Gut & Menopause Nutrition, Halifax, NS (2026)

06/13/2023

Would you have raged?
…what’s your mind gut to do with it? 😉

A couple of weeks ago I was loving life in a warm bed-lounger in a quiet spa at the gym...it was really the first time I’ve had to myself since the baby was born💆🏽‍♀️

So, I’m lying there, and a lady comes in and begins talking to her friend on the bed next to me.

I think “well, that’s a little irritating but they’ll probably stop soon, maybe they haven’t seen each other in a while”…

5 minutes later, the lady in question took the bed next to her friend and then… MADE A PHONE CALL.

To speed this story up… the phone call lasted about 15 minutes, then she went back to talking to her friend for a little bit, then she left.

At NO POINT did she stop talking...it was incredibly frustrating🤦🏽‍♀️

Maybe I should have said something...but it’s one of those things where you think it will end soon so you don’t and then you let it build up until you have steam coming out of your ears😤

I bring this story up because when I reflected on it, it made me think about how sometimes it can be so incredibly difficult to sit in silence, with our own thoughts.

For some people, I think this comes quite naturally – they enjoy their own company and will quite happily sit alone with a quiet mind😌

But for a lot of us, it can be really hard.

Being alone with our own thoughts means processing emotions, thinking about things that may or may not be pleasant and/or bring up things we aren’t proud of.

Being alone can be uncomfortable because sometimes we’re not so comfortable (or happy) with what we find😕

But here’s the thing – trying to quiet our minds and spend some time alone with our emotions can give us fascinating insights into what’s really going on with our bodies.

It’s an intuition amplifier.

As it relates to digestive issues; when you spend some time tuning into you, you can very often find some answers as to what is triggering or exacerbating your symptoms – this is why the mind and mindfulness is such an important part of the Gut Calm formula. No two people are exactly alike💫

Want to learn more about the Gut Calm formula?
Check out my free Digestive Distress Masterclass🧡

06/06/2023

Are you ignoring it?😕⁠
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I was taking a shower in the gym this week when I overheard two ladies having a very loud conversation in the two stalls next to me. ⁠
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One was warning the other that she was about to smell a foul-smelling shampoo that she was using because of an uncomfortable, temporary skin condition she had recently developed. ⁠
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Brace for impact – it really was that bad (why can’t they make decent-smelling products for things like this?🤷🏽‍♀️) ⁠
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Her friend responded with some words of encouragement which included…⁠
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“good for you for getting on top of that, I would have just ignored it”⁠
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It got me thinking…🤔⁠
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How many of us “just ignore it”?⁠
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I see this ALL THE TIME in my practice. ⁠
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Women who have had digestive issues for years before seeking help because they thought it would just go away. ⁠
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The truth?⁠
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Acid reflux, diarrhea, constipation, bloating… sometimes these symptoms do go away on their own (i.e. if related to a stomach bug or a particularly stressful event, etc.) ⁠
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BUT, we often will blame something like a stressful life period for YEARS.⁠
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Only to realize 3 years on that we still have constipation and bloating several times per week OR that the acid reflux that used to come and go is now happening every night😞⁠
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Many of us will need help to manage and banish these symptoms, and the earlier we get help, the faster and easier it is to get you back in control of your digestive tract. ⁠
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How do I know this? I’ve been through it personally (hello, IBS) and have helped many women navigate their way back to gut calm too💫⁠
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What have you been putting off dealing with in hopes it will get better on its own?⁠
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Ready to finally take action? Sign up to my FREE masterclass, link on my website🔗😊

04/19/2023

“COVID has really amplified things…” 🔎

A conversation I had with a client a few weeks ago left me thinking about how many other women feel this way.

I think many of us can agree that the past few years have been ones that have challenged our coping abilities.

We’ve been challenged to find new ways to cope with stress, loss, discomfort and yes… digestive issues.

I know I’ve experienced this myself and so too have a lot of the women I’ve worked with.

