Nourishing Insights

11/11/2025

Let’s talk menopause…

Menopause is a natural phase in every woman’s life, but it can come with its own set of challenges. Here’s what you need to know about symptoms and factors that can influence your experience:

Common Symptoms include
Hot flashes
Night sweats
Mood swings including anxiety and depression
Sleep disturbances
Weight gain
Vaginal dryness

As well as..
Itchy skin
Low Libido
Joint and muscle pain
Urinary incontinence
Heart palpitations
And many more!

Lifestyle and dietary factors can have a big impact during menopause and can intensify symptoms!

A diet high in sugar and processed foods can exacerbate symptoms. Focus on whole foods, healthy fats, and plenty of fruits and vegetables to support your body.

Chronic stress can intensify symptoms. Practice mindfulness, meditation, or yoga to help manage stress levels.

Alcohol consumption and even smoking can worsen symptoms. Prioritise a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and plenty of hydration.

Remember, every woman’s experience with menopause is unique. Listening to your body and seeking support can make a world of difference. 💪

We can help you to navigate your way through this new phase of your life by helping to address imbalances and support you at every step of the way!

Check out our blog talking all things menopause and answering some of the many questions we get about menopause

Incidentally, even if you are on HRT, you will not escape the risk factors caused by diet and lifestyle. They will still be there unless you address them.

https://www.nourishinginsights.com/blog/menopause-your-questions-answered

09/11/2025

Menopause thoughts 💭 😅

Supporting women as they transition through menopause is a big part of our work. Interestingly, a few years ago, I was invited to give a presentation to a very go ahead and inspired company on the topic of both menopause and andropause (yes there is such a thing!) The presentation was seen by all of their teams in various locations which shows a real commitment to all of their staff. Menopause is certainly hitting the headlines these days and getting more air time than it ever did and that is helping to raise awareness.

Where HRT is relevant we also work with a wonderful GP who offers bio identical hormones so that we can offer the best of all worlds and bring you the support you need as an individual.

A nutritional therapy/functional medicine approach will empower you on this journey and arm you with all the key information you need as we address the following…..

🌻What the menopause actually is
🌻 What’s happening in your body hormonally
🌻The symptoms associated with the menopause
🌻How to balance your hormones
🌻How to manage your individual symptoms naturally
🌻The role of blood sugar in hormone regulation
🌻The impact of stress hormones and thyroid function on menopause
🌻How the microbiome in the gut influences hormone detoxification
Optimising liver function for hormone balancing
🌻How to continue to support your health post menopause, bone health, mental health, cardiovascular etc.
🌻We offer a comprehensive range of testing for hormones including stress hormones and thyroid function.

✅Book a free 15 min discovery call consultation with one of our clinical team to find out how we can help you https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22930888&appointmentType=33479064

08/11/2025

Something for the weekend!

Simple changes ❤️

How about making up a batch of these protein treats for some energy promoting snacks through the week?

Energy balls

Blender option

4 dates
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup coconut
1 tbsp coconut oil
3 tbsp cacao powder
Optional 2 tbsp protein powder

Add all the ingredients to a blender and whizz until it comes together and then roll the mixture in your hands to form balls

Pop into the fridge and enjoy

Without blender

1 cup almond flour
4 tbsp flaxmeal coconut
2 tbsp cacao powder
2 tbsp almond butter
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp coconut oil

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until it comes together, you may need to adjust the amount of almond butter to get the right consistency! Then roll into balls and place in the fridge (will keep up to 7-10 days)

