As we age we all become more vulnerable to certain health conditions, but there are plenty of natural ways to prevent them so you can live your life to the full. The following natural wellbeing plan will help you control some of the most common age-related problems you may be experiencing in your 40’s.

Sleep problems

Sleeplessness is more likely to occur in your 40s when you experience hormonal changes  as the menopause approaches and this can increase feelings of stress, anxiety and fatigue. Along with a healthy diet and regular exercise, studies have shown that a good night’s sleep is essential for your weight management, hormone balance and good health in general.

To encourage a good night’s sleep, boost your magnesium intake by eating more green leafy vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds during the day. Magnesium is known as ‘nature’s tranquiliser.’ You may also want to try a little herbal help with valerian, which, along with passion flower and hops, is known for its sleep-inducing and calming qualities.

Try to get at least 30 minutes exercise in the fresh air as natural daylight and activity can result in 50 percent improvement in sleep patterns. It can also help to make sure your bedtime routine is relaxing. Have a warm bath with aromatherapy oils to wind down and avoid drinking caffeine during the afternoon and evening.

Don’t take your worries to bed. Make a list of things you need to think about tomorrow. If you still can’t get to sleep don’t lie there tossing and turning and clock watching – get up and do something relaxing, such as listening to calming music, until you feel sleepy.

Lack of energy

Many women over the age of 45 say they suffer from tiredness and as you enter your 40s you may start to find your energy levels dropping. As we age, metabolic and physiological changes can impact on your body’s energy levels, causing fatigue. But this doesn’t mean you can’t do anything about it. With the right diet and exercise plan and a positive mind set, many women in their 40s – and beyond – feel more energetic than ever.

Regular exercise is essential for keeping your energy levels up. Caffeine and sugar may give you an instant hit but they’ll leave you feeling tired and depleted in the long run. A healthy, balanced diet is crucial as nutritional deficiencies can trigger fatigue and you could also benefit from supplementing with a daily multivitamin and mineral, especially one that contains vitamin B12, which is known to help improve energy.

And if you are feeling tired and putting on weight then it is important to check your thyroid function and you can contact the clinic on 01892 515905 to organise this. 

Peri-menopause and menopause

During your 40s you are most likely to experience the symptoms of peri-menopause. This occurs when your ovaries have reduced egg supply and they gradually reduce the production of oestrogen. Perimenopause can occur as early as five to ten years before the actual menopause, which is most likely to occur around the age of 50. The symptoms of perimenopause are lighter but mirror those of the menopause and include irregular periods, hot flushes, mood swings, weight gain and insomnia.

If you’re experiencing hot flushes, avoid clothes made from synthetic fabrics and wear layers instead to keep warm. Use bedclothes made from cotton and layers rather than a big duvet. Watch what you eat and drink – a hot drink before bedtime can often trigger night sweats or make them worse. Other triggers include caffeine, alcohol and spicy foods. And although it may make you feel hotter and sweatier in the short term, women who exercise regularly seem to have fewer hot flushes.

There are a number of natural remedies to choose from if you are in the early stages of peri-menopause. Phytoestrogens are foods that have a hormone balancing effect. They are present in foods like legumes (eg chickpeas, lentils, soya) and flaxseeds. The herbs sage and hops are known to be helpful at the menopause.

If you would like to explore whether a consultation with an expert nutritionist at the Glenville Nutrition Clinic could help you, please contact us on 01892 515 905 or send us an email at reception@glenvillenutrition.com

If you’ve ever suffered from arthritis, back pain, headaches or a number of other conditions that cause pain, you may have reached for ibuprofen or other over the counter medications to help with your pain. These may offer temporary respite but you can experience unpleasant potential side effects such as feeling sick, indigestion and headaches.

If you’re wary of over the counter medication the good news is that there are plenty of alternatives – natural ones – that have science on their side. From herbs that attack inflammation to techniques that encourage the brain to release natural pain killers into your body, nature offers a number of suggestions for painful conditions such as arthritis, headaches and muscle strain. Here are some natural remedies you may want to consider; they can help soothe you and leave you feeling healthier and happier for the long term – without the side effects.

