Hampshire Health and Hormones

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Hampshire Health and Hormones

Online consults (& face to face option) Managing menopause, PMS, hormone health, and lifestyle disease.

With GP & lifestyle medicine doctor, Dr. Katie Hodgkinson; incorporating
holistic and conventional medicine to ‘Get back to feeling like you again!’

08/12/2025

If your symptoms always feel worse in winter, your body may not be asking for more effort… it may be asking for nutrients 🥶

Shorter days, heavier meals, less sunlight and more stress strain the hormonal system more than most women realise.

Your body is working harder, but only if it has the right tools to do it.

Here is why each nutrient matters right now:

🌞 Vitamin D — mood, immunity + hormone regulation: Levels drop sharply in winter, contributing to low mood, fatigue and more frequent colds.

💤 Magnesium — sleep, nerves + cortisol control: Helps reduce night tension, restless sleep, anxiety flares and hormonal headaches.

🐟 Omega-3 — joint pain + inflammation support: Especially helpful when cold weather makes joint stiffness and breast tenderness louder.

⚡ B Vitamins — energy, stress resilience + cognition: Ideal for women who feel foggy, flat or wired-but-tired all day.

🛡️ Zinc — immune defence + hormone synthesis: Supports progesterone and oestrogen balance, especially after illness or stress.

Your hormones are not trying to work against you. They are asking for nourishment, not punishment.

Save this post and choose one nutrient to focus on this week. Small upgrades can change how you feel this winter.

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07/12/2025

Feeling “different” does not mean something is wrong with you.

It simply means your body is speaking up ❤️

Maybe your moods feel sharper 😣
Maybe your energy drops out of nowhere 🔋
Maybe your body feels unfamiliar in ways you cannot explain 💭

These changes can feel unsettling, but they are not signs of being broken.
They are signs that your body wants support, not self-criticism.

Hormonal shifts, stress, sleep changes and nutrient gaps can all influence how you feel day to day. When you respond with care instead of judgement, everything becomes easier to understand and easier to manage.

Someone you know needs this reminder today.

✨ Share this post with a friend who is being too hard on herself.

06/12/2025

Feeling the winter slump hit harder than usual? 😩

For many women in perimenopause and menopause, the cold months make symptoms feel heavier, slower and more draining. Low mood, broken sleep, joint pain and brain fog all tend to spike during this time of year.

Here’s how HRT can support you through the winter months:

💛 Lifts low mood
Shorter days reduce serotonin. Falling oestrogen does too. HRT helps stabilise mood when both take a dip.

🌙 Improves sleep quality
Hormone imbalance is a major cause of midlife insomnia. HRT can help restore deeper, more consistent rest.

❄️ Eases winter joint pain
Cold weather tightens muscles and reduces circulation. Low oestrogen adds to stiffness. HRT helps soften both.

🔥 Calms temperature swings
Moving between cold outdoors and heated rooms often triggers flushes. HRT helps regulate internal temperature.

⚡ Steadies energy levels
Winter fatigue plus hormone fluctuations can feel overwhelming. HRT can help smooth out the extremes.

🧠 Supports brain clarity
If winter brain fog hits you hard, balanced hormones can help keep your thinking sharp.

Save this post and revisit it when winter symptoms start creeping in.

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05/12/2025

If the holidays leave you feeling overstimulated, exhausted or emotionally “on edge,” your hormones are part of the story.

Busy plans, loud environments, disrupted sleep and rising cortisol make perimenopause and menopause symptoms hit harder this time of year.

You do not need a full reset or a perfect routine.
Sometimes it is the smallest, most intentional actions that protect your energy the most.

✨ Grounding your body first thing helps calm your nervous system before the day speeds up.
✨ Saying “no” without explaining keeps your energy where it needs to be.
✨ Stepping outside for quiet air gives your system a chance to reset.

Your wellbeing matters just as much as everyone else’s this season.

✨ Try one of these today and notice how your body responds.

04/12/2025

Winter hits your hormones harder than you think… When the temperature drops, your symptoms often rise.

And no, you are not imagining it. Your body works differently in winter, and hormone shifts make every change feel stronger. Here is what is actually going on:

🌙 Shorter days disrupt sleep
Less daylight reduces melatonin, which can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.

🥶 Cold weather raises stress levels
Your body works harder to stay warm, which can intensify hot flashes, bloating and anxiety.

🎄 Holiday pressure increases emotional load
Busy schedules, family dynamics and expectations can push your stress levels higher than usual.

🍫 Winter cravings affect blood sugar
Comfort foods feel even more tempting in midlife, which can trigger energy crashes and mood swings.

🌥️ Lower vitamin D impacts mood and energy
Vitamin D drops sharply in winter and affects both hormone regulation and immunity.

⚡ Ongoing stress keeps your nervous system on high alert
When pressure builds without relief, your body shifts into survival mode. Symptoms feel louder because your system is overstretched.

Winter stress is not just a seasonal phase.
It affects your hormones, your sleep and your nervous system in real, physical ways.

Which winter symptom do you notice first?

03/12/2025

If your brain suddenly feels lighter, happier and ready to take on the world… congratulations, you’ve officially entered your follicular era 🎉

This phase really does show up like your personal hype squad, lifting your mood, boosting your energy and reminding you that you survived another period.

So yes, celebrate it. You earned this moment 🙌

🎬:

Tag someone who’s currently thriving in their follicular phase.

02/12/2025

Colder weather, shorter days, richer meals and rising stress all stack up at the same time your hormones are already shifting. No wonder symptoms suddenly feel louder.

Here is how your December checklist can make a real difference:

🔥 Stay warm to ease joint pain
Cold temperatures tighten muscles and slow circulation, making low-oestrogen joint aches sharper.

