Tag: sleep

Alcohol Awareness Week: My Sober Curious Journey and Why It Matters for Your Hormones

Written by trish on July 7, 2025. Posted in Brain Health, Gut Health, Hormone Health.

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

When I support women through my 3-week Beat the Belly Bloat or 8-week Nourish Your Gut programme, alcohol is always part of the conversation. Not from a place of guilt, but from a place of empowerment.

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.

With love,
Trish x

How to Have Better Sleep?

Written by trish on February 8, 2022. Posted in Hormone Health.

There is very little worse than when you are exhausted, but your brain is still going a million miles an hour. All you want to do is sleep, but your body refuses to calm down. You lie in bed, eyes closed, and sleep just beyond reach.

Melatonin is a chemical in your body that is responsible for regulating your sleep cycles and making you sleep. Your pineal gland is responsible for producing that melatonin. Each night your body produces approximately 25mcg of melatonin to promote a peaceful and restful sleep. Studies have shown that this amount gradually decreases as we age, which may explain why toddlers and youth require more sleep at night than adults.

You can help regulate your sleep and promote more relaxed, restful sleep by helping your body produce melatonin when you need it. If you are having trouble sleeping, try a few of these tips before you turn to medication.

Say “no” to electronic devices and gadgets:

The blue light produced by our phones, laptops, TVs, and tablets may be counteracting your body’s attempts to produce melatonin. Instead of checking your phone or social media accounts before going to bed, read, journal, or even color. These activities are much less stimulating than electronic devices, allowing your brain to start shutting down and encouraging your body to start producing melatonin for the night ahead.

Drink chamomile tea:

Chamomile tea actually has melatonin in it. Drink a warm cup of it in the evening to help your body relax, de-stress, and prepare for restful sleep.

Shower or take a relaxing bath:

Warm water relaxes tense muscles and refreshes your mind. According to research by Loughborough University in Leicester, the relaxing effect of taking a bath before going to bed helps increase the production of melatonin in your body. This is because taking baths and showers reduces the level of the stress hormone cortisol in your body, allowing your body to produce melatonin instead.

Block all sources of light:

Pull all the curtains, shut all the blinds, turn off all the lights. Make your room completely dark. Even the smallest amount of light can disrupt your sleeping and melatonin production. Blocking out all the sources of light while sleeping will significantly boost the melatonin in your body, help regulate your sleeping patterns and promote deep sleep so that you wake you up happy and well rested.

Focus on your diet:

Your diet plays a huge role in your body’s sleeping habits. Studies have shown that reducing or eliminating caffeine and processed foods has a hugely positive impact on your amount and quality of sleep. It is also helpful to avoid trying to sleep on a very empty or very full stomach; both can leave your body focused on processes other than sleep. A light snack or a warm cup of tea just before bed can help calm hunger pangs without overtaxing your body. What are the best foods to help you sleep? – watch here

Reminder of the key hormones needed for sleep: Melatonin, Cortisol, Serotonin and impact on immune system

VITAL TIPs: Manage stress and support your adrenals.

HOW?

Ways to support your immune system with daily rituals that are easy to do.

Meditation
Journaling
Tapping – EFT at the end of the day to calm the mid and process anything you are still feeling
Cool dew on your feet at night or a cold shower on your feet
Cold water therapy
Supplements such as 5HTP, CBD, Magnesium glycinate – talk to me I can guide you.

Sleep is a 24-hour cycle, not just something that happens when you go to bed.

In the morning, your body makes cortisol to wake you up. In the evening it makes melatonin to make you sleepy

Hormonal factors that influence sleep can include making too much cortisol, making cortisol at the wrong times of day, and not making enough melatonin.

Serotonin also influences sleep. Essential oils can support serotonin. The best essential oils on the planet can be purchased here Vetiver, lavender and roman chamomile are my favourite and I use them every night.

A healthy sleep cycle includes anchoring both cortisol and melatonin, so that you are awake and alert when you should be, and tired when you should be.

Sleep is when we repair cells – the heart of the immune system!

If you would like to learn more about my hormone tests get in touch. When we get to the root cause of why you are not sleeping – your life will change forever!

Yours in health and wellness,

Trish

The Benefits of Exercise for your Hormones

Written by trish on February 23, 2021. Posted in Hormone Health.

Exercise is the best gift you can give yourself for peri-menopause and beyond.

Consistent, regular exercise can change your life in ways you may not have considered.

Here are a few ways.

Benefit #1: It improves your self-esteem.