05/11/2025

Have you experienced any of these symptoms while on the Oral Contraceptive Pill?
● Mood changes
● Headaches
● Breast tenderness
● Vaginal discharge
● Weight gain
● Nausea
● Bloating
● Digestive issues
● UTI symptoms
● Acne
The pill can often be the first port of call for many doctors when dealing with symptoms associated with a woman's menstrual cycle, but many of these symptoms can be related to hormonal imbalances which are more often that not masked by the pill or in some cases can be exacerbated by it.
Did you know that the pill is associated with some risk factors that can affect how you feel?
1. The Oral Contraceptive Pill can affect your body's ability to absorb many nutrients. It has been associated with lower levels of vitamins B6, B12, and folate, magnesium, zinc, vitamin C and selenium. All these nutrients are required for optimal hormonal balance, they are also essential for optimal liver function, which can impact on how hormones are metabolised in the body.
2. The OCP can impact and even alter your metabolism. When this happens, you may gain weight even if your diet and exercise routines haven't changed.
3. Certain birth control including the OCP can increase insulin levels. High levels of insulin cause any calories obtained from carbohydrates to be stored in fat cells. It has been shown in studies that women who already have abnormal glucose metabolism are at high risk of experiencing this side effect.

And so much more over one the blog ....https://www.nourishinginsights.com/blog/could-the-pill-be-behind-your-symptoms

To book a discovery call to discuss your or your daughter's needs book here 👌

https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22930888&appointmentType=33479064

03/11/2025

This is one that always surprises people! In fact, it’s one of the first questions I always ask someone coming along with hormonal imbalance. What is your bowel function like? They look at me slightly puzzled until I explain that if we are not passing a normal stool daily💩 then we can easily end up with oestrogen dominance. This doesn’t mean that your oestrogen is too high necessarily but that the balance is impaired which can often be due to constipation and then the oestrogens recirculate through the liver when they are not eliminated. This can lead to symptoms including

❗️PMS
❗️Heavy painful periods
❗️Irregular periods
❗️Acne
❗️Weight gain
❗️Breast tenderness
❗️Mood swings
❗️Anxiety

There’s a good chance that some of you will recognise yourself in the above but especially if you suffer from IBS -C or IBS-D. I myself was one of those ladies when I was a teenager and as a result, I had all of the above symptoms! Bowel health had always been an issue for me and I paid the price with my hormones and the worst imaginable dysmenorrhea!

Another problem that can happen as a result of gut dysbiosis or imbalance of bacteria is that we can have an excessive amount of an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase which can cause oestrogen to recirculate instead of being properly eliminated. This can happen even if you are passing a stool daily.

The good news is that when we work on our gut health we can begin to rebalance our hormones.

Simple strategies include hydrating well (2L per day) eating plenty of fibre rich foods, 🥕veg and fruit, pulses, whole grains, nuts and seeds etc and of course regular 🧘‍♀️ exercise. But we can be doing all that and there’s still a problem and that’s where nutritional therapy comes in. Perhaps there are underlying infections, overgrowth or undergrowth of bacteria🦠, food sensitivities, nutrient deficiencies and other complicating factors that need to be uncovered. 🕵️

Interestingly all of the above are also just as relevant in our menopause years. So wherever you are with your gut and your hormones we can help you shine a light 🔦 on what is happening and promote balance in all aspects of your life.

To book a free discovery call to find out how we can support you book here https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22930888&appointmentType=33479064

02/11/2025

28/10/2025

Hormonal imbalances can significantly impact our health and well-being, often going unnoticed until symptoms arise. Here’s what you need to know!

Symptoms of hormonal imbalance can vary but common symptoms we see in clinic include…
Fatigue and low energy
Low moods, mood swings and irritability and even anxiety and depression
Weight gain or loss
Irregular, heavy, light, and/or painful periods
Sleep disturbances
Breast tenderness
Low libido
Fibroids
Skin issues
Bloating
Low response to stress
Headaches
Fertility issues

There are many causes of hormonal imbalances including chronic stress which can lead to elevated cortisol levels, disrupting other hormones.
Poor nutrition, low protein and low healthy fat diets, processed foods, and excessive sugar can throw hormones off balance.
Even lack of sleep and environmental toxins can all contribute to hormonal issues.

This can all have a huge impact on how we feel and can even lead to insomnia and poor-quality sleep, making it harder to feel rested and rejuvenated.

When hormones are out of sync, it can affect everything from metabolism to our mental health.

Prioritising balance is essential for hormonal health!

If you’re ready to get on top of your hormones instead of them getting on top of you, book a discovery call to find out how we can help you. https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22930888&appointmentType=33479064 💪✨

26/10/2025

“Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” 😴 💤

There’s a lot in these old sayings. As we step into hibernation season, take the opportunity to snuggle up a bit earlier and your health will benefit in so many ways.

