Penarth Nutrition

Penarth Nutrition Nutrition Advice for busy women from a registered Nutritional Therapist. Optimise your health by improving your diet.

Gain more energy, improve digestion, manage weight, and balance mood with easy to follow nutrition and lifestyle solutions.

Our bones breakdown and rebuild themselves everyday but as we get older process slows down which can lead to a decline i...
28/05/2026

Our bones breakdown and rebuild themselves everyday but as we get older process slows down which can lead to a decline in bone density.
 
To support bone health we need a combination of nutrients (not just calcium).
 
An eating pattern based on brightly coloured plants, healthy fats, legumes and quality protein will provide a good range of bone supporting nutrients. This type of diet can also help to reduce inflammation in the body and has been associated with higher bone density and fewer fractures.
 
I’m going to mention protein again! It’s a fundamental building block for the bone matrix. Protein intake also stimulates the production of osteoblasts, which are the cells responsible for bone formation.
 
And of course we all need to be moving our bodies. Weight-bearing exercises play a crucial role in preserving bone density and promoting overall bone health.

This is part of an ongoing series on bone health for women over 40. Save this one and follow along 🦴

There are lots of discussions around menopause and weight gain but I would love women to think about their bones and mus...
18/05/2026

There are lots of discussions around menopause and weight gain but I would love women to think about their bones and muscles!

🦴Bone loss can have a huge impact on our long-term health, mobility, strength and independence.

🥛In terms of nutrition one of the biggest misconceptions is that bone health is just about calcium - but protein intake is incredibly important too.

🧱Bone is built on a collagen rich protein matrix and muscle strength helps to stimulate and protect bone through movement and resistance exercise.

💪🏻This is one reason why preserving muscle mass becomes so important during and after menopause.

⭐️Some of the things I focus on personally and discuss regularly with clients include:

• Adequate protein intake
• Resistance training & impact
• Calcium-rich foods
• Gut health
• Blood sugar balance
• Anti-inflammatory foods
• Eating enough overall
• Sleep and recovery

This is an area I’ll be talking about more because I think we need a much broader conversation around bone health in women over 40.

GLP-1 medications don’t just change appetite they have a significant impact on digestion.In some cases this can result i...
11/05/2026

GLP-1 medications don’t just change appetite they have a significant impact on digestion.

In some cases this can result in symptoms such as:
• bloating
• constipation
• nausea
• reflux
• feeling full after small meals
• loss of interest in food altogether

The stomach, small intestine and colon are designed to rhythmically contract and move food along at a certain pace. When gastric emptying slows significantly, the whole digestive process can start to feel sluggish.

At the same time it’s easy to unintentionally reduce:
• fibre intake
• plant diversity
• fluid intake

This is one reason I think nutrition support alongside GLP-1 medication matters so much particularly for women in menopause who may already be dealing with slower gut motility, bloating, reflux or constipation before starting the medication.

If you need nutrition support with your GLP-1 medication please get in touch or download my free guide.

⚖️Calories are often treated as the driver for weight management. But one of the most common things I hear from women in...
30/04/2026

⚖️Calories are often treated as the driver for weight management.

But one of the most common things I hear from women in menopause is: 
“I’m eating less than I ever have and I’m still gaining weight.”

This is where calorie based advice can fall short.

During menopause the way the body regulates energy changes.

Declining oestrogen reduces insulin sensitivity affecting how glucose is used which increases the tendency to store fat particularly centrally.

Elevated cortisol, linked to poor sleep and ongoing stress, can also promote fat storage.
 
With repeated dieting the body often adapts by lowering energy expenditure and may become more efficient at conserving energy rather than continuing to lose weight. (It’s called adaptive thermogenesis)

And importantly, not all calories produce the same metabolic response.
🥖Eg - More refined carbohydrates tend to trigger a faster glucose and insulin rise, which influences fat storage, appetite and energy levels.

My focus in clinic is always broader than calories alone.

With my clients, we discuss:
• Adequate protein to support muscle mass
• Blood glucose stability
• Meal timing and consistency
• Sleep and stress

If you’re tracking carefully and not seeing progress, it’s often not a lack of effort.

It could be that the full picture hasn’t been addressed yet.

Creatine is usually associated with athletes trying to build muscle. ✳️But for women in midlife, it may offer additional...
11/11/2025

Creatine is usually associated with athletes trying to build muscle.

✳️But for women in midlife, it may offer additional benefits.

As we age, and especially during peri- and post-menopause, our natural creatine stores decline.

Creatine:
🔹 Supports muscle and bone health
🔹 Can reduce fatigue by improving how efficiently our cells produce energy
🔹 New research suggests it could support memory, concentration and cognitive function. Some studies even point to a role in easing “brain fog,” particularly when sleep is disrupted.

Creatine isn’t a magic pill but it’s one of the most studied supplements available and its potential for women in midlife goes well beyond muscles.

For me, that makes it worth paying attention to.

Fibre isn’t the most exciting nutrient BUT when it comes to managing weight and supporting hormones, it’s worth paying a...
15/10/2025

Fibre isn’t the most exciting nutrient BUT when it comes to managing weight and supporting hormones, it’s worth paying attention to how much we’re including.

If you’re on a GLP-1 or eating less to manage weight, you have fewer opportunities to get the nutrients your body needs.

Fibre-rich foods like cruciferous vegetables, beans, oats and flaxseed deliver vitamins, minerals and antioxidants alongside steady energy.

So while protein often gets most of the attention, fibre quietly supports nearly every system involved in healthy, sustainable weight loss.

✨ If you’re finding it hard to balance nutrition while managing your weight with or without a GLP-1 this is something I work on closely with my clients to help them feel nourished, energised, and in control.

Have a quick look at my website for more info - there are lots of free resources

Many women notice food or drink seems to make hot flashes worse - BUT the science is nuanced and that’s why a personalis...
13/10/2025

Many women notice food or drink seems to make hot flashes worse - BUT the science is nuanced and that’s why a personalised approach matters.

🍷Alcohol acts as a vasodilator and can worsen flushing and sleep quality. This effect varies by person and by drinking pattern, so it’s worth testing in your own routine.

☕️Caffeine has been associated with greater vasomotor symptoms in observational studies - that doesn’t mean everyone must avoid it, but for some women a simple afternoon/evening cutoff reduces frequency and intensity.

🌶️Spicy foods (capsaicin) are mechanistically likely to trigger flushing because they activate heat receptors and cause vasodilation. If you suspect a link, reduce spice and observe the effect.

🍭Blood-sugar dynamics matter. Research shows associations between vasomotor symptoms and markers of glucose/insulin dysregulation. This means rapid sugar spikes followed by dips can amplify the body’s stress responses (cortisol) and make vasomotor symptoms worse.

💡Another note: nocturnal/overnight glucose dips can provoke hormonal counter-responses (cortisol/adrenal output) that fragment sleep and may be perceived as night sweats/wakefulness this is worth considering if you wake around the same time each night.

However!

Not every woman reacts the same way. That’s why a personalised approach matters.

Try this 2-week experiment:

✳️Choose one trigger
✳️Track your hot flashes (0–10) and sleep quality for a baseline week.
✳️Reduce or adjust that trigger the following week.
✳️Compare notes and if symptoms improve, you’ve found an easy adjustment.

🔗If you need more info on how to plan your meals in menopause - I have a free download on my website link

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