and Immune Function- https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/9/11/1211

The role of vitamin C in stress-related disorders - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32745879/

By nourishing your body with these key nutrients, you can better manage stress and support your energy levels throughout the day.

18/06/2025

Reclaiming Energy – Daily Habit 4:🧘‍♀️ Include at Least One Nervous System-Regulating Activity Per Day

Why it matters:
Chronic activation of the sympathetic nervous system (the “fight or flight” response) keeps cortisol levels elevated, leading to fatigue, anxiety, and disrupted sleep. Engaging in daily practices that activate the parasympathetic nervous system (the “rest and digest” response) can help restore balance.

✅ Daily Habit:
Incorporate at least one of the following activities into your daily routine:
• Breathwork: Techniques like box breathing or 4-7-8 breathing can reduce stress and lower cortisol levels.
• Body Scans or Grounding Exercises: Mindfulness practices that increase body awareness and promote relaxation.
• Gentle Movement: Activities such as stretching or walking without technological distractions can help calm the nervous system (leave the phone at home walks)

🎥 Learn the Techniques:
• Box Breathing Tutorial: A step-by-step guide on how to practice box breathing.

https://www.health.com/box-breathing-7968911?utm_source=chatgpt.com

• 4-7-8 Breathing Guide: Instructions on performing the 4-7-8 breathing technique to promote relaxation.

4-7-8 breathing: How it works, benefits, and uses

Incorporating these practices into your daily routine can help regulate your nervous system, balance cortisol levels, and enhance overall well-being

📖 Supporting Research:
• A systematic review and meta-analysis found that mindfulness practices, including meditation and breathwork, significantly reduce cortisol levels and alleviate stress.
• Breathing exercises have been shown to decrease cortisol and epinephrine levels, indicating reduced stress responses

https://www.cyprusjmedsci.com/articles/the-effect-of-breathing-exercise-on-stress-hormones/doi/cjms.2021.2020.2390?

https://www.health.com/breathing-exercises-8646630?

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106415

17/06/2025

Reclaiming Energy – Daily Habit 3
Start with a nourishing breakfast

Skipping breakfast = your body thinks it’s in a famine. Cortisol spikes. Energy crashes. A protein-rich meal first thing can calm your system and fuel your day.

When you’re stressed, skipping meals or loading up on sugar-heavy breakfasts can cause blood sugar crashes and keep cortisol high throughout the day.

Your body sees this as a stress signal — and responds with more cortisol. Regular, balanced meals help restore a healthier rhythm.

✅ Daily Habit:
Have a nourishing breakfast within 60–90 minutes of waking. Include:
• 🥚 Protein – eggs, Greek yoghurt, tofu
• 🥑 Healthy fat – avocado, olive oil, seeds
• 🍞 Complex carbs – oats, sourdough, fruit

Try:
• 2 eggs, avocado, sourdough toast ( load it with sautéed kale & spinach for an extra nourishing punch)
• Greek yoghurt, oats, chia seeds, berries
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Why it works:
• Skipping meals or eating high-GI breakfasts leads to blood sugar volatility, which increases cortisol and can worsen fatigue, cravings, and anxiety.
• Protein intake in the morning has been shown to blunt the cortisol spike and improve hormonal regulation.

⸻

Why eating regular meals supports cortisol balance:
1. Prevents blood sugar crashes, which are a physiological stressor that can trigger cortisol release (especially when meals are skipped or delayed).
2. Supports the HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal), helping it remain stable instead of overreacting to small stressors.
3. Helps regulate circadian cortisol rhythm, ensuring it stays high in the morning and tapers naturally by evening.
4. Reduces the “starvation signal” the body sends when food is absent for too long — a key trigger for cortisol secretion and metabolic slowdown.

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Supporting studies:

Adam & Epel (2007). Stress, eating and the reward system. Physiology & Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2007.04.011

16/06/2025

Reclaiming Energy – Daily Habit 2

☕️Mind Your Morning Coffee Timing

Why it matters:
Cortisol, our primary stress hormone, naturally peaks 30–45 minutes after waking to help us feel alert. Consuming caffeine during this peak can further elevate cortisol levels, potentially leading to heightened stress, disrupted blood sugar regulation, and sleep disturbances.