Fish Oil: for arthritis related joint pain and period pain. Research has shown that omega 3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce joint pain and may also help prevent arthritis.  Omega 3 fatty acids work by reducing inflammation and studies have shown that people with rheumatoid arthritis (an autoimmune condition) who took omega 3s had a reduction in joint pain.

Women with period pains who were given omega 3 fatty acids for three months experienced had a significant reduction in pain intensity compared to those women given a placebo.  And those women with extreme period pains were able to reduce the dose of ibuprofen they were taking.

It is better to take the omega 3 fatty acids which have been derived from the body of the fish and not the liver.  In the sea the fish can accumulate toxins and mercury which are stored in the liver.  If you follow a plant-based diet consider supplementing with an algae EPA and DHA supplement.

Do make sure you look at the EPA and DHA content of the fish oil you’re using and don’t be swayed by how much total fish oil content there is. Choose a capsule which contains 770mg EPA and 510mg DHA a day. Ideally, you are aiming to do this in the smallest amount of capsules.

Magnesium: for headaches

Magnesium is classed as ‘nature’s tranquilliser’ and helps to relax muscles and relieve anxiety and tension.   Research has shown that people who take magnesium supplements have migraines on 43% fewer days than those taking a placebo.  And it is known that people who have migraines have lower levels of magnesium that those who don’t get them.

Yoga and gentle exercise: for back pain

The worst thing you can do if you have back pain is take to your bed. If you follow a programme of stretching and low impact aerobics, you will make a faster recovery from back pain than if you don’t exercise at all. So to keep back pain at bay try the following gentle stretching exercise four to five times a day – it will help to keep your back flexible: from a neutral standing position lean forward gently and then lean back and then move from side to side. Repeat.

You may also want to try the following yoga stretch, called a cat stretch, which can help keep your spine mobile and rid it of tension. To perform a cat stretch, kneel down and place your hands on the floor in front of you so that you are on all fours with your knees, feet and hands about a foot apart. Now slowly arch your back into a hump, dropping your head. Hold for a few moments and then gently and slowly lift your head and at the same time gently drop your lower back and stick your bottom out. Repeat this three times slowly and without strain. Just doing this part of the exercise is great for removing tension from your spine and can really help with an aching back. Then gently bend the elbows and place your chin on the floor between your hands.

In addition to gentle exercise and stretching, applying heat or ice can reduce pain, stimulate blood flow and speed the healing process by bringing blood cells to clear the damaged tissue site. Generally, heat should be applied on the first day of injury and ice is better for spasms. Apply an ice pack wrapped in a towel, for no longer than 15 minutes at a time though or the cold itself could trigger a muscle spasm. If cold doesn’t help try using a hot water bottle and applying for no more than 15 minutes at a time, up to four times a day. A bath with Epsom salts can also soothe pain, as can bromelain. Bromelain is an enzyme derivative of pineapple and research has found it can be as effective as ibuprofen in relieving back pain – without the side effects.

If you would like to explore whether a consultation with an expert nutritionist at the Glenville Nutrition Clinic could help you, please contact us on 01892 515 905 or send us an email at reception@glenvillenutrition.com

Ask any woman about the number of diets she has tried in her life and the number will probably be close to, or even in, double figures. Part of the problem is our understanding of the word ‘diet’. Study after study has shown that diets simply don’t work. In fact, they may even increase your chances of weight gain because fad diets are often deficient in nutrients you need for sustained weight loss, so as soon as you eat normally again the weight piles back on.

You want to aim for a way of eating that becomes a way of life, rather than thinking of a ‘diet’. A healthy diet contains all the nutrients you need to burn fat and lose weight. However, in addition to eating a healthy diet there is another vital component for successful weight loss and that is the right mindset.

An increasing number of experts, myself included, are beginning to see that what you believe is just as important as what you eat. In other words, staying slim is in the mind. So, if you are sick of dieting my advice is simple. Stop dieting, start eating healthily, get regular exercise and try the following ‘think thin’ techniques:

1) Visualise yourself as a slim person

Create a picture in your mind of what you will look and feel like when you are at your ideal weight and imagine that vision as often as you can. Tell yourself that you do have the motivation to eat healthily and to exercise every day.

