Harmony Health & Menopause

20/07/2026

For most of my life, my instinct has been to keep going.

If life became difficult, I worked harder. If I felt overwhelmed, I stayed busy. If something didn't feel right, I searched for the next thing that might fix it.

I thought that was resilience.

Now I realise it was often my way of avoiding what my body was trying to tell me.

A few weeks ago, I was ready to begin a 12-week fitness programme. I had everything planned because I believed becoming fitter and stronger was exactly what I needed.

Then, during a meditation, everything changed.

It became so clear that my body had been trying to tell me something for months.

Since losing my mum, I have been carrying an enormous amount of grief. Although I thought I was coping, I hadn't truly allowed myself to slow down and process it. Instead, I kept pushing forward.

But my heart had a different message.

In that moment, I knew exactly what I needed to do.

Not more.

The complete opposite.

I needed to slow down, stop placing more pressure on an already overwhelmed nervous system, and give myself permission to grieve.

I'm still nourishing my body and walking most days.. But right now, I'm choosing to prioritise something that can't be measured by a fitness programme.

I'm giving my heart the time and space it needs to heal.

As a nutritionist, I often encourage women to listen to their bodies. This experience reminded me that I'm still learning to do the same.

Our bodies are always communicating with us. Sometimes they need nourishment. Sometimes they need movement. And sometimes they simply need us to slow down long enough to hear what they're trying to say.

So, I'm taking a little break from social media to heal, reflect and discover what this next chapter looks like.

Thank you for your kindness, encouragement and support. It means more than you'll ever know.

I'll be back when the time feels right.

Until then, take good care of yourselves. And if your body has been quietly asking you to slow down, I hope you'll give yourself permission to listen.

Julie 💚

19/07/2026

Could avoiding fat be stopping your body from getting the nutrients it needs?

For years, many women were encouraged to choose low-fat foods in the belief they were healthier.

But healthy fats aren't something to fear. They're an essential part of a balanced diet and play a vital role in keeping your body functioning well, especially during midlife.

Healthy fats help to:

🥑 Support the structure of every cell in your body.

🧠 Support brain health and cognitive function.

❤️ Contribute to heart health.

⚡ Provide a source of energy and help keep you feeling satisfied after meals.

✨ Help your body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

These vitamins are involved in many important functions:

• Vitamin A supports healthy vision, skin and immune function.
• Vitamin D supports bone, muscle and immune health.
• Vitamin E helps protect cells from oxidative stress.
• Vitamin K is essential for normal blood clotting and maintaining healthy bones.

Without enough dietary fat, your body cannot absorb these vitamins efficiently.

This is why nutrition isn't about focusing on one nutrient in isolation.

It's about how nutrients work together.

Healthy fats found in foods such as avocados, extra virgin olive oil, nuts, seeds and oily fish provide much more than calories. They contribute nutrients that work alongside protein, carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins and minerals to support your health.

Rather than fearing fat, think about building meals that include a balance of protein, healthy fats, fibre-rich carbohydrates and plenty of colourful vegetables.

Because good nutrition isn't about removing foods.

It's about giving your body the building blocks it needs to thrive through menopause and beyond. 💚

💬 I'd love to hear from you. Has your view of healthy fats changed over the years?

18/07/2026

We know more about nutrition than ever before. So why does eating well feel more confusing than ever?

Women in menopause are surrounded by information.

Eat more protein. Take magnesium. Add creatine. Balance your blood sugar. Reduce inflammation.

All important conversations.

But somewhere in all that information, I think we've forgotten something fundamental.

Our bodies are built and maintained using the nutrients we provide through food.

And no nutrient works in isolation.

🥚 Protein provides the amino acids needed to build and repair muscle and other tissues.

🥑 Fats form part of our cell membranes, provide energy and help us absorb fat-soluble vitamins.

🍠 Carbohydrates provide energy for our brain, muscles and everyday life.

🌾 Fibre supports our gut, heart and blood sugar regulation.

