Blog

Tuesday Tip

Tuesday Tip: Magnesium and sleep

Dr Nancy P

Tuesday Tip: Magnesium and sleep 💤

There’s been lots of talk about the benefits of magnesium for improving sleep quality so what’s the evidence actually like?

Magnesium increases our gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels by binding to GABA receptors in the brain. GABA is the neurotransmitter responsible for quieting down nerve activity. When GABA levels are low, the brain feels like it is constantly switched on, which makes it very difficult to relax and can lead to increased stress and anxiety which can lead to poor sleep. Magnesium, in theory, helps you “wind down” and prepare for sleep.

Studies have shown a possible association between low magnesium and poor sleep but there are few studies actually testing the impact of increasing magnesium. Studies on insomnia found that on average people got to sleep 17.36 minutes quicker and had an increase in total sleep time of 16.06 minutes with increased magnesium intake. In terms of general sleep the results are less clear but they did find an association between higher magnesium intake and better sleep for those with very poor sleep but there wasn’t anything suggest that magnesium supplements help sleep in the average person. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence from people measuring their sleep who have found some level of improvement with magnetism supplements but these aren’t proper studies so need to be taken with a pinch of salt.

The standard recommendation is 300-400mg ~1hr before bed. You can get magnesium from dark leafy greens, nut, seeds, fish, bananas, oats and tofu etc. I’m a fan of a food-first approach but there may be a case for taking a supplement too. Most people don’t get enough magnesium from their diet and it may not be realistic to get it from food, in addition there is evidence that the acute dose of magnesium matters i.e. getting 300-400mg in one hit – hard to do from food alone. There are plenty of options of supplements but magnesium glycinate is recommended.

So in summary, whilst the evidence isn’t conclusive it could be worth increasing magnesium intake if you struggle with sleep as it’s relatively cheap and safe when used in appropriate amounts.

Happy Tuesday 🤗xx

Nutrition and Calorie Tips

You still need to eat… even if….

Dr Nancy P

You still need to eat… even if…. 💜

If the weekend, a holiday or yesterday or whenever didn’t go as planned you don’t need to beat yourself up. You do not need to punish yourself by starving yourself or over exercising. You still need to eat and your body still needs nourishment regardless.

The feelings of guilt, shame, disappointment, anger, frustration etc aren’t going to help. In fact if you do overly restrict your food you’ll probably find that you’ll end up overeating again when the next weekend hits.

Even if you over ate by thousands of calories it’s ok! You haven’t ‘ruined’ everything. The only way to truly ruin it is if you give up or quit. Otherwise, it’s ok – as long as you get back to things, you’re going to keep making progress.

So even if the scale is up, you missed a workout, ate or drank more than you expected to, ate too many desserts or snacks or if you’re feeling fat/bloated – just go back to normal, non restrictive eating.

Remember: no matter what, you are not a failure. It’s a journey and there will be times it doesn’t go to plan but when does life ever? The key is to keep going and keep things sustainable and manageable and you will succeed!

Enjoy

🤗

Xx

Tuesday Tip

Tuesday Tip: Ashwagandha for Health

Dr Nancy P

Tuesday Tip: Ashwagandha for Health 🌿

You may have noticed Ashwagandha is the new hot topic on social media. It’s promoted everywhere as a ‘miracle stress-reliever’ or ‘natural testosterone booster’ and as a cure-all for anxiety, fatigue, and low energy. It’s particularly targeted at peri and menopausal women (of course – because we’re the latest cash-cow)

So is the hype worth it?

Research does suggest Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) can have some benefits. Some studies show it may slightly lower cortisol, improve sleep quality, or modestly support mood. However the effects are generally small, and the dramatic claims you see online rarely match the science.

Part of the problem is dosage. Clinical studies which do show benefits tend to use 600–1,000 mg of standardized extract per day. Most over-the-counter capsules contain only much less than that. They’re also marketed in such a way that it’s hard to tell. For example many are marketed as 1500mg Ashwangandha but on closer inspection the actual quantity of

extract is only 150mg with a recommended dosage of one a day. You’d actually need to take up ten a day, so the pot of 180 would

last only 18 days. Even then, the improvements are subtle compared to lifestyle approaches like exercise, good sleep, and stress management.

