Did you know there may be a link between menopausal symptoms like hot flushes and seasonal change? Scrolling through Pubmed this study jumped out at me and I found it so interesting that I knew I had to share it. The study - Monthly variations of hot flushes, night sweats and trouble sleeping: Effect of season and proximity to the final menstrual period in the swan menstrual calendar substudy. This was published in the Menopause journal in 2020.   In this study, 955 women logged their menstrual cycle and symptoms for 10 years, the researchers then went back and looked for patterns. I want ..read more

Beetroot has been touted as being one of the healthiest vegetables with many health benefits relevant to my fellow midlife women. Here in Australia and the UK, we call the taproot section of the beet plant beetroot but in North America, this has been shorted to just beets. Both the leaves and the root of the beet plant can be eaten. Like all other root vegetables, the beetroot is a storehouse of natural sugars for the plant and tastes sweet, whereas the leaves have a bitter taste. There are significant nutrition differences between the 2 parts of the plant. Today I’m focusing on the root. &nbs ..read more

  Vaginal discharge can be many things, it can be completely normal or an indication of an infection or inflammation. The 2 most common infections are Bacterial vaginosis (I’m going to call it BV from now on) and candida. It is thought that 40-45% of women presenting with vaginal discharge have BV, and about 20-25% have candida. I find these numbers really interesting as most women think they have candida and many are guilty of using over-the-counter candida remedies and don’t see results as they are treating the wrong thing. The remaining 30-40% of women presenting with vaginal discharge ..read more

Some women experience altered sensations in their ears, ringing in their ears, hearing loss, and other ear-related issues such as dizziness with the menopausal transition.   You may not be aware that you have estrogen receptors in your inner ears. Wherever estrogen receptors are located you may experience a change in function as this hormone fluctuates.   The reason I’m talking about this today is because I’m one of these women. I’ve recently been diagnosed with adult-onset eustachian tube defect and due to this, I’ve been experiencing the sensation of fullness and pressure within th ..read more

Regular physical activity, such as walking, can have several positive effects on overall health, including potential benefits for the menopausal transition. Why walking? Because walking is free, available everywhere, and has a really low risk of injury. You can do it by yourself, with your dog, or together with other family members or friends. You can use walking in three different ways. One for the reduction of symptoms you are currently experiencing, 2 for the prevention of future issues, 3 just for fun! Some of the benefits of walking can occur in as little as 10 minutes, with 1 walk, other ..read more

Coriander or you may know it as Cilantro is the most common culinary herb used worldwide. The good news for you is that it has some interesting health benefits that could be useful for this time of life. Internationally coriander is the name for the entire plant including the seeds but if you are from the United States you call the plant leaves and stems cilantro but still call the seeds coriander. As I’m Australian I’m going to refer to it as coriander, sorry if this confuses you. When it comes to the taste, some people hate it, comparing it to soap. Personally love the taste, it is one of my ..read more

Today we are talking about something very near and dear to my heart, something that I personally struggled with in my peri-menopausal journey and that is iron deficiency anaemia. My personal story of anemia started in early 2021 with a fibroid and a couple of polyps causing dysfunctional uterine bleeding. My menses were NOT normal. I had flooding bleeds, and at my worst, I could fill my pad, and period undies and have blood in my socks within an hour. I also had clots the size of my hand and prolonged bleeds lingering the entire month. Dysfunctional uterine bleeding is not normal but it c ..read more

Minerals are key building blocks that are essential for life, think of them as bricks building the structure of your body. Without a good strong foundation, a building could start to crumble and fall and for us, the consequences of mineral imbalances can include ill health, disease, and even death.  In an ideal world, we would obtain our minerals from our diet, as our body can’t produce them. Minerals are found in our soil and water, they are taken up by plants or animals that we consume. But depending on where you live this can be a huge problem as certainly locations are known for ..read more

Garlic not only gives flavour to our food but also medicinal value to our meals. It is an easy and tasting addition to your plate that has a myriad of health benefits.   Medicinally garlic is called Allium sativum, but it has a long list of common names including stinky rose, camphor of the poor, the nectar of the gods, and Russian penicillin - linking its common name to its believed native origins in Siberia but also to its anti-bacterial qualities.   Garlic is a member of the allium family, which also included onions, leeks, shallots, and chives. Garlic is believed to contain the g ..read more

As we age, many women will start to notice a change in their digestive ability. Signs that your digestive system isn’t optimally functioning include heartburn, burping, nausea, food intolerances, bloating, cramping, flatulence, and constipation. Did you know that digestion starts in your brain? Just think about a lemon for a moment, imagine the sourness of it in your mouth. Have you started salivating? The thought, the sight, and the smell of food can all trigger the commencement of digestion long before the first bite of food hits your mouth. One troublesome symptom associated with the menopa ..read more