How testing helps provide the bigger picture to allow an individualized approach to midlife symptoms. One of the things I hear often from women in midlife is: “I just don't recognize my body anymore.” The symptoms may be familiar: bloating, water retention, constipation, acne or other skin issues, fatigue, poor sleep, changes in mood, weight changes, headaches, brain fog. And because we've become so used to associating certain symptoms with certain hormones, it's tempting to

If autumn allergies leave you congested, exhausted or feeling “almost sick,” don't wait until symptoms hit. Here's why preparing your body before allergy season can make all the difference. In my practice, I actually put reminders into my clients’ protocols around mid-September - for those who tend to suffer from allergy symptoms in fall. If you want to avoid relying on anti-histamines and feeling groggy, starting to empty your bucket and giving your body the nutrients or her

image created with AI First you thought it was dairy. Then gluten Then alcohol. Then perhaps tomatoes, avocado, smoked fish or leftovers. Now you’re wondering: “What can I actually eat?” You stop drinking wine because you think you've figured out the problem. Then you have shrimp with avocado at a restaurant and suddenly your face is bright red, your stomach is gurgling, your nose is running and you feel like your body has completely turned against you. And this can be incre

Have you ever wondered if some of the symptoms you're experiencing are "just perimenopause"... or if your body is trying to tell you something else? You finally crawl into bed after another busy day. You're exhausted, but sleep doesn't come easily. When you do drift off, you wake at 3 a.m. with your mind racing. Your calf suddenly cramps as you stretch your legs. Your eyelid has been twitching for days and your shoulders feel permanently tense. Sound familiar? Many women assu

This summer has been pretty hot so far and over the past couple of weeks, I've been asked the same question over and over again. "What can I do about this water retention?" For some women it's swollen fingers. Others notice their rings no longer fit by the end of the day. Their shoes suddenly feel tight, their legs feel heavy, their cellulite seems more noticeable, or they simply feel puffy and uncomfortable in their own skin. The heat certainly makes these symptoms worse, bu

(Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free & Blood Sugar Friendly) There are plenty of "healthy" blueberry muffin recipes online - but few are designed to truly nourish your hormones, support your gut, and keep your energy steady throughout the day. These blueberry muffins have been one of my favourite recipes for years. I first created them for one of my early detox programmes, and they've remained a staple in my kitchen ever since. In fact, one participant once told me she had to stop baking

When I recently did my Tiny Health gut test, I had to fill in a questionnaire that was also asking about dietary habits. I really loved this question: How many different plants do you eat in a week? I ask my clients about vegetable intake all the time. But this is even better: Because you can eat vegetables every day and still eat the same ones over and over again. And when it comes to supporting a healthy gut microbiome, variety matters. Different plants provide different fi

I spent a long weekend in Paris catching up with friends. We are all around the same age and perimenopause has definitely shifted into a different gear now. My friends were asking me about hormone therapy and how I managed to get access to it. What struck me was how many women are still dismissed when they seek help and how much confusion and fear still surrounds hormone therapy. One friend told me she had gained almost 10 kilos in just three months. She hadn’t changed anythi

You might eat relatively well at home. Your digestion might feel predictable. Your energy might feel stable. And then you travel and something shifts. Constipation. Maybe more bloating. Sleep becomes lighter. And while holidays are there to relax, you might feel more anxious or nervous preparing for the trip than you used to. Checking travel documents x times, double and double checking things and then when you’re there, you may feel unable to relax because your cortisol is s

There’s a very specific sentence I hear from women over and over again: “I fall asleep fine… but then I wake up at 3 or 4 a.m. and I can’t really fall asleep, so I start scrolling on my phone.” Or: “I wake up at 5 a.m. and I’m still tired, but I can’t fall back asleep.” And often, by the time women come to me, they’ve usually already tried the magnesium, melatonin, some are even taking sleep medication - yet they still don’t feel rested. The frustrating part? Nobody has looke