They all work together.

And perhaps that's what gets lost when we're constantly hearing about the next nutrient, supplement or menopause health trend.

If your energy dips in the afternoon, your thinking feels foggy or cravings become louder, it's easy to put it all down to menopause.

But your meals may be playing a bigger role than you realise.

Not because you need the perfect diet.

And not because one nutrient is going to fix everything.

But because your body needs a variety of nutrients, consistently, to do the work it is trying to do every single day.

Sometimes the most powerful place to begin isn't with the latest menopause hack.

It's with food. And the whole plate. 💚

17/07/2026

17/07/2026

One of the biggest misconceptions I hear is that feeling exhausted in midlife is simply part of getting older.

While hormonal changes certainly influence our energy, the foods we eat provide the building blocks our bodies need to produce energy, support our hormones, maintain muscle and keep our brains functioning well.

In The Menopause Wellness Manual, I have a whole section called Menopause Wellness: A Guide to Nutrition and Lifestyle, where I explore these topics in much more depth. I explain how nutrition can support your changing body and share simple, nourishing recipes that are realistic for those days when your energy is low and spending hours in the kitchen is the last thing you feel like doing..

When it comes to energy, I always encourage women to think about three key macronutrients:

🥚 Protein

Protein becomes even more important during midlife because it helps preserve muscle mass, supports tissue repair and keeps us feeling fuller for longer .

🥑 Healthy fats

Healthy fats are essential for overall health. They provide a concentrated source of energy, support brain function, help us absorb fat-soluble vitamins and contribute to hormone production. Foods such as extra virgin olive oil, oily fish, nuts, seeds and avocado.

🌾 Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are our body's preferred source of energy. Choosing fibre-rich carbohydrates such as oats, lentils, quinoa, beans and sweet potatoes helps provide a slower release of energy, supports blood sugar balance and nourishes the beneficial bacteria in our gut.

Alongside these macronutrients, there are key micronutrients that also deserve attention.

✨ Magnesium supports energy production, muscle function and relaxation.

✨ B vitamins help convert the food we eat into usable energy while supporting the nervous system.

✨ Iron, where appropriate, is essential for carrying oxygen around the body, and low levels can contribute to fatigue.

What I hope women take away from this is that nutrition isn't about eating perfectly.
It's about consistently giving your body the nutrients it needs to adapt, repair and thrive throughout midlife.

16/07/2026

For years I believed that if I ate well and exercised, that would be enough.

What I've come to understand is that nutrition and lifestyle don't work in isolation.

If your nervous system has spent years carrying stress, constantly pushing through, or always putting everyone else first, it can become much harder for your body to rest, recover and restore its energy.

Supporting your nervous system isn't about doing less.

It's about creating moments where your body feels safe enough to recover.

For me, that looks like time in nature, walking by the sea, slowing my breathing, moving my body with kindness, and reminding myself that rest isn't something I have to earn.

Sometimes our bodies aren't asking us to do more.

They're asking us to listen.

💚 In the final post, we'll look at some of the key nutrients that support energy production in midlife.

15/07/2026

When women tell me they're constantly tired, one of the first things we explore together is what they're eating day to day.

Not because there's a perfect menopause diet, but because the foods we eat provide the building blocks for energy, hormone health and healthy ageing.

Some foods help provide steady, lasting energy.

Others can leave us feeling sluggish, hungry soon after eating, and reaching for another coffee or sugary snack.

🌿 Foods that help fuel your energy

✔ Protein-rich foods such as eggs, Greek yoghurt, chicken, fish, tofu and beans

✔ High-fibre carbohydrates including oats, quinoa, lentils and sweet potatoes

✔ Healthy fats from olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado and oily fish

✔ Colourful vegetables and berries, rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants

✔ Magnesium-rich foods such as leafy greens, pumpkin seeds and almonds

⚠️ Foods that may leave you feeling more drained

• Ultra-processed foods that are often low in nutrients and fibre

• Sugary drinks, sweets and pastries that can lead to blood sugar highs followed by energy crashes

• Refined carbohydrates eaten on their own, such as white bread or sugary breakfast cereals

• Too much alcohol, particularly in the evening, which can affect sleep quality

• Relying on caffeine throughout the day instead of addressing the underlying causes of fatigue

This isn't about labelling foods as "good" or "bad", and it's certainly not about striving for perfection.

