Something I often have to remind women of is that you don’t need to feel guilty for sitting down and doing nothing. Especially when your body is already dealing with health issues. We are constantly stimulated. Our phones are nearby, messages are coming through, people can reach us at any moment, there’s noise around us and there always seems to be something we should be doing. So actually sitting down and purposefully doing nothing is quite a unique thing these days. The quiet. The stillness. The lack of stimulation. Sometimes that is exactly the space your body needs to settle and allow healing to happen. So don’t underestimate those moments where you’re doing… absolutely nothing. How comfortable are you with stillness, and do you notice a difference in how your body feels when you give yourself more of it?

Let’s take another step further and try something a little different this week. The idea is to bring in more variety of anti- inflammatory foods and get in a habit of using them. Remeber, we can not eat all the good foods in one day or even in one week so thats why rotating is important. I want you to try a new omega-3 rich food. Maybe there’s one on this list you haven’t eaten for ages, or perhaps one you’ve never tried at all. Omega-3 food list: Fish & seafood - Sardines - Salmon - Mackerel - Herring - Anchovies - Trout - Oysters - Mussels Plant foods - Chia seeds - Ground flaxseeds - Hemp seeds - Walnuts - Flaxseed oil - Seaweed Your challenge is simple: pick ONE and give it a go a few times this week. It could be sardines on cracker/salad, walnuts added to breakfast, chia seeds in your smoothie, or some ground flaxseed sprinkled over your meal. Then come back and tell me: What new omega-3 food did you try?

Are you buying your flaxseeds already ground? This is one of the common mistakes I see with flaxseeds (linseeds). The delicate oils in flaxseeds, including their omega-3 fats, are vulnerable to heat, light and oxygen. Once the seeds are crushed, there is much more surface area exposed to the environment. So rather than buying a bag of flax meal or pre-ground linseeds that may have been sitting on a shop shelf for an unknown amount of time, I recommend: Buy them whole and crush them yourself. You can use: - A mortar and pestle - A coffee/spice grinder - A good blender, especially if you're making smoothies and it breaks the seeds down well You don't need to grind them every single day. I like to make a batch that will last around 1–2 weeks, place it in an airtight container and keep it in the freezer. The great thing is that the ground flax doesn't turn into a solid block, so you can simply scoop out a tablespoon whenever you need it. A small change, but a much better way to look after those precious flax oils. Are you using any flaxseeds and how? Premium members: CLICK HERE to read about the benefits of the flaxseeds. CLICK HERE to access the full meal plan for hot flushes and includes flaxseed recipes. Not a Premium member yet? You can upgrade here: CLICK HERE

We are here to help women understand their bodies better and learn how to support themselves. Part of that journey is becoming more aware, tuning in, and listening to the signs your body is giving you. Don’t ignore them. Work with your body, not against it. Be a team. Dehydration isn’t always obvious. You don’t have to feel extremely thirsty to be dehydrated. Some of the signs can be quite subtle, so it’s worth paying attention to what your body is telling you. Common signs of dehydration can include: - Feeling thirsty or having a dry mouth - Dry, tight or less elastic skin - Headaches - Feeling tired, flat or low in energy - Brain fog or difficulty concentrating - Dizziness or feeling light-headed - Dark yellow urine or urinating less often - Constipation or harder stools - Feeling hungry when you may actually be thirsty - Muscle cramps or weakness - Feeling overheated more easily - Bad breath - Dry lips, dry eyes, dull hair - Feeling your heart beating faster than usual, especially when you’re hot or active And remember, your fluid needs can increase with exercise, hot weather, sweating, travel, illness and alcohol. One simple habit I encourage is to keep water with you throughout the day rather than waiting until you feel very thirsty. Your body is constantly giving you signals. Learning to recognise them is an important part of looking after your health. So tell me honestly, how much water do you drink lately? I admit, I have to constantly remind myself.

Let’s do a quick check-in... First of all, are we actually eating breakfast? And secondly, are we making an effort to get some good protein in? I know this is such an important step for my own day. When I have a proper breakfast with enough protein, I notice such a difference in my energy. I work from home and I need to stay focused and productive, and I’m not sitting there thinking about snacks when lunchtime is still hours away. And I know how easy it is to start something well, keep it going for a few weeks, and then slowly start forgetting about it. It’s completely human. Life gets busy, routines change, and suddenly the good habits we were doing without thinking start slipping away. So if that’s you, take this as a little reminder rather than something to feel guilty about. You can simply start again tomorrow. It doesn’t have to be complicated - few eggs, adding protein powder, some healthy ham or even dinner leftovers. It really does shape your day. So, let’s check in: What did you have for breakfast today? Did you eat breakfast at all? And bonus question...where was the protein?