>> If you had anxiety prior to COVID… it seems more prominent now 🔎

>> If you felt a little nervous your stomach wouldn’t behave itself out in public prior to COVID… it’s now more challenging to calm those nerves ⏳

>> If your coping strategy was to meet with friends for coffee or dinner when you were stressed… that was taken away and many people still feel apprehensive going to a busy coffee shop or restaurant 😅 😅

“COVID” is a weird one – a word that means many things – (a virus, a lockdown period, a huge change of pace of life).

Many women talk to me about now being in this weird, lingering period where they’re trying to return to “normal” – not really remembering or knowing what that even was in the first place.

Seriously though, anyone else ✋🏼

This post is just to say, if you’re feeling a bit confused at the moment with your old coping strategies just not cutting it anymore and you’re trying to forge a new way forward, you are not alone❤️

How are you doing?

04/12/2023

Is your day dictated by where the nearest toilet is? 🚽

💩 Don’t know how you let your diarrhea get so bad?

Maybe even this post has made you feel the urge “to go” (sorry, but if it’s any consolation, I’ve been there too).

You can’t continue on like this.😖

and… from a personal and professional perspective, I get it.

What you’re going through is hard, you’ve probably tried lots of things – and sometimes some of those things have worked for a little while… but then your diarrhea comes back again.

The truth is that changes to your bowel habits 🚽can happen during hormonal changes (hello peri/menopause – also, remember having any changes in bowel movements around your period? That’s common too), BUT if something has changed, it’s worth getting checked with your doctor.

Why? As with many gut issues, diarrhea can be indicative of many other conditions so we just want to rule anything “untoward” out.

That’s the first step.

Then you can move onto the detective work🕵🏽

If you already suffer with IBS, particularly with diarrhoea as the main symptom, this may get worse when you add changing hormones into the mix.

Trying to figure this out by yourself is literally a minefield🤯

There are so many things you need to consider when trying to get to the bottom of your diarrhea, a few that I look at with my clients are:

>> How much liquid do you drink? ☕ Frequent diarrhea results in loss of fluid and salts which can make matters worse.

>> Are you eating certain sweeteners (or polyols if you want get technical!)? Some people find these types of sugars harder to digest, which can sometimes lead to diarrhoea.

>> Stress levels😖 Stress is a HUGE trigger for gut issues. After all, our brains and gut are connected via a 2-way communication pathway!

^ these are just some of the things that I explore.

As a gut health specialist there are many tools I have in my bag to help the women who come to see me figure out what the root cause of their diarrhea is.

Then, we can treat the diarrhea and you begin to feel better.

So, if you’re ready to send your diarrhea packing and calm hormonal symptoms (that are likely making matters worse) then head to use this link https://agutsymenopause.kartra.com/page/masterclass2023 for my free “Gut Clarity & Control: Ditch Digestive Issues” Masterclass.

… because the “you” searching for the nearest toilet every time you go somewhere new does not have to be “you” in 6 months’ from now.

03/29/2023

Am I normal? < and other important questions😜

This will be off-putting for some of you but I have to share it.

There used to be this toilet at an old workplace of mine and there would be someone who would (for lack of a better word) wreck the bathroom and toilet, at some point, every morning🫣

And every morning I would think – jeeze – I *really* hope they’re getting that checked out because that’s NOT normal. < I genuinely felt concern for this individual, whoever they were, and hope they eventually got the support they needed.

But this begs the question, what IS “normal”?
… in terms of bowel movements anyways💩

Because I see a lot of people (and I mean a lot) that when we dive into what their bowel movements look like on a regular basis there’s a lot of “room for improvement”.

But why care? 🤷🏽‍♀️

Well…

>> Long-term constipation leading to straining, weakening of pelvic floor muscles, bloating and pain. Often related to chronic stress.

>> Long-term loose bowel movements and diarrhea leading potentially to dehydration, concern for nutrients being properly absorbed and, of course, underlying conditions.

I think it’s time we talk about what “normal” looks like.

The Bristol Stool chart is a way of categorizing our poo – is it hard, watery, etc.

It ranges from 1-7 with 1 spending a longer time in the bowel and 7 spending less time, being watery diarrhea.

