Naturopathic nutritionist and health coach Claudine Thornhill joins Happiful’s podcast to share practical tips around optimising your nutrition, managing your wellbeing and becoming an expert on yourself in perimenopause

Claudine Thornhill is an advocate for women’s mental, physical and nutritional health and, as she shares with Happiful, believes that with good nutrition, self work and self-compassion we can navigate the perimenopause and menopause more positively.

Speaking on our I am. I have podcast, Claudine outlines some of the practical and everyday ways we can address, support and protect our wellbeing.

Symptom tracking

• One of the key things is really just to increase that connection and awareness with your body and your emotions. That's the first step. This will help you if you’re speaking with a GP or a healthcare professional.
  
  
• Come from the position as the expert on your own body. Track your symptoms. Whether you use a period tracking app, note things down on your phone or write it on a piece of paper, tracking your cycle, sleep, your stress levels and also what you've eaten as well is important. See what patterns there might be.
  

Nutrition

• If we eat in a way that balances blood sugar levels, that’s a good way to go and that includes a decent amount, in quantity and quality, of carbohydrates. It might be whole rolled oats, butternut squash, sweet potatoes and white potatoes as well. This should make up around a quarter of your meal plate.
  
  
• Protein is also important as we move through perimenopause. Osteoporosis can be a concern and so thinking about the protein and minerals that will support our bone health is key. So lean chicken, fish and foodstuffs like that. Also, if we’re starting to see unwanted weight gain around the middle, protein will help keep us fuller for longer. This should make up around a quarter of your meal plate too.
  
  
• Vegetables play a key role in our diet at this time of life, particularly dark leafy vegetables, as they support our liver function which is vital. Vegetables will also provide energy, which we all need. Veggies should make up half of your plate.
  
  
• Be mindful around stimulants like sugar, alcohol and caffeine which can cause insulin spikes or have an impact on cortisol, the stress hormone. Try not to drink caffeine too late in the day, and choose green tea which still has some caffeine for that kick but also contains flavonoids.

Wellbeing

• Address stress! Find activities that help you cope and destress. That will be different things for different people but breathwork, meditation, drawing

We're sharing seven tips you can incorporate into your daily routine to help maintain mental wellness

Looking after our mental wellbeing goes a long way to leading a fulfilled life, tuning into our minds and bodies, and supporting our physical health. But maintaining good mental wellness can be a challenge in the hustle and bustle of daily life and we are all susceptible to pushing it to one side if we aren’t consciously checking in with ourselves. Fortunately, there are several things we can do to maintain mental wellness as part of our daily routines.

1. Start the day right

Getting out of bed can be difficult, particularly during the darker winter mornings or if you’ve had a bad night’s sleep the night before. But getting up and making your bed is a great way to set your day off on the right foot. Having a tidy bedroom brings a wealth of benefits to our mental wellbeing, such as resetting focus, increasing productivity, reducing stress and improving our mood. Although it might only seem like a small accomplishment, making the bed is a little win that will likely see you completing another task, and another...

2. Avoid checking emails first thing

Since the pandemic, far more of us are working from home and, whilst this brings many benefits, it can be easy to fall into the trap of checking your workload before your day has even started. Anxiety can be heightened first thing in the morning with the unknown of what the day might bring, so ensuring you're up, washed, dressed, and ready for the day before logging on will prevent you from encountering a potential stressor before your working day begins.

3. Excercise

Exercising doesn't have to feel like a chore. Not only is it a great way to reap the benefits of the outdoors and being in nature, but it can also help you to clear your mind and recharge. Whatever time of day you decide to do it - on your morning commute, your lunch break, or after your working day is done - try and do around 30 minutes of exercise a day. Exercising releases feel-good hormones and helps you feel energised, so you can do more of the things you enjoy.