🍲 Balance blood sugar with winter meals
Hearty comfort foods can spike blood sugar quickly. Pairing carbs with protein and fibre helps steady mood and energy.

🌙 Prioritise sleep as daylight changes
Less light affects melatonin and mood. Consistent sleep routines help keep hormones steadier.

💚 Support immunity with key nutrients
Vitamin D, zinc, omega 3s and magnesium are essential at this time of year, especially in perimenopause and menopause.

🧘 Lower stress before it peaks
End-of-year demands push cortisol up, which intensifies symptoms like hot flashes, bloating and anxiety.

💧 Hydrate more than you think
Heating systems dehydrate your body fast, making headaches, dry skin and fatigue worse.

December can feel heavy on your hormones, but simple shifts can help the whole month feel calmer and more manageable.

Save this checklist so you can use it as your go-to guide all month long.

01/12/2025

✨ “She helped me finally understand what is happening to my body at the perimenopause stage.”

It is always powerful to hear stories like this, especially from women who have spent months (or years) feeling confused, dismissed, or unsure where to turn.

Dr Hodgkinson takes the time to look at the full picture, not just the symptoms. Her approach helps women understand what their body is doing, why it feels different, and what practical steps can genuinely help them feel more in control again.

If your symptoms have been brushed off or you feel like something still is not adding up, this may be the moment to explore things more deeply.

📅 Book your consultation today and take the first step toward feeling more like yourself again.

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30/11/2025

Did you know your immune system can feel more sensitive during perimenopause and menopause?

When oestrogen drops, it affects far more than hot flashes and mood. It also changes how your immune system responds, which is why many women notice more colds, slower recovery and flare ups of inflammation in midlife.

Here is what is really happening:

💚 Lower oestrogen affects immune strength
Oestrogen helps regulate inflammation and immune response. When levels fall, your body can react more strongly or take longer to fight illness.

💚 Stress makes symptoms flare
When cortisol stays high, immunity drops. Many women juggle work, family and hormonal shifts, and the pressure can leave the immune system worn down.

💚 Sleep deeply impacts immunity
Poor sleep affects immune cells and increases inflammation. With menopause sleep issues, it is no surprise winter bugs feel harder to shake.

💚 Nutrient gaps weaken defences
Vitamin D, zinc, magnesium and omega 3s are essential for strong immunity. Deficiencies are common in midlife, especially in winter.

💚 Gut health shapes immune health
Most of the immune system is linked to the gut. Hormone changes, stress and diet all influence gut balance and immune resilience.

Supporting your immunity in menopause is not about doing everything at once. It is about giving your body what actually helps it stay steady and strong.

✨ Save this post and use it as your immune check-in for the week.

29/11/2025

Ever notice your cravings hit hardest on the days you already feel overwhelmed? 🍫 That is not lack of willpower. That is physiology.

Hormones and blood sugar shifts can create cravings that feel impossible to ignore, and understanding the signs can help you respond with clarity instead of guilt.

Here are 3 signs your cravings might be hormone related, not weakness:

✨ Cravings hit suddenly and intensely
If you go from fine to “I need something now,” it could be cortisol and blood sugar responding to stress or hormonal fluctuation.

✨ You crave specific foods
Chocolate, crisps, pastries, bread. Hormone driven cravings often point to specific nutrients your body is trying to replace, especially during perimenopause.

✨ You feel tired or irritable just before the craving
Drops in oestrogen or progesterone can affect blood sugar and mood, making you reach for fast energy.

Your body is not working against you. It is communicating. When you understand the signs, you can support your hormones instead of fighting your cravings.

Save this post so you know what your body is really trying to tell you next time a craving hits.

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28/11/2025

❄️ If your skin always gets flaky, tight or irritated in winter, it is not just the cold air. Your hormones play a much bigger role than most people realise.

Oestrogen helps keep your skin hydrated, plump and protected. When it naturally drops in perimenopause or menopause, your skin becomes more vulnerable to winter dryness, irritation and inflammation.

Here is what is actually happening beneath the surface:

✨ Low oestrogen reduces natural oils
Your skin produces less sebum, which weakens your barrier and makes moisture loss happen faster.

✨ Cold weather slows skin renewal
Dead skin cells hang around longer, which leads to dullness, rough texture and that tight feeling.

✨ Hydration drops from the inside out
Hormones affect fluid balance, and without enough internal hydration, no moisturiser can keep up.

✨ Your gut affects your glow
If digestion is sluggish, inflammation rises. That can show up as dryness, redness or breakouts.

✨ Nutrients matter more in winter
Omega 3, zinc and antioxidants help your skin repair, lock in moisture and stay resilient in the cold.

Winter skin is not superficial. It connects deeply to hormones, gut health and internal hydration. When you support the inside, the outside changes too.

If this sounds like your skin every winter, DM SKIN and let’s talk about what could help you feel better.

27/11/2025

Throwback to last year’s ice bath moment and the shock, the laughs and the surprising benefits that came with it 🥶🥶

Sharing this again because it is a good reminder of how powerful cold water therapy can be for inflammation, mood and overall wellbeing.

Here is why it helped so many women feel a difference:

❄️ It may lower systemic inflammation by constricting blood vessels, which can ease pain.
❄️ It can boost mood and mental clarity by stimulating endorphins and dopamine.
❄️ It may improve sleep quality.
❄️ It can enhance energy by activating brown fat and supporting metabolism.
❄️ It may support hormone health by helping the adrenal glands manage stress and stabilise cortisol.

Still one of the most memorable things I tried that year.
Would you be brave enough to try it?

(Nb: If you have a heart condition, cold water therapy may not be advisable.)
therapy

Address

Spire Hospital, Chalybeate Close
Southampton

Website

http://www.healthandhormones.co.uk/

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