Exercising regularly or more than twice a week will make you feel better about yourself and naturally improve your self-esteem. It will make you feel like you have accomplished something and like you have done something amazing for yourself.

This feeling of accomplishment will make you believe in yourself more and you will become confident in other aspects of your life.

Benefit #2: It will make your skin glow.

If you battle with bad or dull skin, try adding exercise to your daily to-do list and make it a point to check it off.

Regular exercise can help relieve dullness and may help prevent the signs of early aging like wrinkles and fine lines.

Benefit #3: You will sleep better.

Regular exercise will reward you with a peaceful night of deep and quality sleep.

Exercising strengthens your body’s circadian rhythms, which keep you alert and awake during the day and make you feel sleepy at night. If you find it hard to sleep, try just fifteen minutes of exercise a day and notice the improvements.

Benefit #4: It helps control your weight.

Exercising on a regular basis helps you burn the calories that you have consumed throughout the day so that you can either lose or maintain your weight and build muscle tone.

Benefit #5: It improves your memory and brain health.

Exercising can improve your memory and the overall health of your brain. It can prevent brain fog, that sudden shut down of your brain that happens when you get tired and makes even the simplest and most routine tasks seem difficult and suddenly very confusing.

Exercise also stimulates the production of hormones, which aid in the repair and growth of your brain cells.

Benefit #6: It helps reduce chronic pains.

Regular exercise can help in reducing and possibly eliminating excruciating chronic pains. One of the most common causes of chronic pain is inactivity.

Your body is just like a machine; as long as it remains active, it will function well.

Several studies have also shown that regular exercise can increase your pain tolerance and decrease your body’s perception of pains and aches.

Benefit #7: It can help you feel happier.

Last but, not the least, regular exercise can help reduce or prevent feelings of anxiety and depression and make you feel happy again.

According to a study conducted by Oxford University, people who exercise regularly, even at a beginner level, are found to be more content and happier than those who fail to do so.

To feel even better, try increasing the intensity of your workouts slowly and feel more accomplished, healthy, and happy.

If you would like to learn more about 8 week gut healing, hormone balancing program click here

Yours in health and wellness,

Trish Tucker-May

How to Jump-start Your Weight Loss

Written by trish on August 26, 2020. Posted in Hormone Health.

Everyone wants to lose weight quickly, but there is no magic pill that can make you thin in a month. However, there are several ways that you can jump-start your weight loss by increasing your metabolism.

Keep yourself hydrated:

This is the most basic and easiest way to jumpstart your weight loss. Drinking a lot of water and detoxifying herbal teas will help you flush all the harmful toxins from your body, boosting your metabolism by improving the efficiency of your thyroid functioning. Drink five glasses of water daily at the very least to keep your body at its best. Drinking a lot of water and herbal teas, especially first thing in the morning and before meals, will also curb your hunger and prevent you from binge eating.

Get enough sleep:

Your diet, your workout, and all the water that you consume will go to waste if you fail to get enough quality sleep.

Good sleep help to keep your hormones and your mood balanced. If your hormones and your mood are balanced, then your body will function more efficiently and will keep all your unnecessary cravings at bay.

Make sure to give yourself a peaceful night of at least eight hours. This takes discipline. Turn off the screen, lower the lights, put your favourite oils into the diffuser and sleep all night long.

I run regular sleep trials using essential oils so if you want to trial this protocol let me know.

Hot lemon water:

Drinking hot lemon water early in the morning before breakfast helps fire up your metabolism. I love adding 1 drop of DoTERRA lemon or grapefruit oil to my water. It doesn’t have the same effect on the tooth enamel as the lemon juice and is a great support for the liver.

Health shots:

Another way you can fire up your metabolism is by having a health shot of lemon, honey, ginger, and turmeric first thing in the morning. It might taste disgusting, but it has a dramatic impact on your metabolism. I love a good strong ginger shot. Juice 1 whole lemon, a big chunk of ginger, 1 small piece of turmeric and a pinch of cayenne pepper. This is a great way to fire up the digestion and keep unwanted seasonal threats away.

Pre-workout hydration:

Drinking loads of water or green tea before a workout is an easy and efficient way to burn twice the amount of calories that you usually do.

Cardio:

Exercises that keep your heartbeat up are another way to burn a lot more calories and jumpstart your weight loss. You can add exercises like planks, burpees, and jumping jacks to get your heart pumping. If you hate the thought of burpees try a gentle run walk run for 20 minutes a day.

Fidget:

Some studies have shown that people who have a habit of fidgeting or bouncing their knees can burn up to 500 more calories a day.