4. Take a lunch break

This tip might seem obvious, but with 56% of workers not taking their full lunch break, we thought it was worth a mention. As the way we work becomes more flexible, it can be easy to lose track of time and stay sitting at our desks. Even if it’s just for 15 minutes, try and stand up, move about and get some fresh air. Most importantly, make sure you’re fueling your body with the nutrients it needs to carry on with your day. It doesn't just have to be whilst you’re working either; ensuring you’re making time to take a break even on your days off is key to mental wellness.

5. Make a list

Whether it's for work or personal life, you can beat a good old ‘to-do’ list. Lists create order, relieve stress, and allow you to organise your time and set priorities - all of which contribute to maintaining good mental health as we’re able to break down our day into more manageable tasks. Just like making your bed in the morning, setting smaller, achievable goals will help you stay focused and see you achieve lots of little wins.

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Teeth falling out your mouth and stumbling walks...what can our dreams tell us about ourselves? And how can we learn to interpret them?

Human’s have been searching for the meaning of dreams for a very, very long time. In fact, the Babylonian Dream Tablet offers a series of dream interpretations – including “If he carries beer in the street his heart will be glad. If he carries water in the street his sins will be forgiven” – and dates all the way back to about the 15th century B.C. Beyond that, dreams appear in everything from myths to religious texts, literature, art, and psychology, as for millennia people have tried to figure out what our nighttime creations were trying to tell us.

The latest science has some theories. In a 2021 study by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, results found that 53.5% of dreams were traced back to a memory, and nearly 50% of reports with a memory source were connected to multiple past experiences. What’s more, the study also found that 25.7% of dreams were related to specific impending events, and 37.4% of dreams about the future were also related to one or more memories of past experiences.

With that in mind, what can these dreams tell us about ourselves, and our wellbeing? Here are some clues…

A window to our minds

“I believe dreams offer us a little window into the mysteries of the psyche and subconscious mind,” says Rhian Kivits, a psychodynamic therapist and sex and relationship expert. “What’s normally unseen is able to be seen, in such a fascinating and vibrant way. I believe that when we remember our dreams, there may be something powerful to be learned from their signs and symbols through dream analysis. Perhaps a wise inner part of ourselves is speaking? If this is the case, it feels important to me to listen.”

Rhian points to how our dreams can help us to process things, something that tends to occur in REM sleep, where we have our most vivid dreams. During this time, the region of the brain responsible for functions including self-awareness, inhibition, and emotional control – known as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex – closes down. The result is a period of time where our emotions can be explored without boundaries.

“I believe dreams help us work through and organise information about past memories and present situations that we may not have the capacity to consciously or fully process in our busy, waking lives,” Rhian explains.

“Since they can be highly detailed, colourful, and packed with emotion, dreams can make an intense impression upon us. I’ve certainly noticed that I can relate aspects of my own dreams to dilemmas in my life in an extremely helpful way. Although science can’t confirm exactly why we dream or what our dreams mean, clients who share my belief that dreams have meaning find dream analysis supportive.”

Catch feelings

When it comes to dream interpretation, there’s no rule book that can tell you a definitive answer. Instead, Rhian suggests that you should consider the feeling of the dream, and what that might tell you about your current wellbeing.

“For example, if you feel happy and excited during the dream, then I believe it could be offering a positive message of hope and expectation,” she says. “If you feel desperate and sad, perhaps youȁ

As the days get shorter and the temperature drops, we explore some simple ways to take care of yourself this winter

For some, a change in season can bring about a certain energy. It may be excitement as we watch nature shift outside our window, or perhaps joy about what’s to come this season. For others, however, a change in season can invite a particular sense of dread.

Autumn and winter specifically can spark a low mood, as the bright light and warmth of summer drains away. In some cases, this switch can be severe, leading to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). If you can relate to a struggle in colder months, we’ve got 10 ideas to help you support your mental health.

1. Light up your life

Daylight can have a big impact on our mood and our circadian rhythms (affecting how we sleep). So, to give your mood a helping hand, try to ensure you expose yourself to daylight daily. Ideally, this would look like getting outside in the middle of the day, even if it’s just to stand for a few minutes looking up at the sky.