✅ Daily Habit:
Delay your first cup of coffee by 60–90 minutes after waking. This allows your natural cortisol rhythm to stabilise before introducing caffeine.
Tip:
Pair your coffee with a protein-rich breakfast to support blood sugar balance and mitigate cortisol spikes.

📖 Supporting Research:
• Caffeine and Cortisol Secretion: Caffeine consumption can increase cortisol levels, especially when consumed in the morning.

https://journals.lww.com/bsam/abstract/2005/09000/caffeine_stimulation_of_cortisol_secretion_across.9.aspx

• Caffeine’s Impact on Cortisol Rhythm: Regular caffeine intake may disrupt the body’s natural cortisol rhythm, affecting stress responses and sleep quality.
Lovallo, W. R., et al. (2006).
DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2006.01.024

Cortisol response to coffee, tea, and caffeinated drinks: A comparative review of studies https://doi.org/10.1530/endoabs.110.P151

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✨ Small Adjustments, Big Impact:
By aligning your coffee consumption with your body’s natural rhythms, you can support hormonal balance and sustained energy throughout the day.

👇🏼Drop me a comment on any question s you have or what works for you x

15/06/2025

Daily habit 1: Get natural light within 1 hour of waking.
Your body relies on light to regulate cortisol. Morning exposure to natural sunlight helps align your circadian rhythm, which:

✔️ Supports a healthy cortisol peak in the morning
✔️ Enhances mood, focus and energy
✔️ Promotes melatonin production later at night (better sleep!)

⏱ Aim for 5–15 minutes of direct light outdoors within an hour of waking. Even cloudy days count. Light through the eyes (no sunnies!) sends the right signals to your brain’s clock.

⸻

The science:
• Morning light exposure suppresses melatonin and increases natural cortisol awakening response, improving alertness and reducing stress throughout the day.
• Disruption of this rhythm is linked to fatigue, anxiety, and poor sleep.

So your morning light habit is not about avoiding cortisol, but restoring its rhythm — helping your body know when to be alert and when to rest.

⸻

Supporting studies:
• Jung et al. (2010)
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0748730410368413
• Schubert et al. (2025):
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41999-024-01100-z?utm_

• Leproult et al. (1997): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9415946/

15/06/2025

Reclaiming My Energy: A Week of Gentle Nourishment
After a chaotic semester of uni—too much coffee, too little movement, and way too much screen time—I’ve been feeling flat.

Not just tired, but that wired-but-exhausted kind of drained. If you’ve been running on stress and caffeine too, you know the feeling.

This isn’t a detox. No extremes, no quick fixes—just small, evidence-based shifts to gently support energy and balance cortisol. Because cortisol isn’t the enemy—it helps us wake up, focus, and respond to life. But when it’s chronically high or out of sync, it can leave us feeling fatigued, moody, craving sugar, and struggling to sleep.

So this week, I’m prioritising nourishment:
✨ Eating real meals (not just coffee)
✨Moving in ways that feel good
✨ Actually disconnecting from my phone
✨ Supporting my nervous system with simple, science-backed habits
If you’ve been stuck in stress mode, running on caffeine and skipping meals, join me in making small shifts to feel better.
This week I will share 1 daily habit each day that can help you reclaim your energy - Let’s reclaim our energy together. 💛

18/11/2024

This is THE most delicious pasta sauce you will taste!
It’s creamy ( with no cream) , and so full of flavour you are going to want to add this into your mid week quick & easy meal rotation! Add your favourite GF pasta and it’s perfect for the family - add some broccolini for a great meal or enjoy it as a side to some grilled chicken or your favourite protein 👌

Full of goodness with sun dried tomatoes & herbs.
👉🏻 SAVE THIS in your favourites ( you can thank me latter)