Safety is another consideration. There are no regulations on supplements so you have no idea if the contents of the capsules actually match the description (many studies show that they rarely contain the concentrations of micronutrients claimed). Long-term data are limited, and high doses can cause digestive upset, lower blood pressure, or interact with certain medications. Ashwagandha is not inherently harmful for most people, but it isn’t a risk-free shortcut to wellness and it’s also expensive.

So, before you stock up on this ‘super-herb’ just remember to look beyond the hype, check the details to see how much extract you’re actually getting per dose.

Instead managing stress, prioritising sleep, moving your body, and eating well will always have the biggest impact.

Happy Tuesday 🤗xx

Nutrition and Calorie Tips

‘It’s just a drink….’🥤

Dr Nancy P

‘It’s just a drink….’🥤

It’s very common to be feeling like you’ve gained weight but you really don’t think you’ve eaten that much? One of the most common reasons is that we often forget to account for the calories we drink. High street coffees, hot chocolates, smoothies and ‘healthy’ iced teas etc can be surprisingly high in calorie, sometimes higher than a whole meal!

For example, a medium Black Forest Hot Chocolate with whole milk from Costa contains more calories than many of the lunch options including their cheese and ham toastie. The issue is that most of us wouldn’t think twice about grabbing one on a cold morning or as an afternoon pick-me-up. It’s ‘just a drink’… right? And if you do consider the calories you might assume it’s around 200-250 cals not nearly 450.

If your goal is fat loss, the key is being in a calorie deficit, and one hot chocolate wipes out that deficit in one hit. Many people are pretty good at keeping track of the food they eat but the drinks are often underestimated or slip under the radar entirely.

The truth is, liquid calories add up fast because they don’t make us feel full. You can drink hundreds of calories without noticing, and without feeling any more satisfied.

That doesn’t mean you have to give them up.If you enjoy a seasonal hot chocolate, enjoy it. You can even make a few choices that make it easier to accommodate it within your calories e.g. go for a small size, swap for skimmed, oat or coconut milk as they’re lower calorie, go for sugar free syrups and skip the whipped cream.

Remember knowledge it power. It’s not about cutting everyone out, it’s awareness When you know what you’re consuming, you can enjoy the things you love without accidentally derailing your progress.

🤗 xx

Tuesday Tip

Tuesday Tip: Alcohol & Menopause

Dr Nancy P

Tuesday Tip: Alcohol & Menopause 🍷

If you’ve noticed that a glass of wine hits harder these days, especially during perimenopause or menopause, you’re not imagining it. As hormones shift, your body becomes more sensitive to alcohol physically and emotionally

As oestrogen declines, we naturally lose some muscle and total body water content. That means alcohol becomes more concentrated in the bloodstream, so the same drink hits harder and stays in the system longer. The liver also slows down with age and can’t clear alcohol as efficiently, which can lead to more inflammation and increased strain on liver health even with moderate drinking.

In addition alcohol:

Triggers hot flushes + night sweats

Interrupts deep, restorative sleep

Increases anxiety the next day

Heightens mood swings and emotional sensitivity

Slows muscle recovery after exercise

There are also longer-term considerations. Even small amounts of alcohol can increase circulating oestrogen levels, which can increase breast cancer risk in midlife women. And because bone density naturally declines after menopause, alcohol can also contribute to weaker bones and increase fracture risk over time.

Does this mean you should cut out alcohol completely. Not necessarily but it’s about understanding the impact it’s having and making that choice

Some things that may help:

Drink earlier in the evening to protect sleep

Alternate alcohol with water or electrolytes

Notice which types of drinks your body tolerates best

Try one drink instead of two when you want to feel well the next day

Try to recognise the triggers to drink and ask yourself if what you actually need is alcohol or is it something else (comfort, de stressing, connection with friend etc)

Your relationship with alcohol can shift, not because you’re doing anything wrong, but because your body naturally changes as you age and you deserve to feel good in it.

Happy Tuesday 🤗xx