The scale:

1 = separate hard lumps, hard to pass

2= sausage shaped but lumpy and hard

3= sausage with cracks, mostly smooth

4= sausage, long, smooth, soft

5= soft blobs, passed easily

6= mushy, fluffy

7= watery, no solid pieces

If you poo 3 or more times per week and you range from around 3 to 4 on the scale, that’s *roughly* “normal” 👍🏼

If you fall outside this range i.e. most of your bowel movements look like 6 or 1/2, then I encourage you to get some help.

*Note: some people with various health conditions may be outside of this and that’s ok but this is something you have already discussed with your healthcare team.

So, if you’re ready to send digestive issues packing and calm hormonal symptoms (that are likely making matters worse) then head to my webiste for my free “Gut Clarity & Calm: Ditch Digestive Issues” Masterclass🧡

Get those bowel movements under control and you may be surprised at how much more energized you feel.

03/22/2023

It’s happened on more than one occasion that someone has gone to great lengths to describe to me how truly awful their gut symptoms are making them feel, only to go on to say, in the next breath, that losing weight is their number one priority…

I want to address this as I think that this is something, primarily as women, that we are told (subliminally or not) to prioritize over anything else😞

That our weight is more important than how we feel.
That our weight is more important than our overall health.

Maybe we even believe that when our weight is (finally) where we want it to be, we will be happy and healthy no matter what else we’ve got going on.

As someone who went through a period of having diarrhea almost every day for 18 months-2 years because of my IBS being wildly out of control. I can tell you that I received a ton of compliments on “how great I looked” only to feel the worst I’d EVER felt in my entire life😣

Weight does not = health & happiness.

When estrogen levels drop around perimenopause (and beyond), the body tries to be really clever and makes a very weak form of estrogen in fat cells. This is predominantly found in the midsection. This is one of the reasons why we see the change of where we store fat, as women, change. This can be alarming and frustrating for a lot of women.

In addition, many women (maybe even yourself?) also suffer with gut issues because of these changing hormones. Acid reflux, bloating, gas/wind, constipation, diarrhea, more frequent IBS flare-ups and nausea.

Frankly, it makes me sad that many women feel like the weight loss they want is the higher priority (regardless of how terrible their symptoms are making them feel).

But me feeling sad probably isn’t going to change your priorities.

BUT this should…

The truth: It is incredibly difficult to manage your weight when you feel…well... like crap (literally and figuratively).

So if you want the permission to put sorting your gut symptoms out ahead of your weight loss goals, that’s your ticket, I’ve just given it to you.

Because if you’re struggling with gut issues, that weight loss you’re after is going to feel near impossible🤷🏽‍♀️

So please, take my permission slip if you feel you need it and know that it’s ok to put other priorities in front of weight loss.

In fact, that’s really the only option. (and by only, I mean only option that will last long term)

So, if you’re ready to send digestive issues packing and calm hormonal symptoms (that are likely making these issues worse) then head to my website for my free “Gut Clarity & Calm: Ditch Digestive Issues” Masterclass.

Get those symptoms under control and then managing your weight becomes a whole lot easier🧡

03/15/2023

ALERT❗️You are NOT the only one dealing with nausea in peri.

“It’s probably just something you ate” – 😡 < sound familiar?

The truth is you KNOW it’s becoming way too common it to “just be something you ate”.

Along with other stomach problems, nausea is often experienced in perimenopause🤢

In fact 37.3% of people who answered our latest poll about gut symptoms in perimenopause (> 300 people!) said they were experiencing nausea.

Estrogen receptors are found all around the body; this includes the gut.

During peri, estrogen levels rise AND fall (this is not a straightforward process), so our gut needs time to adjust…this may explain that horrible queasiness you’re experiencing.

This also applies to estrogen-containing HRT (hormone replacement therapy) and why nausea can be a common side effect.

^ HOWEVER, this will vary based on the way you take your HRT (tablets, skin patches, gels, implants, vaginal) – nausea tends to be more common with tablets💊

Talking to your doctor about how you take your HRT (and potentially changing it) if you’re experiencing nausea can be helpful.

But knowing the unique cause for your nausea is key in managing it… and not everyone’s on HRT, so what gives?🤔

What’s causing your nausea may be different to someone else – it’s (frustratingly) not a one size fits all.

