If you are a woman over 40 struggling with bloating, fatigue, weight gain or unpredictable digestion, you may be focusing on food when the real issue sits elsewhere.
2 of the most overlooked drivers of gut health issues in midlife are stress and sleep.
You can be eating well and still feel unwell if your nervous system is overwhelmed and your sleep is disrupted. This is something I see again and again in my clinical work.
The Gut, Stress and the Nervous System Connection
Your gut is directly connected to your nervous system through the gut brain axis. When your body is under stress, whether emotional, physical or mental, digestion is not a priority.
Stress activates cortisol, your main stress hormone. Elevated cortisol slows digestion, reduces stomach acid, alters gut bacteria and increases inflammation. Over time this can show up as bloating, reflux, constipation, diarrhoea or IBS type symptoms.
For women over 40, hormonal changes make the gut even more sensitive to stress, which is why symptoms often worsen during this stage of life.
Why Sleep Matters More Than You Think
Sleep is when your gut repairs, your hormones rebalance and inflammation reduces. Poor sleep disrupts blood sugar regulation, increases cortisol and affects appetite hormones, often leading to cravings, energy crashes and weight gain.
Many women tell me they wake between 2am and 4am, feel wired but tired, or wake feeling nauseous. These are all signs the gut, liver and stress response may need support.
You cannot out supplement or out diet poor sleep.
The Vicious Cycle Many Women Get Stuck In
Stress disrupts digestion
Poor digestion worsens sleep
Poor sleep increases cortisol
High cortisol worsens gut symptoms
This cycle can feel exhausting and confusing, especially when tests come back “normal”.
The good news is that once we address stress and sleep alongside nutrition, the body often responds quickly and positively.
Gentle Ways to Support Your Gut Through Stress and Sleep
Some simple but powerful starting points include:
Eating regular meals with protein and healthy fats to stabilise blood sugar
Avoiding late night eating where possible
Reducing caffeine, especially after midday
Creating a wind down routine in the evening
Supporting digestion before focusing on restriction
These foundations calm the nervous system and give your gut the conditions it needs to heal.
When Personalised Support Makes the Difference
If you have been trying to fix gut symptoms on your own without lasting success, it may be time to stop guessing.
Working one to one allows us to look at your digestion, stress levels, sleep patterns, hormones and lifestyle together, rather than in isolation. This is often where women experience the biggest shifts.
If this blog resonates, I invite you to book a discovery call. It is a calm, supportive conversation to explore what is really going on for you and what kind of support would help you move forward.
This week is Alcohol Awareness Week, and I wanted to share something personal. Not as a nutritionist. Not as a health coach. But as a woman who, over the past 14 years, has been gently exploring her relationship with alcohol — with honesty, curiosity, and compassion.
I call it my sober curious journey.
No dramatic rock bottom. No moment of crisis. Just a growing awareness that alcohol didn’t feel good in my body anymore. And the more I learned — both personally and professionally — the more I realised how deeply alcohol affects not just our gut health, but also our hormones, sleep, mood, energy and weight.
I Nearly Ended Up in Fine Wine Marketing…
Yes, really. Before I began supporting women with bloating, hormone imbalances, and fatigue, I came very close to working in the fine wine industry. I love flavour, aroma, community — and wine often represents all of that.
But I pivoted. I started selling fresh juices at festivals and retreats. Then trained as a gut and hormone health specialist. And now I help women reclaim their vitality through nutrition, natural remedies, and lifestyle changes.
Looking back now, I can see it was the best decision I could’ve made.
Because alcohol and hormone balance? They often don’t mix — especially in perimenopause and beyond.
Here’s What I’ve Noticed (and What I Hear from My Clients Too):
Sleep is disrupted. Even one glass of wine can make me restless, anxious, and wide awake at 3 a.m.
Hot flushes and night sweats intensify. Alcohol increases core body temperature, making these symptoms worse.
Mood dips and blood sugar crashes. That glass of prosecco might feel like a treat, but the hormonal rollercoaster that follows isn’t worth it.
Gut health suffers. Alcohol affects the microbiome, triggers bloating, and slows digestion.
Energy disappears. I wake up foggy, flat and more fatigued – even after a small amount.
And the truth is, many women are in the same cycle: using alcohol to unwind… and then feeling worse the next day.
You Don’t Have to Quit Forever — But You Can Get Curious
One of the most powerful things I’ve learned (and teach) is that you don’t have to go all or nothing. You don’t need a label. You don’t need a dramatic reason to take a break.
