If your GP’s answer to poor sleep is “here, take this pill,” it’s missing the point.

Sleep struggles are right at the top of the symptom list I see every day. Yet they’re also one of the most ignored, as we drag our tired bodies through another day hoping tonight will be different.

The truth? Sleep doesn’t exist in isolation. A pill might knock you out for one night, but unless you fix the cause, the cycle continues.

Eventually, you reach the point where you’ll do anything for just one good night’s sleep. And while that one night can make the world look rosier, it doesn’t fix the problem, it only buys you 24 hours of relief.

Yep, life is incredibly busy!  If it’s not finances that are preventing a break then it’s work, family, caring responsibilities or just a lack of holiday leave because last ‘holiday’ was spent sorting out some other personal shit show in your life.

Life gets crazy, end of story. But sometimes we need to learn to build in the things that help break the burn out patter, allow us to recover, thrive rather than just survive.

And yes, I hear you muttering right now that it’s easier said than done. Yes, it is. Also, not impossible!

Here’s a short check list to implement while you are waiting for the holy grail of burnout healing: a total break from your life that lasts indefinitely lol!

Most women I see wouldn’t list their period under “favourite things.” And fair enough! The exhaustion, the cramps, the moods, the mess… it’s not exactly a spa retreat. But here’s the truth: your period isn’t the enemy. In fact, when you understand it, it becomes one of your most powerful self-care tools.

Part of my training is to identify red flags. Usually, they are for things that need to be referred to a doctor like cancer, organ failure, heart attack risk etc. You get it: the big things that can end your life.

But I am also trained, and keenly interested, in recognising the red flags of burn out, stress, emotional dysregulation, mental health concerns and chronic illness like autoimmune disease.

I am yet to meet someone who doesn’t know about the importance of self-care. We talk about it, congratulate ourselves when we manage it… but we do it infrequently and often in a way that is actually self-indulgent.

Self-care is something we need to practise daily to get the benefit.

Let’s get technical for a moment.
Postpartum Depression (PPD) is a mood disorder that can occur after childbirth. It’s characterized by persistent sadness, hopelessness, anxiety, and a loss of interest in activities. Unlike the “baby blues,” which are milder and typically pass within a few days, PPD can linger and deeply affect a mother’s ability to care for herself and her baby.

The Metabolic Balance program has been part of my toolbox for over 5 years, and I still get excited about it! Aside from the fact that it is well over 20 years old, it is a food based individualised program, is based in science and testing, has research supporting its claims and is like German engineering for the body (devised in Germany by a doctor, naturopath wife and food tech sister in law). Aside from ALL of that…there are many more reasons to jump in and change your life with Metabolic Balance. 

Hands up if you’ve tried a new diet, bought another supplement, or promised yourself that this time you’ll stick to an exercise routine… only to end up exhausted, frustrated, and still dealing with the same hormonal chaos? You’re not alone

We all do it, me included! We get blinded and can’t see the forest for the trees but if we just take a step back and look objectively our answers will look a lot different. What am I talking about? The biggest mistake we make when trying to fix a hormonal problem and it’s looking for a single solution that is a quick fix to all our woes.

I hate to be the one to break it to you, but it just doesn’t exist! There is no Holy Grail of hormone solutions.

Let’s look at a few that I see commonly in the clinic. And I won’t lie…some I have tried myself.

You’ve noticed some bloating, that your periods are heavier, you aren’t sleeping so well and maybe you can see that your mood sends your family into hiding.  But you’ve ignored it all because it will get better when you’re less stressed, or it’s just your age so you need to put up with it.

Only the stress never lets up, the symptoms get worse, and your band-aid fixes aren’t fixing anything! You are exhausted, confused, and feel like you’re broken without a hope of recovery.

Yes, I said it. We complain that we have no energy, that we wake up tired, that we are dragging ourselves through the day and YET…we sabotage that energy production day after day without even being conscious of it.

