Sesame Salmon

When we’re looking to balance hormones, what we put into our bodies is extremely important. This is an excellent recipe to choose – salmon is high in anti-inflammatory omega 3 fats; broccoli is a source of sulforaphane which helps with oestrogen clearance; and sesame seeds are rich in phytoestrogens. Plus, it’s quick and delicious!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil

2 salmon fillets

6 spring onions, trimmed and cut into 3 pieces

12 cherry tomatoes

Black pepper

200g long-stemmed broccoli, trimmed

1 tbsp tamari

1 tsp sesame oil

½ tsp crushed chilli flakes (optional)

2 tsp sesame seeds

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 200C. Drizzle a baking tray with olive oil.
• Place the salmon fillets onto the tray, skin side down. Add the spring onions and tomatoes and season with black pepper. Bake for 8 minutes.
• Steam the broccoli for 5 minutes.
• Remove the tray from the oven and add the broccoli. Drizzle the tamari and sesame oil over the fish, and sprinkle everything with the chilli flakes and sesame seeds.
• Return to the oven for 4-5 minutes, or until the salmon is just cooked.
• Enjoy!

How to turn ‘not tonight’ into every night 

(and 6 foods to get you in the mood)

Lost your mojo? One of the more common symptoms I see from clients in perimenopause is low libido. Here are some of my top tips to boost your sex drive and feel great in bed again. 

It’s something I see a lot in clinic. For women, having sex is often far more complicated than just feeling “in the mood”. When we’re spinning so many plates (from children, work, partners and social life, not to mention caring for elderly parents and demanding PTAs), sex is often last on the ‘to-do’ list. 

Throw into the mix low self-esteem, lack of body confidence, stress, relationship problems and hormonal issues, it’s no wonder that 57% of women say they prefer Facebook to sex.

Certain medication including anti-depressants, blood pressure drugs and even the Pill can also add to low libido. But after years of working with people who want to enjoy sex again, I can reveal the majority of low sex drive is due to misfiring hormones. The good news is resolving hormonal imbalances can help you get your mojo back!

Here’s how it works: when your hormones are out of whack, your libido takes a nose-dive. But when your menstrual cycle is working properly, the clinical changes in oestrogen levels mean you’ll have a few days a month when you feel naturally sexy (nature’s way of helping you get pregnant). So you’ll probably feel in the mood about 14 days before your period. 

For women going through the transition to menopause (the five or so years run-up known as perimenopause), when oestrogen levels dip, your sex drive does, too. It doesn’t help that intercourse at this time can often feel uncomfortable – a massive passion killer.

Low libido can also be down to thyroid disease. If you have (or think you have) an underactive thyroid, this will all sound familiar. Synthetic thyroid hormone medication can resolve this, although it doesn’t work for everyone.

You can also try eating these six sexual energy-boosting foods to turn that ‘not tonight’ into every night…

BROCCOLI – eating this vitamin C-rich vegetable has been shown to boost circulation and sex drive.

WATERMELON – this contains lycopene, citrulline and beta-carotene, which relax blood vessels and creates a natural Viagra effect.

AVOCADOES – packed with nutritious goodies, including desire-boosting potassium and folic acid, which helps with stamina. They also contain vitamin B6, which research shows can decrease symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (such as fatigue, bloating and irritability). This might make it easier for you to feel “in the mood”. 

EGGS – one of nature’s superfoods, bursting with B vitamins, including B6 that helps balance hormones and beat stress – which means you will be more in the mood.

STEAK – women who have a high sex drive often have higher levels of the ‘male’ hormone testosterone. So, fill up on steak – it’s rich in zinc, known to boost libido by blocking an enzyme that converts testosterone to the ‘female’ hormone oestrogen.

MACA - a libido-boosting herb from Peru that is proven to boost sex drive as well as fertility thanks to its high iodine and zinc levels. Research into maca has also found it can relieve symptoms associated with the perimenopause, including lack of vaginal lubrication and hot flushes. You can eat maca as a supplement in tablet form or in a powder, which you can add to cereal, soup, yoghurt or - my favourite - a smoothie. 

Don’t just put up with a lack of libido – it’s a vital sign that things are not quite as they should be with your hormones. If you’re feeling that perimenopause is taking its toll, or you have other hormone issues, why not get in touch?

Spotlight on Menopause

We have World Menopause Day this month, so it’s a great time to focus on this life stage. As a Nutritional Therapist who specialises in gut and hormone health, this is an area I work on a lot. So, can nutrition and lifestyle medicine really help you have a better menopause? In this blog, I’ll be giving you 5 things you can do to support your body right now.