Spice is the key:

Spicy food burns more calories during digestion because it can fire up your metabolism. Add a few more spicy foods, like hot peppers, to your diet. You can add jalapeno in almost any dish you like, even in your eggs. Spices also add a ton of flavor with little to no calories.

Cayenne pepper, cinnamon oil, cinnamon powder are all great ways to fire up the digestion. Try dipping a toothpick into cinnamon oil and placing it in between your teeth when you have a craving.

Graze throughout the day:

Another trick is to eat five or six small meals throughout the day instead of eating three large meals. If you keep eating small amounts, your body will be constantly functioning to break down that food into energy. Your body will learn to work more efficiently and will burn more calories. Make sure small meals contain enough protein and good fats to help with hunger.

Drink black coffee once a day:

Drinking pure black coffee at least once a day will boost the rate at which your body burns calories.

Losing weight is not meant to be an expeditious activity; your body does not function that way. Slow and gradual weight loss often requires a lifestyle change. If you are unsure where to start, reach out to me.

These tips should be practiced along with a healthy diet and exercise for best results. They may be able to give your body that little extra boost it needs to power into weight loss mode.

If you would like to learn more about my 8 Weeks to Feeling Fabulous Program email [email protected]

DoTERRA STUDY TRIAL

I am helping to run a study on dōTERRA essential oils in September and I can invite 10 people I know to the study group.

You might really enjoy this so I wanted to give you the chance to be involved.

There are 4 studies and you can choose one of them to participate in:

Digestive Support

Pain and Discomfort Help

Stress & Mood support

Sleep Support

You’ll get some free samples to try for 7 days and a thank you gift for completing.

Would you like to participate in one of these health topics?

Yours in health and wellness,

Trish Tucker May

How to Alkalize Your Body

Written by trish on August 13, 2020. Posted in Gut Health.

Alkalizing your body simply means reducing its acidity, and you can do that by eating the right kind of foods.

There are a lot of benefits to alkalizing your body. An alkalized body often results in more nights of peaceful, deep sleep; an increase in energy; and a reduction in weight.

Alkalizing your body also promotes mental alertness, reduces candida growth, improves memory, generates healthier tissues, ensures proper functioning of your cells, supports a healthier heart, and reduces the risk of chronic diseases and muscle degeneration.

Alkalizing your body is a gift that you can give yourself.

Here are eight ways to do it.

Not all acidic foods are bad.

This may seem counter-productive since you are trying to reduce acid levels in your body, but not all acidic foods are bad for you. Case in point: lemon.

Lemon may be an acidic food, but it helps to alkalize your body instead of harm it.

Add a few drops of lemon essential oil to a glass of water and drink it first thing in the morning. I recommend only DoTERRA certified pure therapeutic grade oils for this and can help you get started with the best oils for your health goals.

This will increase your body’s metabolism and help detoxify all the acids and toxins in your body.

Devour the greens.

Another great way to alkalize your body is by adding green vegetables and fruits in your diet. Try a simple green salad with olive oil and sprinkle with some black pepper for seasoning.

A for alkalizing. A for almonds.

Try adding unsalted and raw almonds to your diet as a snack. Almonds contain naturally occurring alkaline, magnesium, and calcium, which help your body to balance your body’s blood sugar and acidity.

Don’t choose the cow.

Switch your milk to non-dairy, like almond milk or organic, NON GMO soy milk, because cow’s milk promotes more acid growth.

Workout.

Exercise is vital to alkalizing your body. Even just fifteen minutes of exercise moves the acidic foods in your body to a position where it is easier to eliminate them from your body.

Meditate.

Meditate daily in fresh air or invest in essential oils or a salt lamp.

Essential oils are known for purifying and cleansing your body. Investing in a Himalayan sea salt lamp will prove beneficial toward alkalizing your body because it will cleanse and purify it by producing negative ions and cancelling out the positive ions in your surroundings and in your body.

Quit the meat.

Try to consume as little meat as possible. Better yet, start a completely plant-based diet. Meat tends to leave residual acid in your body even after it has been eliminated. More plant based meals during the week will benefit your hormones and give you more energy.

No more sugar. No more soda.

Cut out all alcohol, sweet drinks, carbonated drinks and sugar from your diet because they are nothing but empty calories. Choose water or green tea instead because they will detoxify your body from acidity.

An alkalized body is a balanced, happy body.

Try integrating a few of these into your daily routine and experience the difference of an alkalized body!

Have you been feeling overwhelmed with stress, worry and disturbed sleep?