GF pasta sauce
Makes enough for 3-4 bowls of pasta

65g sun dried tomatoes
1 tbs tahini
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tbs GF tomato paste
2tbs nutritional yeast
1/2 tbs Italian mixed herbs ( or fresh herbs of your choice)
2 cloves of garlic ( or 1 tsp minced garlic)
Salt to taste
pasta water ( I use about 3 ladles but you can add more or less depending on the consistency you like)

Boil a pot of water until it’s vigorously bubbling away. Add salt to boiling water.
Place pasta into water and cook as per the instructions on the box.
👉🏻TIP: GF pasta needs to go into a boiling pot of water. If it goes into a pot of water that has not hit the boil it will go glugy and stick together 😣
While pasta is cooking ….
🍅Blend all ingredients together in a blender/thermo/NutriBullet until smooth & creamy.
🍅Add pasta water to the mix once the pasta has been cooking for a few minutes.
🍅Blend again until smooth.
🍅Drain pasta and tip back into empty pot
🍅Add sauce and combine well.
🍅Sprinkle with Parmesan if you choose

It’s that quick & easy!
Comment below if you want any of my GF brand recommendations 🫶🏻

Enjoy

M x

15/11/2024

Exam day snack 📚

Let’s face it wether it’s exams, a presentation for work, a hard conversation that’s needed or a heavy workload, things can get stressful.
It’s important to take the time to fuel our bodies with nourishing foods to help us concentrate, and feel sharp. Feeling hungry going into stressful situations can make your focus shift and your attention not quite on point.

Today I’m having a mid morning snack before my exam of home made granola ( full of protein for increased energy and blood glucose balance and omega 3s for cognitive support) , berries & fruit ( great for cognitive function & packed with antioxidants ) and pot set yogurt ( full of b vitamins giving me energy and also supporting my Cognitive function).

If your facing any challenges today, fuel up on nourishing foods and go get em 💪

M x

22/10/2024

BREAKFAST
To eat or not to eat
This is the question so many people ask.
And as nutrition always is - there is no one answer to fit every person equally.

Personally - if I don’t eat breakfast by 9:30 I’m a monster. A hungry emotional wreck. 👿
On the other hand I know many people who very successfully partake in intermittent fasting and don’t eat until the afternoon.
( I recommend you talk to a health professional before you make this decision)
Time and time again I hear people say I just don’t have time for breakfast or I just had a banana and/or coffee on my way to work ( ✋🏻 this used to be me)

Next week I will dedicate each day to making a healthy nutritious breakfast in under 10 minutes. So stay tuned for my 7 days of easy, healthy breakfasts.

**full disclosure this does involve some preparation on the weekend or a free hour during the week but you won’t regret it! I will also be posting the prep because sharing is caring 🌷

X M

11/04/2024

We have had a particularly warm autumn in Perth this year. The kids and I whipped up this super quick, super yummy watermelon sorbet in less than 5 minutes.

We got talking about home made v store bought. The kids were not convinced home made would taste better than store brought.
A few things we discussed were
🍨 Cost to buy v cost to make
🍨time to make v time to go to shop
🍨ingredients/additives/added sugars.
🍨 experience/enjoyment

We also made a home made chocolate milk this holidays and looked at the difference between the store bought v home made.

I think these discussions are so important to have in general but especially with kids.
I don’t believe in cutting out whole food groups ( unless required for health or allergies and the like).
My key messages to my kids are:

- What are the health benefits of what they eat and how they fuel their body?
- Enjoying the science of food and how to make a variety of foods is fun and important.
-Teaching them to make healthier choices consistently.
- The difference between ‘sometimes’ food and ‘anytime’ food.

Interestingly both of my boys agreed that home made was both healthier, more cost effective and they enjoyed it way more having made it themselves.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this 💭 💡
Drop me a ❤️ if you would like the recipe

M x

A well nourished life

22/06/2025

21/06/2025

19/06/2025

18/06/2025

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16/06/2025

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18/11/2024

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