You just need a willingness to get curious:
How do I feel after a drink?
What does my body actually need right now?
What would support me more deeply?
That curiosity is where real change begins.
Supporting Hormone Health Means Looking at the Whole Picture
Because once you start sleeping better, digesting better, and feeling more emotionally stable… …that nightly glass of wine starts to lose its appeal. Not because you can’t have it. But because you don’t need it anymore.
If You’re Feeling the Nudge — You’re Not Alone
This Alcohol Awareness Week, I invite you to reflect. Not with judgment. Not with pressure. But with a little honesty.
What role is alcohol playing in your life right now? Is it supporting you, or draining you?
And if you’re curious about what a break might feel like — I’m here. Whether you join one of my DIY programmes, book a 1:1 session, or just follow along on Instagram — I’ll meet you exactly where you are.
Here’s to awareness, alignment, and feeling vibrant again — naturally.
In a world of misleading labels and ultra-processed “health” foods, the Nourish Awards spotlight what’s real, nourishing, and truly good for you.
In a world where supermarket shelves are packed with ultra-processed foods disguised as healthy options, judging the Nourish Awards has never felt more important. These awards celebrate innovation, transparency, and truly nourishing ingredients—qualities that are often lost in the noise of clever marketing and misleading packaging.
Every year, I have the privilege of evaluating products that prioritise health, integrity, and real nutrition. It’s not just about taste or presentation—it’s about what’s inside and how it supports our long-term wellbeing.
More Than Ever, We Need Clarity in the Chaos
Today’s consumers are more confused than ever. With every scroll or shopping trip, they’re bombarded with messages like “high-protein,” “low-carb,” “plant-based,” or “natural”—many of which mean very little in terms of actual nutritional value. The truth is, many of these so-called health foods are packed with additives, sugars, or inflammatory oils that do far more harm than good.
As a nutritionist working with women on gut and hormone health, I see the impact of this confusion daily. Clients come to me exhausted, bloated, and overwhelmed, unsure of what to eat or whom to trust. That’s why shining a spotlight on truly nourishing products is so essential—and why the Nourish Awards are a beacon of hope in an increasingly complex food system.
Celebrating What Food Should Be
Judging the Nourish Awards is more than a task—it’s a mission. It’s a chance to elevate brands that are making a real difference, prioritising health over hype. In doing so, we help create a clearer path for consumers who are looking to feel better, eat better, and live with more vitality.
Because in the end, food should nourish—not confuse.
The sports nutrition category has made considerable progress in recent years, moving beyond synthetic-tasting bars and powders toward more consumer-friendly formats.
However, many products in this space still rely heavily on ultra-processed ingredients. Artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols, palm oil and low-quality fats, hydrolysed wheat, soy isolates, milk protein concentrates.
These can deliver function but often compromise on digestibility, especially for sensitive individuals.
If you are overwhelmed and are not sure what to eat, reach out as working with a nutritionist can help.
Here’s a list of some of the worst ingredients to avoid for your optimal health, especially when supporting gut health, hormone balance, and reducing inflammation. These are common in ultra-processed foods and can wreak havoc on digestion, energy, and hormonal function:
Why avoid: Highly processed, often oxidized, and high in omega-6 fatty acids, which promote inflammation and disrupt hormonal balance. Omega-6s aren’t inherently bad. We need them in small amounts for things like hormone production and cell health. However, the modern Western diet has created a massive imbalance—too many omega-6s and not enough omega-3s (like those from oily fish, flax, or chia).
This imbalance can cause chronic inflammation, exacerbate hormone imbalances, disrupt gut health and increase oxidative stress. Excessive omega-6s from seed oils are linked to cardiovascular disease, obesity, insulin resistance and inflammatory conditions like arthritis, acne, and endometriosis.
Processing Matters. Most commercial seed oils are: Refined Bleached Deodorized Heated to high temperatures This creates oxidised fats and harmful by-products (like aldehydes) that your body struggles to detoxify—leading to cellular inflammation.
Better Fats to Use Instead For cooking and daily use, opt for: Extra virgin olive oil (rich in anti-inflammatory polyphenols) Avocado oil Coconut oil (great for high-heat) Grass-fed butter or ghee Flaxseed or chia oil (cold use only)
While seed oils in tiny, unprocessed amounts might not be harmful, the overuse of refined seed oils in packaged foods, takeaways, and restaurants absolutely contributes to chronic inflammation—especially when combined with a low-omega-3, high-sugar, processed food diet.