If this isn’t possible, head to a window or consider investing in a SAD lamp. You might also find it helpful to get some cosy low-lighting going in the evenings, to help you feel settled and safe in your environment.

2. Stay active

While it’s incredibly tempting to hibernate over winter and spend the majority of your time under a blanket (ideally with snacks), this likely isn’t going to help your mood. Staying active can encourage those wonderful feel-good hormones, endorphins, which boost your mood and can even ease pain.

The trick is to find something you enjoy and something that is accessible to you. This may mean heading out for a walk, doing some gentle stretches in front of the fire or hitting the gym. We’re all different, so find what works for you and what makes you smile.

3. Connect with nature

It’s been well-documented that nature has a positive effect on our mental health, and winter can provide a wonderful opportunity to reconnect. As the seasons change, so does the outside world, so why not head out with a notebook to do some nature journaling? Write about what you see, draw some sketches, and ask yourself what emotions it sparks.

If being outside a lot isn’t accessible to you, try to bring nature in. Look into indoor plants, enjoy some bird watching from your window, and pop on some David Attenborough.

4. Keep cosy and warm

This winter more than others may feel especially difficult, with some of us avoiding putting the heating on to avoid skyrocketing bills. Whether this is you, or you simply struggle in colder weather, it can have a real impact on your mood.

Staying as warm as possible can help. Simple steps like wearing thicker jumpers and socks can make a difference. Hot water bottles, electric blankets and plenty of hot drinks can also help.

5. Embrace hygge

The Danish concept of hygge (pronounced “hoo-gah”) is something more and more of us are trying to adopt. Referring to moments that

While it’s inevitable, discussions around death can be taboo. Here, our expert columnist Bhavna explores the ways grief can enter the rich tapestry of life

Grief is a curious thing. It invites us, sometimes against our will, to visit an internal world that leaves us shaken, staggered, broken, and bereft. It appears in our life unannounced, even at times when we know it is imminent – the end of a relationship, or through a terminal illness. Grief doesn’t always relate to death as a finality, but is a beacon that points at a loss that can feel just as devastating.

We know grief exists, but we rarely prepare ourselves to experience it. Grief is inevitable and natural. It hurts, which is normal. How much it hurts depends on how deeply we were affected by the person who died. It is also impacted by our relationship to ourselves – how well are we prepared to deal with a loss or death?

Grief can present itself in many guises and point to an end. It could be in relationships – perhaps the end of intimacy, or one partner coming out, or one partner having an affair. Or it might be at the end of a job – through a promotion, demotion, or complete end even when through choice, as a resignation. Perhaps it’s the end of an era of our lives – moving from one decade into another, leaving home, ending a friendship, or losing a pet. The loss of health perhaps is a great cause of grief, the loss of independence and autonomy, of relying on others. Grief can also come about through regret about missed opportunities, chances not taken, choices not made.

Of course the final ending is one through death. This is absolute, and leaves us in many states. We go through phases as we navigate a loss, anger, shock, numbness, denial, bargaining with a higher power, and finally acceptance.

There are different kinds of death – natural, expected, unexpected, sudden, suicide, murder, or accident for example – and will significantly impact how we are able to process our reactions and affect the duration of our recovery from grief.

Recovery is informed and affected by the level of support we have from friends, family, and professional or pastoral services. Most people will gradually come back from the depths of grief as they gain some distance through the passage of time. While there isn’t an exact timeframe for recovery, most people are generally able to return to some level of normality within months, some within years. Some, however, will struggle, become stuck in their grief, which then becomes chronic and debilitating. For some, it may be that they are not able to grieve at the time, thus delaying the grief. This may cause an increase in feelings of distancing from others and from day-to-day life and deep depression. For others, grief can be delayed indefinitely, for example in cases of murder or suicide, or where there is no body.

So how can we help someone who is bereaved? The greatest gift is that of time. It is normal for everyone to offer support and be available in the immediate days after a loss. However, while that helps hugely, it is during the time after the funeral when everyone goes back to their ‘normal’ that the bereaved most need support. As the dust a