Perimenopause is a significant journey in a woman’s life, bringing with it a variety of changes (and challenges) both physically and emotionally. These changes can feel overwhelming at times and, although social media is full of memes about how awful the transition to menopause is, the good news is that nutrition and lifestyle medicine can play a powerful role in helping you navigate this stage of life with greater ease.

This isn’t a conversation about whether you should take HRT. That is a conversation between you and your doctor. Regardless of whether you can, do, or even want to take replacement hormones, the answer to hormone harmony lies in the food you eat and how well you look after your body. 

In this blog, I’ll share five practical steps you can take right now to support your body during perimenopause. But before we start, there are some things to get straight.

What is perimenopause and am I in it?

You don’t have to wait for hot flushes, brain fog or night sweats to take over to be in perimenopause. ’Perimenopause’ is the transition to menopause (when you’ve not had a period for a year), and it can last five to ten years. That might not mean five to ten years of symptoms. Since the average age of menopause is 51, if you’re in your mid 40s, whether you’re experiencing severe symptoms or not, you will be in perimenopause. You do not have to wait for a doctor to ‘diagnose’ you with perimenopause to start making changes that will benefit you. 

What comes after menopause? 

Menopause is a single day - the day you are 12 months since your last period. 

After menopause, you are postmenopausal. Many women will find their symptoms ease off at this point, while others will experience ‘menopausal symptoms’ for a little longer. 

Is HRT the only way to manage menopause?

HRT involves replacing one or more of the hormones your body used to make in plentiful supply in your younger years. These are commonly oestrogen and progesterone together, sometimes only oestrogen, and sometimes you might be prescribed testosterone as well. 

While taking HRT is the only way you can actually replace lost hormones, many of the symptoms of menopause experienced at this time can be managed by changing your diet and tweaking your lifestyle.

What are the main changes I need to know about? Oestrogen, one of the main female hormones, provides you with protection from cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis, among other things. 

Lower oestrogen levels are also linked to insulin resistance and this, along with declining muscle mass as you age, has an impact on your body’s response to the food you eat. 

Declining oestrogen also impacts how your body handles stress. Essentially, you become less resilient to stress as you get older. What this means for you is that you will need to do things a little differently than you did before. 

But the message I want you to take from this is that, now knowing where you might be vulnerable, you are forearmed and can tweak what needs tweaking to minimise or improve any symptoms you might be having. 

Here are my 5 top tips:

1. Balance your blood sugars

Maintaining stable blood sugar levels is crucial during perimenopause. Fluctuating blood sugars can lead to energy crashes, mood swings, and increased cravings, all of which can make menopausal symptoms feel more intense.

• Eat regularly: aim for 3 balanced meals per day with a mix of protein, healthy fats, and fibre to slow the release of sugars into your bloodstream. Avoid snacks unless you are going for more than 5 hours without food.
• Limit refined sugars: reduce your intake of sugary snacks and drinks, which can cause spikes and drops in blood sugar levels.
• Include protein at every meal: meat, fish, eggs, tofu, legumes, nuts and seeds all count. Make sure you have plenty at each meal. And if you have to snack, include some protein.

2. Choose a Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet is renowned for its health benefits for all kinds of ills and especially for women going through perimenopause. 

This diet emphasises whole foods that are rich in nutrients, antioxidants, and healthy fats, all of which can support hormonal balance and reduce inflammation (the latter also rises during this stage of your life).

Key components of the Mediterranean diet:

• Fruits and vegetables: these are backed with inflammation-quelling, disease-fighting antioxidants. Aim for a colourful variety to get a range of vitamins and minerals plus important phytonutrients. 
• Healthy fats: include sources like olive oil, nuts, seeds, and oily fish such as salmon, fresh tuna, mackerel and trout to support heart and brain health.
• Whole grains and legumes: provide fibre for digestive health and help regulate blood sugar levels.

3. Eat phytoestrogens

Phytoestrogens are plant-based compounds that can mimic the effects of oestrogen in the body, helping to balance hormone levels naturally during menopause. Including these in your diet may help reduce hot flushes and other menopausal symptoms.

Sources of phytoestrogens:

• Soy products: tofu, tempeh, and edamame are excellent sources.
• Flaxseeds: ground flaxseeds can be added to smoothies, salads, or yoghurt.
• Legumes: chickpeas, lentils, and beans are rich in phytoestrogens.