2. Artificial Sweeteners
Includes: Aspartame, sucralose, saccharin, acesulfame K
Why avoid: Linked to gut microbiome disruption, bloating, cravings, and blood sugar dysregulation—even though they’re calorie-free.
3. Refined Grains
Includes: White flour, white rice, and anything “enriched”
Why avoid: Stripped of fibre and nutrients, spike blood sugar, and feed bad gut bacteria. Offer little to no nutritional benefit.
4. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
Why avoid: Drives fatty liver, insulin resistance, and weight gain. Often hidden in sauces, yoghurts, and cereals.
5. Artificial Colours & Flavours
Includes: Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1
Why avoid: Linked to behavioural issues, allergic responses, and long-term toxicity concerns. Completely unnecessary in real food.
6. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
Why avoid: Can cause headaches, bloating, and overstimulation of the nervous system. Often hidden under names like “yeast extract” or “hydrolyzed protein.”
7. Preservatives Like BHA, BHT, Sodium Nitrite
Why avoid: These are linked to hormone disruption, gut lining damage, and even cancer risk. Often found in snacks, meats, and cereals.
Sarah had tried everything. Diet after diet, exercise plans, and expensive supplements—all in an effort to lose weight and feel better. But nothing seemed to work. At 40, she felt sluggish, bloated, and frustrated with the stubborn pounds that refused to budge.
Then she discovered the Balance Test—a quick and easy finger-prick test that would finally reveal what was really going on inside her body.
Like many women, Sarah assumed she was eating the right foods and following a healthy lifestyle.
But her Balance Test results told a different story.
The test measured key markers of inflammation and nutrient imbalances, helping her pinpoint exactly what was causing her fatigue, bloating, and weight gain. Within just 10-15 days, she had clear answers.
Armed with this knowledge, Sarah made a few simple changes—adjusting her diet, supporting her gut health, and reducing inflammation.
The result?
She lost 12 pounds (5.5kg) in eight weeks, felt more energised than she had in years, and finally saw the progress she had been hoping for.
The Power of Knowledge
So many women struggle with their health, feeling like they’re doing everything “right” but still not seeing results. The truth is, without testing, you’re just guessing.
The Balance Test gives you real data about what’s happening inside your body—so you can make targeted changes that actually work.
If you’re tired of spinning your wheels and ready for real answers, it’s time to take control of your health.
I gave up BOOZE many months ago now and thought I would share with you some of my reasons. I became sober curious while studying nutrition. Perhaps you have some of these symptoms. Some symptoms are whispered to me when I first wake in the morning. Some are my body shouting at me! Do you have similar symptoms?
“Empower Your Wellness Journey: The Impact of Nutrition and Lifestyle Choices”
Hello lovely readers! 🌿✨
Ever find yourself wondering about the profound influence of nutrition and lifestyle on your overall well-being? Well, let’s explore this transformative journey together, uncovering how your choices can truly make a difference in how you feel every day. 🍏💪
How Are You Feeling Today?
Pause for a moment and check in with yourself. Now, envision the vibrant, energized version of you – ready to conquer the day with enthusiasm and vitality. Your daily choices, particularly in nutrition and lifestyle, can be the key to achieving this desired state. 🚀
The Interconnected Web of Well-being
Everything is connected, especially when it comes to your health. Whether you’re aiming to beat the belly bloat, manage stress, or improve sleep quality, nutrition and lifestyle are integral pieces of this intricate puzzle.
Nutrition for Nourishment
Your plate is a canvas for creating a masterpiece of well-being. Opt for whole, nourishing foods that not only satisfy your taste buds but also support your gut health and hormone balance. Incorporate a rainbow of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats to fuel your body from within.
Lifestyle Choices that Transform
Beyond the plate, your daily activities shape your well-being. Embrace practices like yoga, tai chi, or a simple walk in nature. These activities not only provide physical benefits but also nurture your mental and emotional health, creating a harmonious balance.
A Call to Action for Positive Change
Consider this your gentle nudge to make mindful choices each day. Whether it’s choosing a nutrient-packed meal or dedicating time to mindful movement, these small changes can have a profound impact on your overall wellness.
Let’s work together to get you feeling better. Www.trishtuckermay.com/workwithme
Join the Wellness Movement!
Let’s start a positive ripple effect together! Drop a 🙏 in the comments if you’re ready to prioritize your well-being, or hit ❤️ if you’re committed to making small, impactful changes. Together, let’s embark on a journey towards feeling our absolute best. 💖
Unlocking Your Wellness Potential
Your well-being journey is unique, and the power to transform lies within your daily choices. Empower yourself with the understanding that nutrition and lifestyle are the building blocks of a healthier, happier you.