If your mornings currently feel like a combination of exhaustion, mental overload, and immediately needing to function… this article may give you a gentler alternative. Not because coffee is “bad.” And not because you should feel guilty for relying on it. Most women I work with are juggling work, stress, kids, poor sleep, hormone changes, endless mental tabs open in their brains - and coffee often feels less like a luxury and more like a lifeline. You wake up tired. You alrea

For years, women have been told that Polycystic Ovary Syndrome was mainly a “fertility issue.” Irregular periods. Ovarian cysts. Trouble conceiving. That’s the version most doctors learned. And for many women, that’s also where the conversation ended. But a growing number of clinicians and researchers are now pushing for a major shift in how we understand this condition - and honestly, it’s long overdue. PCOS is increasingly being recognized as a metabolic and endocrine disor

Two weeks ago, we explored how the gut microbiome shifts during perimenopause - and why this can influence everything from mood and metabolism to bloating and weight gain. This week, let’s go a bit deeper. Because while hormones do impact your gut, there’s also so much you can do to actively support your microbiome - without falling into the trap of overly restrictive diets. Think of your gut as a garden. And the goal isn’t to eliminate what’s “bad” - it’s to create an enviro

If you’re in your 40s and your body has started to feel… different, you’re not imagining it. Maybe your eyes feel drier than they used to. Your mouth feels more sensitive. Your digestion isn’t as predictable. Or you’ve started dealing with things like recurrent urinary tract infections, vaginal discomfort, or bloating that seems to come out of nowhere. And when you try to get answers? You’re often sent from one place to another. Eye drops for dry eyes. A cream for vaginal dry

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything “right” but still don’t feel good in your body… you’re certainly not alone. There was a time I switched to using agave syrup instead of sugar. I thought I was making a much better choice: Less calories. More natural. “Healthier.” I thought I was doing something good for my body. Until I started nutrition classes and learned it was actually really bad for the liver! That moment stayed with me. I thought I was doing everything ri

Over the past few weeks, warnings about PFAS contamination in Belgium - especially around eggs - have made headlines again. But if you zoom out, this conversation is much bigger than eggs and much bigger than PFAS alone. We are now looking at a broader reality: Our food can contain a mix of environmental contaminants - from PFAS to heavy metals - and understanding how they accumulate is the key to making informed, calm decisions. In this article, I’ll help you understand: wh

Lately, I’ve been seeing the same conversation come up again and again. Women are told by their doctor: “You’re low in iron.” And the solution? “Take an iron supplement.” But here’s the problem: In many cases… they’re not actually low in iron at all. And I know this - not just from working with clients, but from my own experience. Why am I told I have low iron when my iron levels are normal? Many women are told they have low iron when only ferritin (iron storage) or hemoglob

If your once-predictable menstrual cycle has suddenly started doing strange things - arriving early, disappearing for weeks, or turning into a heavy marathon - you’re not imagining it. Many women notice that sometime in their 40s, their cycle begins to behave very differently from what they’ve known for decades . One month your period arrives every 23 days. The next month it’s nowhere to be seen. Then it comes back with heavy bleeding or intense PMS. While it can feel worryin

If there’s one thing I’ve had to learn (and re-learn) over the years, it’s that more is not always better. I’ve definitely been guilty of chasing perfection - whether that’s in my health routines, my work, or even my skincare. But the older I get, and the more I work with women navigating hormone changes after 40, the more I see that our bodies thrive on simplicity and consistency, not intensity and perfection. I recently wrote about this in my article on nervous system regul

You walk out of the house. Two minutes later you wonder: “Did I take my phone?” You check your bag. It’s there. Later you leave for a trip and check for your passport… five times. You start writing an email, then switch tasks halfway through. You’ve heard about brain fog in perimenopause - but this feels different. Is this just hormones? Or is this something more serious? Let’s break down what’s actually happening in the perimenopausal brain. What Happens to the Brain in Peri