4. Prioritise stress relief

Your body in perimenopause is less resistant to stress so you will need to ensure you make stress relief important in your daily life rather than something you will add to your list of chores and get to it if you have time. 

Stress can exacerbate perimenopausal symptoms, so it’s important to find ways to counteract its effect. Chronic stress can lead to hormone imbalances, sleep disturbances, and weight gain. 

When I say stress, this does not have to mean the ‘big stuff’ like bereavement, divorce or a house move. The relentlessness of day-to-day worries is just as important.

Stress relief techniques:

• Mindfulness and guided meditation: incorporate deep breathing or mindfulness practices to calm the mind. These encourage slowing down your breathing while you do them which can have an impact on your heart rate variability (HRV). If you have wearable devices like a smart watch, or smart ring, or even use wellness apps that measure HRV, you will be able to see for yourself how the magic works by testing before and after meditation.
• Physical activity: regular exercise, like walking, yoga, or swimming, can reduce stress and improve mood. While running and high intensity training is good for your cardiovascular system, it does place additional stress on your system so this doesn’t count for the purposes of stress relief.
• Connect with others: social support is key; spend time with friends or join a community group. You might have heard the saying, it takes a village to raise a child. Consider, it takes a village to get through the transition to menopause, too.

5. Ensure you get quality sleep

Sleep disturbances are common during perimenopause, but getting adequate rest is essential for overall health. Poor sleep can worsen symptoms like mood swings, fatigue, and weight gain. It’s not just the amount of time you spend in bed that matters but the sleep you’re getting and the quality of your sleep. 

The most restorative sleep is deep sleep, and you stand the greatest chance of getting more of this when you go to bed before midnight, according to The Sleep Foundation. 

Tips for better sleep:

• Create a sleep routine: go to bed and wake up at the same time each day to regulate your body’s internal clock.
• Limit caffeine and alcohol: both can interfere with sleep quality, especially when consumed later in the day.
• Relax before bed: wind down with a relaxing activity like reading, stretching, or taking a warm bath. TV is not on this list as the blue light can impact how well you sleep.
• Limit scrolling on your phone before bed: this might seem a good way to wind down but the blue light from your phone may disrupt sleep hormones. Scrolling also provides a dopamine hit, and this keeps you scrolling longer. The reason this is important is that dopamine is a daytime hormone - the opposite of what you want when you’re trying to wind down.

As you navigate perimenopause, remember that your body has unique needs, and small changes can make a big difference. Nutrition and lifestyle medicine can help support your body through this transition and improve your overall wellbeing.

Just as a little reminder, I’m a nutrition practitioner dedicated to supporting women through perimenopause and beyond. If you’d like to discover how I can help you, I offer a free call where we can discuss your needs and explore the best ways I can support you on your journey.

We often hear about the toxins in the environment, but what are they and how do they really affect us? There’s one group that can be particularly nasty for women, especially if we already have some hormone imbalances such as PCOS, or we’re in menopause. Xenostrogens.

Xenoestrogens are environmental pollutants with chemical structures that can mimic oestrogen in the body. These chemicals can lead to detrimental effects to our bodies, therefore awareness of xenoestrogens and avoidance where possible are the key to good health. 

Research shows that pollution by xenoestrogens can affect:

• Reproduction in many different animal species
• Deterioration of human sperm count
• Reports of contaminated waterways and rivers affecting the sexual characteristics of fish and other creatures
• Environmental xenoestrogens such as organochlorine pesticides have been shown to promote the growth of uterine fibroids in vivo and vitro.  Studies have found high levels of organochlorine pesticides in fibroid tumours and blood samples of women suffering from uterine fibroids.

By mimicking the action of our own oestrogen, xenoestrogens can affect our bodies and alter our hormone activity. 

Currently, approximately 70,000 chemicals have been registered as having hormonal effects. These chemicals have been seen to increase the oestrogen load in the body over time and are sometimes more difficult for the liver to detoxify and clear from the body.  These chemicals can be found in our water, air, soil and food chain, as well as in many cosmetic and household products. 

The human body is being bombarded with these harmful chemicals every day which may over-burden the liver, weaken our immune systems and disrupt our delicate hormonal balance. 

So, where can we find them? And how can we avoid them?

Think about:

Agricultural chemicals 

Agricultural chemicals such as pesticides, fungicides and herbicides or hormones fed to cattle, pigs, poultry, and other livestock found in meat, dairy and eggs, are one of the biggest sources of xenoestrogens.