2) Know your hunger

There are a number of different types of hunger, but only a few of them actually need food.

Real hunger: If you haven’t eaten for three to four hours choose a delicious, healthy snack or meal and enjoy. To keep your metabolism (fat burning) high, eating every three to four hours is essential.

Dehydration: If you haven’t drunk enough water or have only drunk tea or coffee during the day you will be dehydrated. Many of us misinterpret dehydration with hunger pangs, but all we really need to do is drink more fluids during the day.

Low blood sugar: If you eat a lot of sugar and refined foods your blood sugar levels will drop and when they drop you will feel tired and in need of a pick me up. This isn’t real hunger though; it is low blood sugar hunger. To avoid this cut down on sugar, refined foods and stimulants like coffee, which also send blood sugar levels soaring and then crashing. Eat fresh whole foods, nuts, seeds, fruits, legumes, and vegetables instead, to steady your blood sugar.

Adjustment hunger: You ate about ten minutes ago but still feel hungry and want to load your plate with seconds or a large dessert. Wait for another ten minutes before eating more as it takes around 20 minutes for your brain to register that you are full and have had enough to eat.

Emotional hunger: Many of us turn to food for comfort when we feel angry, upset or anxious, but food is never the answer. Try to write in a diary or sit through the emotion instead and remind yourself that you always feel worse after a binge.

3) Observe yourself

When you find yourself craving food when you aren’t really hungry remind yourself that you don’t really need food right now, but when you do you can have something nutritious and it will taste great. Separate yourself from your hunger. This will help you see that you are in charge – and not your need for comfort food. Tell yourself that you are not depriving yourself you are simply changing your behaviour to get the body you want. Accept that changing patterns of behaviour isn’t easy but necessary if you want to lose weight.

4) Banish food bans

Don’t cut out any type of food from your diet – if you do that you admit that it has control or authority over you and not you over it. Stop thinking about food in terms of good or bad; there is no such thing as bad food only food that you need to make sure you don’t eat too much of. Besides, the more forbidden a food is, the more likely you are to crave it.

5) Practise real comfort eating

If you feel tired or run down or really want to eat something, give yourself permission to eat as much as you want. Go out and buy the very best and then sit down and eat slowly. Pause after each mouthful and really savour the food. The more you do this, the more you will realise that you are the one in charge, not the food you are eating.

6) Take pride in yourself

Think about all your other life achievements and give yourself a pat on the back. This will help you see that saying that you’re just not disciplined enough to eat healthily simply isn’t true.

7) Keep a sense of balance

Don’t workout in the gym for hours or cut down on calories in an attempt to shift weight. If you do this your body will go into famine mode and your metabolism (fat burning) will slow down making weight gain more likely. If you keep a balance like this you will stop thinking of food as the enemy and the gym as a chore. Instead, you will think of food as something not only to enjoy but as a way to encourage weight loss – because it keeps your metabolism ticking over, and exercise as time out for you to recharge your body and your mind.

8) Boost your eating and exercise self-esteem

Instead of feeling that you will never be able to eat healthily and exercise regularly, tell yourself that you are the kind of person who doesn’t want or need to snack on junk foods. If you do have the odd moment of weakness, lose the guilt and just enjoy. Remember enjoyment is essential for any healthy eating plan.

If you would like to explore whether a consultation with an expert nutritionist at the Glenville Nutrition Clinic could help you, please contact us on 01892 515 905 or send us an email at reception@glenvillenutrition.com

Many of the women who are helped in the Glenville Nutrition Clinic who are in their thirties or forties are concerned about changes in their menstrual cycle. The most common worry is that the timing of bleeding is different or their cycle is a week earlier or later. ‘I’m usually regular,’ they tell me. ‘This isn’t what I’m usually like.’ ‘What’s going on?’ Others want to know if their irregularity is a sign of impending menopause.

Although the hormonal changes that signal the beginning of menopause can cause cycle changes, such as skipping a period one month followed by a real drencher the next, it is important to understand that many other things can cause the timing of your periods to change and these include stress, travel, job change, moving house, over exercise and poor eating habits.