It's about noticing how different foods make you feel and making small, consistent choices that help support your body through midlife.

Because when we nourish our bodies well, we're not just supporting our energy today.

We're investing in our health for the years ahead.

💚 Which foods help you feel your best, and which ones leave you feeling more tired?

14/07/2026

Why am I so tired all the time?

If you've been asking yourself this question, you're certainly not alone.

One of the biggest misconceptions about menopausal fatigue is that it's simply something you have to put up with. In reality, fatigue is often your body's way of asking for more support.

As our hormones change, they influence energy production, sleep, mood, muscle health and even how resilient we feel to everyday stress. Add a busy life, years of putting everyone else first, and perhaps a nervous system that's been running on high alert for a long time, and it's easy to understand why so many women feel exhausted.

The important thing to remember is that fatigue is rarely caused by one thing alone.

It's often the result of several systems working together.

Over the next few posts, I'm going to explore the four areas I always consider when supporting women with menopausal fatigue.

Because the more we understand our bodies, the better we can support them.

💚 Tomorrow we'll start with nutrition.

13/07/2026

Feeling as though your energy has disappeared since menopause?

It can be tempting to reach for another coffee and hope for the best, but sometimes your body is asking for something much more fundamental.

The foods we eat won't make every symptom disappear overnight, but they can provide some of the building blocks your body needs to support energy, brain health, muscle, hormones and healthy ageing.

Here are five foods I encourage women to include regularly:

🥜 Omega-3-rich foods such as oily fish, walnuts and flaxseeds to support brain health and a healthy inflammatory response.

🥦 Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and kale, which provide compounds that support normal hormone metabolism.

🍓 Berries, packed with antioxidants that help protect our cells from oxidative stress.

🥬 Dark leafy greens, rich in magnesium, folate and other nutrients that support energy production, muscles and overall wellbeing.

🥚 Eggs, an excellent source of high-quality protein and choline to support muscle maintenance and brain health.

There isn't one magic food that transforms how we feel.

It's the small choices we make consistently that help nourish our bodies over time.

Your body isn't asking for perfection.

It's asking to be nourished.

Which of these foods is already a regular part of your week? 💚

08/07/2026

Feeling puffy, foggy or overwhelmed in midlife?

It might not just be your hormones. It could be your body quietly asking, "When is it my turn?"

So many women spend years putting everyone else first.

Looking after children, supporting ageing parents, building careers, running households, remembering everyone's appointments, trying to eat enough protein, get to the gym, walk 10,000 steps, get to bed early, and somehow still feeling they should be doing more.

It's exhausting.

Eventually, the body starts to get your attention.

The fatigue.

The brain fog.

The anxiety that seems to come from nowhere.

The feeling that you've somehow lost yourself.

I often describe myself as being in postmenopause, but if I'm honest, I don't see a sharp line between menopause and postmenopause.

I see midlife.

A season that gently asks us to stop living on autopilot and start looking after ourselves with the same care we've given to everyone else for so many years.

Nutrition still matters.

Movement still matters.

Hormones still matter.

But so do rest, boundaries, joy, connection, and creating the conditions where our nervous system can finally exhale.

Because this isn't about becoming someone different.

It's about coming home to yourself.

So if you need a gentle reminder today, here it is:

✔ Set the boundary.

✔ Eat the nourishing meal.

✔ Move your body because it feels good.

✔ Rest without guilt.

✔ Speak to yourself with kindness.

Your body isn't asking for perfection.

It's asking for your care.

And I hope you'll finally let it know, it's our turn now 💚