• Try and eat organic foods as much as you can afford, or check the Environmental Working Group’s Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen to see the worst perpetrators.
• Choose organic meat, eggs, and dairy products. Or better still, choose 100% grassfed meat and dairy products, and pastured pork and poultry.
• Avoid the common food preservative in processed foods - BHS: butylated hydroxyanisole.
• Avoid non-organic coffee and tea. They are highly sprayed with pesticides. 
• Look to use natural pest control in your home/garden, avoiding synthetic flea shampoos, flea collars, and flea pesticides for your pets and home.

Household Cleaners and products

Many household products contain xenoestrogens, but specifically look out for laundry detergents and fabric softeners, as they may leave residues on clothing, towels, and things that touch our skin.  

• Air fresheners and insect repellents are also major sources of xenoestrogens.
• Use old-fashioned household cleaners like baking soda, lemon juice, and vinegar whenever possible. 
• Avoid fabric softeners and dryer sheets entirely and use a simple laundry detergent with few chemicals. 
• Be aware of gases and vapours that comes from photocopiers and printers, carpets, fibreboards, or new carpets. 
• Do not inhale and try and protect your skin from: electrical oils, lubricants, adhesive paints, lacquers, solvents, oils, paints, fuel, industrial wastes, packing materials, harsh cleaning products, fertilizers. 
• Air your house well when you can and avoid the use of air fresheners, insecticide sprays, and other products that release chemicals into the air. 
• Try safer insect repellents such as citronella or cedar.

Cosmetics and Toiletries 

Xenoestrogens absorbed by the skin are thought to be ten times more potent than those eaten or drunk, as they travel directly to the tissues instead of passing through the liver. 

Therefore, be careful with your choices – look for natural plant-based products and check the ingredients carefully. Some things to avoid are: 

• Nail polish and sunscreen are more common sources of xenoestrogens, including phthalates, benzophenone-3, homosalate, 4-methyl-benzylidene camphor (4-MBC), octyl-methoxycinnamate and octyl-dimethyl-PABA. 
• Other products, including body lotions, toothpastes, soaps, gels, hairsprays, and more may contain xenoestrogens in the form of parabens, phenoxyethanol, phthalates, stearal konium chloride and other compounds. Try and choose organic or natural brands insteads.
• Phthalates are commonly found in baby lotions and powders. 
• Many perfumes, deodorizers, air fresheners have artificial scents and contain phthalates and are petrochemically based. Go for essential oils or natural, organic scents instead.

Plastics

Plastics, especially soft plastics, contain many compounds that are considered to be xenoestrogens. 

One type are phthalates, which are a kind of plasticizer which are often used to make plastics soft and flexible. These compounds can leach out over time or in response to heat or light. 

Unfortunately, phthalates are used in a range of products from food containers and packaging to children's toys and bottles. 

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is another offender that is used for food storage or to line tin cans for canned goods. 

Although this protects the consumer from a metallic taste in the foods, BPA is a known xenoestrogen that can leach into the food when exposed to hear or acid.

• Never heat food with plastic in the microwave, even if it claims to be microwaveable. Use glass or ceramics instead and cover with a paper towel. 
• Use cling wrap that does not contain DEHA and replace cling wrap on meats, cheese and other foods as soon as you get home from the store. Storing food in ceramic or glass containers may be another option. 
• Avoid Teflon and other non-stick cookware. Cast iron, ceramic or is an inexpensive, durable, and healthful alternative. 
• Buy drinks in glass bottles instead of plastic. 
• Don't drink hot liquid or eat hot food from Styrofoam cups or containers. 
• Use a stainless-steel water bottle for regularly drinking rather than plastic bottles. 
• Go for long-life products in glass jars rather than tins if you can.

Water 

Unfortunately, water treatment plants are not currently designed to remove hormonal pollutants, and agricultural and pharmaceutical runoff have created a curious epidemic among fish and frogs in many waterways in the developed world. 

• Don't switch to bottled water, which is unregulated and may be more polluted than tap water. Instead, install a reverse osmosis water system if you can. These can include under sink or whole house systems. 
• Look for tabletop water filters, such as the Berkey water filter, which can remove hormones from drinking water.
• Drink from a stainless steel or glass container or choose safer plastics if you need to drink from a plastic water bottle.

Have a look at the products you use, food you eat, water your drink, plus storage and containers, cleaners and cosmetics. 

Think about what you can afford to change, and maybe put in a plan to replace things gradually over time. Each small change you make will be a benefit to your health in the long term.

Did any of these surprise? What changes are you going to make?