A lot of it comes down to metabolic health. Our metabolism is responsible for both breaking down our food into the building blocks we need for basic functions but also for building things like muscle and bone.  In the process of the breakdown energy is released AND the micronutrients needed to make MORE ENERGY, NEUROTRANSMITTERS, HORMONES and much more are also released.

If you’re a mother, you know that stress is part of the job! I don’t think there is a day that goes by that something doesn’t make my heart skip a beat, or blood pressure (momentarily at least) jump up a notch, and my kids are all teens or adults now. I wish I had better news, but mothering is the best and most stressful and most rewarding job all at once.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock you’ll be feeling the effects of life in general recently. It is insidious. It comes in from every angle. And it is very seriously the BIGGEST issue I am seeing in the clinic right now. This is because it affects so many things; from mental health to physical wellness- without addressing the stress and our resilience to it we are just sticking bandaids on your problems.

Right now you are probably internally screaming ‘But I can’t get out of the stress. I can’t leave my job/earn more money/escape my situation etc etc’. Often that’s true, which adds to the fight and flight experience and sheer panic. Cue a host of red flag symptoms that we often ignore or stick a bandaid on. If we can’t run from our lives then stress resilience is key! More about that later.

When you hear the word “fertility,” what pops into your head? Usually, it’s a woman’s body, her hormones, her cycle, her eggs. And honestly, that makes sense — because women’s fertility has been studied, talked about, and medically managed for decades. But here’s a truth that’s only recently getting the spotlight: men play an equal, 50% role in fertility.

Sex — wanting sex, enjoying sex, missing sex, not wanting sex, struggling to orgasm, or even being overly orgasmic… perimenopause can bring some surprising changes to our sexual appetite!

I’ve never been one to shy away from tough topics, so here we go! Hang onto your vibrator!

This is right up there as one of the biggest issues for my perimenopausal clients — also often the last thing they mention, and one of the least spoken about. I’ve heard the odd woman say their libido skyrocketed — and that’s awesome! But by far, the majority struggle with libido.

Some women aren’t bothered by a lack of lust at all — but even if this is you, keep reading. Much of what I’m sharing also relates to vaginal and vulval health, which can suffer during peri and menopause. Even if you’re not bothered about “using it,” you still want to keep it comfortable and healthy, right?

Why don’t we talk about this more? Why is it still so secretive?
It’s such a hush-hush topic that myths and misinformation are rife. For instance, did you know some women actually experience an increase in libido during perimenopause? Or that a dry vagina doesn’t mean the end of sex? Or that sex can actually improve your mood? And perhaps most importantly—you don’t need a partner to reap the benefits.

Ever wondered why perimenopause is such a shit show for some of us? Take a rollercoaster ride with me through the perils of oestrogen fluctuations in perimenopause! 

I know, I know… you’re probably rolling their eyes because I say this all the time — but I’ll say it again: sleep is crucial. For your health. For your hormones. For your waistline. In perimenopause and menopause, getting good quality sleep becomes even more important.

You might be screaming, “BUT HOW?!” Don’t worry — I’ve got you. Here’s why sleep is one of the most powerful (and free!) tools for navigating hormonal changes and managing weight in this phase of life:

You’ve probably heard about a special program that has huge benefits for perimenopausal women like you lose weight, balance hormones, and reclaim their energy. That program is Metabolic Magic — a personalised, 1 on 1 coaching experience based on the proven Metabolic Balance system.

Maybe you’ve glanced at it, thought about it, but aren’t quite sure if it’s right for you yet. I get it. It’s a big step to invest your time and money into a program — especially if you’ve never worked with a nutritionist or naturopath before. And with so many diets and health programs out there, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and confused.

That’s why I want to give you everything you need to know about Metabolic Magic — so you can decide with confidence if this is the right path for you.

Let’s be honest—as women, we’ve had body image pressure coming at us since childhood. From magazine covers to schoolyard teasing, well-meaning relatives to toxic cultural messages, weight has been framed as a key measure of our worth.

So it’s no surprise that by the time we hit our 40s and suddenly find our jeans a bit snug, we panic.