Although diet and lifestyle changes can trigger menstrual irregularities there is no getting away from the fact that the journey into the menopause is typically accompanied by menstrual changes and these are perfectly normal and natural changes are most likely to occur in your late 30s and forties. But how can you tell if your cycle changes are diet and lifestyle related or menopause related?

The answer is to follow the diet and lifestyle advice below which is all designed to help regularise your periods. If this still doesn’t help, listen to your body and keep a note of your bleeding and symptoms that occur during your cycle. This will help you distinguish the normal irregularities of the menopause from really unnatural symptoms, such as hair loss, acne, facial hair and fatigue that require attention or treatment. And if you are concerned in any way consult your doctor immediately because irregular or absent periods are also a symptom of very common hormonal imbalances in women, such as thyroid disorders and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). 

Heavy bleeding (menorrhagia) is one irregularity that is typical among peri-menopausal and menopausal women. Flooding is a response to changing hormonal levels.  Excessive bleeding may, however, be linked to other medical conditions such as fibroids so once again it is wise to consult your doctor if a period lasts more than twice as long as it ever did or if there is a persistent low back/pelvic pain.

If underlying medical issues have been ruled out you need to understand that your cycle will change as you age. Many of us think that our bodies will stay the same forever, but it is perfectly normal for periods to change in women over the age of thirty. So, although irregular periods in your 30s and 40s can’t always be controlled, following the diet and lifestyle recommendations below will encourage regularity and ensure you aren’t making things worse for yourself than they need to be.

Pay attention to the signs and plan ahead

Your body often gives you signals when a period is due. You may feel breast tenderness or bloating so learn to listen to your body. It also helps to plan ahead by having pads or tampons stored in your bag, car or office in case of emergencies.

Eat a hormone balancing diet

A healthy diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and oily fish will give your body good amounts of the nutrients it needs to balance your hormones and encourage regularity. Most important of all a healthy diet will ensure that your blood sugar levels are balanced. Blood sugar imbalances often trigger hormonal imbalances, which in turn trigger irregular periods.

Take a multivitamin and mineral

As much of the food we eat today has had the vitamins and minerals processed away, a good quality daily multivitamin and mineral that includes B vitamins, zinc, vitamin C, beta carotene, selenium, calcium, magnesium, chromium and vitamin E will be a good insurance policy to make sure your body isn’t deficient in the essential vitamins and minerals it needs for a healthy menstrual cycle.

Get your Omega 3s

Make sure you eat plenty of nuts, seeds and oily fish to ensure you are getting enough omega 3 essential fatty acids.  Omega 3 fats are important for hormone balance and menstrual cycle regularity. Aim for a fish oil containing 770mg EPA and 510mg DHA.

Maintain a healthy body weight

Managing your weight is important as studies have shown that women who are underweight or overweight tend to have irregular cycles. When you lose too much weight your reproductive cycle often shuts down. Experts believe this is simply nature’s way of stopping you getting pregnant when your body doesn’t have the fat reserves to support a pregnancy and breastfeeding. And the same is true for if you gain too much weight. Excess body fat increases oestrogen production and this can trigger irregular periods. 

Watch your stress levels

Stress is a well-known inhibitor of periods. Many women find that they skip a period when they move house, travel or change job. If your life is stressful make sure you take time out every day to relax and unwind or simply daydream.

Exercise, but don’t over do it.

Regular, moderate exercise for at least 30 minutes a day can help balance your hormones and encourage regularity. The key word here though is moderate as exercising too long or too hard can make periods stop or become irregular.

Important nutrients

Foods rich in phytoestrogens, such as legumes and flaxseeds can help ease heavy bleeding because they can help to balance your hormones and keep oestrogen under control and prevent excessive build-up of the lining of the womb. Foods rich in vitamin A, B, C and zinc, such as wholegrains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, are also important for heavy bleeding but it is especially important to make sure you are getting enough iron. Ask your doctor to confirm whether or not you are anaemic. Omega 3 essential fatty acids can also be an important way to control heavy bleeding so include an omega 3 supplement if you do not eat much oily fish.

If you would like to explore whether a consultation with an expert nutritionist at the Glenville Nutrition Clinic could help you, please contact us on 01892 515 905 or send us an email at reception@glenvillenutrition.com