Photo by Charles Deluvio on Unsplash

OVEN-BAKED RATATOUILLE

This is a family favourite and a great way to use up a glut of courgettes if you have them! I tend to make multiple batches of this, as it freezes quite well and then you can bring it out a later date. 

It goes really nicely with chicken or white fish, or for a veggie option you can add some chickpeas or puy lentils. Yum!

Ingredients:

3 x aubergine, cut into bite-size chunks

6 x courgette (or one giant marrow of a courgette!), cut into bite-size chunks

8 x red onions, cut into 1/8s

3 x red peppers, sliced

1 bulb garlic, peeled and cloves left whole

1 jar olives

Herbes de Provence

Olive oil

Seasoning

Green beans, sliced diagonally

3 x tins chopped tomatoes

Method:

• Preheat oven to 200 degress celsius
• Prepare all veg (except for green beans) and divide evenly between 3 oven trays
• Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle Herbes de Provence liberally, and season well
• Pop in the oven to cook for 20 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the edges catching
• When 20 mins have elapsed, add the chopped tomatoes and the green beans
• Return to the oven for 10 minutes
• Voila! Simple oven-baked ratatouille ready to eat and some to be frozen for another day.
• Enjoy!

Do you have symptoms such as always feeling tired, constant pangs of hunger, inability to lose weight, sugar cravings all the time, fatigue after meals, central weight gain, and generally just feeling rubbish?

Well, you just might be suffering with insulin resistance – this is one of the main symptoms I see in perimenopausal and menopausal women (hello menobelly!), but it is also one of the main drivers of PCOS.

If you think you might be suffering with insulin resistance, here are my top tips to help you get back to feeling well again:

1. Cut down on refined carbohydrates

These foods are the main trigger for insulin production, as your body needs the hormone insulin to move the glucose from these foods out of your bloodstream. 

Reducing your intake of these kinds of foods can improve your insulin sensitivity as you won’t need to produce as much insulin. 

Firstly, ditch all those sugary snacks entirely – you really don’t need them. I’m talking cakes, biscuits, ice cream, sugary drinks, desserts. And then think about the quality and the quantity of complex carbohydrates that you’re having. 

Maybe replace your big bowls of spaghetti with some courgetti or think about eating steamed new potatoes instead of jacket potatoes.

2. Reduce stress

Stress is a major contributing factor to your blood sugar balance. When we are stressed, our body switches into ‘fight or flight’ mode so that we can battle or evade danger. 

One of the things that happens is the stress hormones we produce encourage our body to break down its energy stores into glucose, so that it will enter our bloodstream and be ready for fuel for our muscles. 

However, if this stress is constant rather than acute (I’m thinking work or family stress as opposed to facing a tiger), then we can end up with persistently high blood sugar levels ergo high insulin and, bam, possible insulin resistance. 

Whilst we can’t always change or remove the stressors in our lives, we can learn to build resilience to those stressors. Yoga, tai chi and meditation have been shown in research to help build stress resilience. Something to think about adding to our daily routines.

3. Get better sleep

We all know that sleep is great for our health! But studies have linked poor sleep to reduced insulin sensitivity. 

Our body does a lot of repair and resetting work while we sleep, so if we are not having enough sleep, this work won’t be getting done. 

Research shows that how much a person sleeps impacts both their insulin and their cortisol (stress hormone) levels, thereby affecting their insulin sensitivity. Aim for 7-9 hours per night, but with a regular sleep and wake-up time.

4. Get more exercise

Regular exercise is an excellent way to improve our insulin sensitivity. It helps us move sugar into the muscles for storage and it immediately improves our insulin sensitivity for up to 48 hours dependent on the type and duration of exercise undertaken.  

While both weight training and aerobic exercise have been seen to be beneficial, research shows that it’s a combination of both that is most effective in increasing insulin sensitivity.

5. Eat more veggies

Replacing refined carbohydrates with more veggies makes sense when we want to be healthy, doesn’t it? 

But eating more veg can make us more insulin sensitive too. Firstly, many vegetables are excellent sources of fibre, particularly soluble fibre. 

Soluble fibre feeds the friendly bacteria in our guts and having a balance microbiome has been linked to increased insulin sensitivity. Brussel sprouts, avocados, broccoli, black beans and sweet potatoes are all good sources.

So, these are my tips to getting you back on track! Try them out and see if they can help relieve your symptoms, particularly if you are suffering with PCOS, perimenopause symptoms, or you just can’t move the weight around your midriff. Or why don’t you book in a free 30-minute health review with me – just click here.