Poor sleep quality and lack of sleep is associated with many health challenges, from brain health (linked to risk of depression/anxiety and Alzheimer’s) to suppressed immunity and even obesity. When working with clients I explain a lot about the relationship between sleep and weight management as lack of sleep has implications for appetite and cravings!

There are many reasons for poor sleep from stress, to lifestyle issues, blood sugar imbalance, pain management issues, magnesium and other nutrient deficiencies and many more. If sleep has become a real issue for you, make an appointment for an MOT with us now. Every single consultation we do covers sleep as standard as it is one of our essential pillars of health and not something any of us should compromise on. You may think you’ve considered the obvious, but sometimes it requires more investigation and knowing where to look!

“But if you think that the hours of lost sleep to finish your work-related projects will pay off in a big promotion one day, consider these words from psychologist Norbert Schwarz: "Making $60,000 more in annual income has less of an effect on your daily happiness than getting one extra hour of sleep a night"

More in the article below

https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/sleep-happiness.htm

Our tips for better sleep here…

https://www.nourishinginsights.com/blog/how-to-get-a-good-nights-sleep #/

Book a free discovery call to discuss your needs

https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22930888&appointmentType=33479064

11/10/2025

Wondering what to do with your pumpkin flesh? 🎃

Thousands of pumpkins are carved every Halloween and sadly a huge amount of perfectly edible flesh ends up in the bin! Why not have a go at making our Spicy Pumpkin Soup?

Ingredients:

500g of Pumpkin
3 Carrots
2 small/medium onions
3 cloves of garlic
1tsp of chilli flakes
1tsp of ground corriander
1 litre of chicken or vegetable stock
1tsp of coconut oil for frying

Method:

1. Roughly chop Pumpkin, carrots, onions and garlic.
2. Fry onions in coconut oil until they start to soften.
3. Add the other veg and sprinkle over spices. Stir until well coated.
4. Pour over stock.
5. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 20-30minutes until veg is soft. Allow to cool a little then blitz with hand held blender and then serve.

Enjoy! X.

09/10/2025

Some very sad statistics below. What a terrible waste. At this time of year we always enjoy some roasted pumpkin alongside various meals. I eat with the skin on for extra fibre and nutrients and have come to love it. It’s not a veg I’ve eaten much of until recent years and never had it roasted until Harriette made it for me a few years ago on holiday. Every time we add something different into the diet and add more colour we benefit from all those extra nutrients and of course provide a source of nourishment for our microbiome. Lots of immune boosting beta carotene in pumpkins too and just what we need at this time of year!

Hope you are making some lovely pumpkin soups or adding yours to stews or curries or whatever you fancy to benefit from this nutrient dense vegetable. Here are some great recipe ideas to make good use of yours this autumn
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/draxe.com/favorite-pumpkin-recipes/amp/

Here is Harriette’s spicy pumpkin soup too 👍

https://www.nourishinginsights.com/recipes/spicy-pumpkin-soup #/.

27/09/2025

Restless leg syndrome RLS can be a real nuisance and can also keep sufferers awake at night.

But did you know there are some underlying risk factors?

This week we have been talking about SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) and it has been shown that there is an association between SIBO, IBS, and RLS, and this study has shown long-term improvement in RLS when SIBO treatment is administered to patients.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17934858/

Interestingly iron deficiency is another risk factor which of course can be related to SIBO. A Cochrane Review from 2019 looked at ten studies of over 400 participants with RLS. The use of iron supplementation, either orally or intravenously, resulted in significant improvements in restless legs symptoms compared to placebo.

Other risk factors are
Thyroid disease
Deficiencies in vitamins D, C and E.

There are genetic risk factors and some medications can promote or worsen the condition including anti-nausea and antidepressants.

If you struggle with RLS it can be very helpful to check the above and optimise nutrition as part of your prevention strategy.

In our clinic we test all the above including SIBO. You can book a discovery call to find out more here

https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22930888&appointmentType=33479064