Ready to take the first step? Dive into this journey with purpose, and watch as positive changes unfold, enhancing your vitality and zest for life. 🌈✨
Neurotransmitters are secreted all through the body, in neurons of both the central and peripheral nervous systems.
I am excited to announce new functional nutrition tests. Functional nutrition tests for neurotransmitters can help support energy, mood and addictions.
This can provide valuable insights for a range of health concerns.
Neurotransmitter tests can determine whether your neurotransmitter levels are too low or too high.
GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that helps regulate GABA, on the other hand, is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that helps regulate anxiety and stress levels in the brain. Foods that are rich in glutamate, such as broccoli and spinach, can help support GABA production
Additionally, consuming foods that are rich in magnesium, such as almonds and spinach, can help support GABA function.
There are also other supporting neurotransmitters that play a role in overall brain health.
Serotonin, for example, is a neurotransmitter that regulates mood and can be supported by consuming foods that are rich in tryptophan, such as bananas and turkey.
If you are struggling with the following symptoms get in touch. It may be due to your neurotransmitters and there is a lot we can achieve with tweaks in your nutrition and lifestyle.
If you are struggling with
Mood concerns, such as depression, anxiety
Diminished energy/fatigue, Insomnia
Cognitive concerns such as forgetfulness, inattention, brain fog, ADHD, addiction, dependency, obsessions and cravings.
Chronic illness, and immune deficiency
Pain – especially chronic pain and inflammation.
Don’t struggle alone.
I have struggled with many of these, and this is why I love being a nutritionist.
10 quick questions for you to answer that will help you understand IF you need to work on your sugar addiction sooner rather than later.
Let’s run this quick quiz and see how many questions you say YES to.
Do you hide your sugar habit? Do you need more and more to satisfy your craving? Do you eat sugary foods even when you’re not hungry? Do you constantly crave sweets? Do you crave salty foods? Do you try to quit sugar but find you have symptoms such as headaches or feeling lethargic for example? Do you use sugar to soothe your mood? Do you know the health consequences of eating too much sugar but do it anyway? Do you go out of your way to get sugar? Do you have feelings of guilt about eating sugar?
Ok, quiz time is over.
How did you get on?
Tot up your total and if you answer yes to 5 or more then you’re invited to join me on this week’s Facebook LIVE and I’ll personally coach you on what to do next!
Do you suddenly feel hungry, stressed and overwhelmed?
Do you crave specifically unhealthy foods? Do you feel guilty or ashamed after eating? Do you feel as though you have to eat immediately? Is your hunger satisfied when you’re full?
Physical hunger won’t make you feel shame about eating food, whereas emotional hunger is often linked with unpleasant emotions.
How to stop eating emotionally?
It can be difficult to stop emotional eating, especially when it’s become a habit over a long period of time. But don’t worry—it’s absolutely possible to address emotional eating and pay attention to your true hunger cues, allowing you to work through your emotions separately.
This will improve your physical and your mental wellbeing, and will be an important step to healing your gut and balancing your hormones.
If you feel hungry, drink water first.
Sometimes you can be dehydrated and confused about hunger sensations.
Wait five minutes before eating when you feel hungry.
Try to identify your emotions before eating. How are you feeling? How do you want to feel? If you are feeling tired, bored, lonely, angry, sad it can be helpful to find another way to sooth other than food.
Have a list of your tools in your toolkit and post it on the fridge. This could be a short walk, legs up the wall, lying down, calling a friend, or listening to your favourite music.
Keep track of your eating habits to identify your triggers.
My clients find it useful to track daily food in the client app – this helps with accountability.
Keep healthy snacks on hand for when you are physically hungry
Things like carrot sticks and hummus or a handful of nuts will help to satisfy true hunger – and if you don’t want to eat them, it’s a sign that you may not be physically hungry,
Incorporate healthy habits into your daily life
Go for walks – anything to get OUT OF THE KITCHEN!
Eat regular well-balanced meals – DON’T SKIP MEALS. This adds to stress.
Get enough sleep and
Connect with friends and family
All these will help to boost your mental health and help you to address your emotional eating.
Triggers such as boredom, sadness and stress can result in overeating—even positive emotions such as excitement and happiness can be a trigger, as well as using food as a reward.
By working to understand why you’re eating emotionally, you’ll be better able to recognise your trigger emotions and be able to actually work through them instead of reaching for food.
If you are struggling with bloating and emotional eating please download the free eBook.