As a gut health specialist, I know that nausea can often be accompanied by other ‘sister symptoms’ like bloating, constipation, and acid reflux which can make it even more difficult to unpack.

Your unique symptoms mean you need a unique approach💫

If you’re ready to send digestive issues packing and calm hormonal symptoms (that are likely making these issues worse) then head to my website for my FREE “Gut Control: Ditch Digestive Issues” Masterclass.

03/08/2023

Suffering with stomach issues does NOT have to be a right of passage in perimenopause 🙅🏽‍♀️ ⁠
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“Nausea, constipation, reflux…some of my friends suffered during peri, so I need to just deal with it, right?” ⁠
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ABSOLUTELY not. ⁠
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I see so many women who believe that they need to suffer or “just put up” with digestive issues when these issues are impacting their ability to cope, their work and their most sacred relationships. ⁠
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If you’re… ⁠
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>> Spending your day worrying about where the closest toilet is 🚽 ⁠
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>> Dreading your next meal for fear of the aftereffects 🫣⁠
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>> Feeling like you can’t eat a list of foods longer than your arm due to symptoms 🙁⁠
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What makes you think this is something you have to “just” put up with? ⁠
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Digestive symptoms are tricky little buggers. ⁠
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One day you’re up, the next you’re down – this is one of the main reasons why so many of us wait so long to get help, because we think they might go away on their own. ⁠

The truth is that these symptoms merit investigating and even when you’ve ruled out some biggies (like Ovarian or Bowel Cancer) they most often don’t just “go away”. ⁠
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Trying to figure it all out on your own leads to overwhelm, frustration, exhaustion and often, a disappointing (lack of) results👎🏼⁠
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To learn about the Gut Calm Formula™ that sends digestive issues packing, calms hormonal symptoms and “gives you your life back” use this link www.agutsymenopause.com/masterclass for my free “Gut Clarity & Calm: Ditch Digestive Issues” Masterclass.

03/01/2023

Gas/wind more than a tiny problem? 🥴 [READ ON!]

Trapped wind/gas can be painful. Farting, flatulence, tooting (whatever you want to call it) on the regular can be embarrassing and excessive burping can make you feel like you’ve lost control of your body altogether😞

And… it can be a BIG problem for some people in perimenopause and early post-menopause.

Fluctuating hormones (particularly estrogen and progesterone) can impact the “windy” symptoms you’re experiencing.

But so too can:

>> HRT side effects 💊

>> Other peri/meno symptoms e.g. sleep disturbances can worsen gut symptoms 💤

>> Eating too quickly 😮‍💨

>> High stress levels 😣

>> Unidentified trigger foods (though this seems to be the only one anyone ever pays any attention too! Remember that eliminating random foods in an attempt to rid yourself of gut symptoms can actually make matters worse.) 🍽️

Let’s face it – gas/wind is a tricky symptom to unpack because it can also be a sign of MANY other conditions.

BUT, don’t give up.

If you’re ready to get to the bottom of your symptoms you need to look at the whole picture. I’m talking not only what you’re eating but also…

>Your stress levels

>How (and how often) you’re moving your body

>Sleep patterns and quality

^ this is all a part of my Gut Calm Formula™.

To learn about the Gut Calm Formula™ that sends digestive issues packing, calms hormonal symptoms and “gives you your life back” head to my website for my FREE “Gut Clarity & Calm: Ditch Digestive Issues” Masterclass🧡

02/22/2023

If you want to achieve poos on the regular… listen up! [SAVE if constipated💩]

“just eat more fibre, drink more water” ….ugh YAWN!!! 🥱

If you…

>> Don’t have a poo at least 3 times in a week

>> Have poo that’s most often hard, lumpy or dry

>> Strain or have pain (pushing with not much happening) when on the toilet

Then it sounds like a good ol’ case of constipation.

Feeling ‘backed-up’ is no joke🙅🏽‍♀️

The good news? You don’t have to suffer with pain, straining, and frustration.

Constipation can strike at any time in life but the fluctuating hormones around perimenopause and beyond can wreak havoc on your toilet habits 🚽

But truth be told, it’s VERY often not just the fluctuating hormones that are causing your issues, you need to work out what other factors are causing your constipation.

Many of the clients I work with get quick wins by examining the following:

>> How BUSY their day is. Yep, you read that right. We want to keep stress levels at bay and if you’re day is so busy that you only take time to breathe once it’s over then we’ve got problems. Constipation problems. So we work on breaking the day up.

>> Toilet Posture – are you sitting on the throne the “proper” way 😉? If you’ve got a kids stool somewhere around the house that’s out of use – grab it and stick it in your bathroom. Ideally, we want to be squatting and western toilets don’t allow us to do that which can lead to more straining. Pop that stool under your feet next time you’re on the toilet.

… just to name a few things we explore together.

So, if you’re ready to achieve “poos on the regular”😉, register for my free Masterclass: Gut Control – Ditching Digestive Distress to learn more.

When I support clients in the Gut Calm Program™, we work through your symptoms and explore your day-to-day habits to get to the bottom of your constipation and create a plan to get you feeling yourself again. Because banishing constipation is so much more than “just eat more fibre, drink more water”.

Ready to learn more?

Head to my website 🧡

02/15/2023

Toilet anxiety? Low FODMAP confusion? You’re not alone. Meet Charlotte*

Charlotte (*not the client’s real name) had cancer treatment several years ago and this had affected her gut, she was diagnosed with IBS shortly after her treatment finished. Before coming to work with me she felt stressed leaving the house to meet friends before lunchtime for fear of needing the toilet.

Charlotte* had also tried the low FODMAP diet with limited success, it was clear certain foods were contributing to her bloating but it was hard to decipher on her own.

Charlotte* and I worked on building her confidence around leaving the house, noting times when she was ‘out and about’ and wasn’t worried about needing the toilet – using those times to build self-assurance.

We looked at her diet more closely and clearly identified the foods that were causing her bloating and added back in the foods that weren’t (variety is KEY for gut health … and mealtime enjoyment). Mealtimes aren’t such a mystery (or stressor) for Charlotte* any more.

“Thank you so much for your in-depth advice, I am delighted that I consulted you. I will step forward with my life.” C

Experiencing toilet anxiety and/or using the low FODMAP diet to try to bring back control and feeling confused, frustrated, and stressed out at mealtimes?

Learn more about how to send digestive issues packing by heading to my free Masterclass: Gut Control – Ditch Digestive Distress.

Head to my website for more information 🧡

02/09/2023

YES – Your Acid Reflux can be related to your hormones.

If mealtimes are full of suspicion (OK, which one of you foods is causing heartburn?!) and night times spent propped up on 5+ pillows are ringing any bells, then it sounds like Acid Reflux has your number.

And … surprise, surprise, it CAN be related to your hormones.

Fluctuating hormones (mainly oestrogen and progesterone) affect the gut in a number of ways. An example of this is that low oestrogen can impact the balance of acid and bicarbonate (bicarbonate helps neutralise acid) in the stomach, which can give you reflux symptoms.

Your doctor might have suggested medications for you to try, like PPIs or antacids. But many women fear that once they start these, particularly PPIs, they may not be able to come off of them.

So, what’s one to do?

Changes to our lifestyle (sometimes in combination with interim medication, sometimes without) can make a big impact in helping to say goodbye to acid reflux.

>> Mindfulness
>> Identifying food triggers
>> Ruling our allergy/intolerances and/or other underlying causes
>> Reviewing your health and family history
>> Modifying physical activity

Reflux is frustrating but there is a lot you can control that will make a difference.

So, if you’re ready to find out what works for YOU (and more importantly, stop doing what doesn’t) sign up for my FREE Masterclass… Gut Clarity & Control: Ditch Digestive Distress.

I’ll show you what you (actually) need to know (and do) to send digestive issues like acid reflux packing.

>> www.agutsymenopause.com/masterclass

Gut & Menopause Nutrition

06/13/2023

06/06/2023

04/19/2023

04/12/2023

03/29/2023

03/22/2023

03/15/2023

03/08/2023

03/01/2023

02/22/2023

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02/09/2023

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