You can ignore the root cause of the problem by drinking red wine. You can indulge in all the delicious home baked cakes made with love by your kids, but guess what?

The longer you ignore the root cause of your hormone hell, the worse the whispers will become. Ignore them long enough and your body will start to shout. You will end up at the menopause with severe headaches, brain fog, skin rashes and feeling ugly.

Your body does not like being ignored. If you are not sleeping well your hormones will also be in havoc. The more you worry, the less you digest and the more you will become accidentally overweight.

It’s a vicious cycle that wreaks havoc with hormones and digestion. The two are closely linked and will also impact how you feel. This makes you feel lousy about yourself and your life. You end up feeling unlovable and a long way from beautiful and sexy.

I work with ladies like this every day.

We work through the 7 foundations to healing from the inside out and we do that together.

They feel supported so they get the results.

Once we reach 40, we need to nourish ourselves in a different way.

If I could show you how to dissolve your hormones symptoms and reduce digestive stress in 8 weeks, would you join me?

If you would like to learn more about this ‘8 weeks to feeling fabulous’ program email me at [email protected]

Yours in health and wellness,

Trish Tucker May

Foods to Help You Sleep

Written by trish on July 7, 2020. Posted in Gut Health.

Sleep 7 –9 hours a night is the recommendation to not just function, but to thrive in your life. You probably already know those nights that you barely get any sleep because:

#1: you couldn’t shut your mind

#2: had the list of to-dos running through it

#3: had to get work done

#4: your kids kept you up

So, you could hardly focus on anything. Because SLEEP – just didn’t happen!

A Harvard study claimed, “lack of adequate sleep can affect judgment, mood, ability to learn and retain information, and may increase the risk of serious accidents and injury.” The report also mentioned that sleep deprivation could lead to health problems and even early mortality. Wow! We need some sleep, like NOW!

If you’ve been wishing for just ONE night of sleep? What if you could have plenty of those nights? Wouldn’t that just be AMAZING?

Sleep has a huge impact on your hormones.

The vital sleep hormones are cortisol and melatonin

Sleep is a 24-hour cycle, not just something that happens when you go to bed. In the morning, your body makes cortisol to wake you up. In the evening it makes melatonin to make you sleepy. Hormonal factors that influence sleep can include making too much cortisol, making cortisol at the wrong times of day, and not making enough melatonin.

Serotonin also influences sleep

A healthy sleep cycle includes anchoring both cortisol and melatonin, so that you are awake and alert when you should be, and tired when you should be.

Sleep is when we repair cells – the heart of the immune system.

Reducing cortisol during the day and evening with diet, stress management and essential oils

Set a bedtime routine, including using essential oils to support the production of serotonin. Your wish may be answered right here! Adding blends of oils including roman chamomile, lavender and ylang ylang is a beautiful way to support a restful night sleep.

Try adding the following foods to your diet, especially if you find yourself tossing and turning at night, counting sheep to get a little shut eye.

Chamomile

Chamomile is commonly known as a mild tranquilizer or sleep inducer. It has calming effects that may decrease anxiety and initiate sleep. Some chamomile tea can be a great idea before heading to bed to unwind, relax and de-stress. Roman chamomile essential oil in your diffuser or in the bath will help you de-stress and will also help with the production of serotonin.

Pistachios

Pistachios are not only tasty, but they are a jackpot for sleep. They are jampacked with magnesium, protein, and vitamin B6, which have a major role in inducing sleep. Consuming a healthy amount of pistachios before going to bed will knock you out like nothing else. You can eat them raw or add them to a glass of warm milk. However, more than one ounce of pistachios will have a reverse effect on your body; eat in moderation to avoid exacerbating your sleep issues.

Kiwi

Kiwis contain serotonin, a brain chemical that helps regulate your sleep cycle. Many people actually take serotonin supplements to help with sleep, but wouldn’t you rather eat something that tastes delicious to get the same effect? Not only do kiwis contain serotonin, but they also may boost your sleep abilities due to their levels of vitamin C and carotenoids which reduce inflammation. When I feel that I may not be able to sleep at night, I eat 2 kiwi and they usually do the job.

Tart cherry juice

Tart cherry juice contains high levels of melatonin that regulate your internal clock and send signals for your body to get ready to sleep. Clients who drank tart cherry juice increased their sleep time by 90 minutes!

Bananas

This fruit is a powerhouse of magnesium and potassium, which serve as natural sleep aids for your body. If you are feeling wide awake late into the night, try a banana to get yourself to sleep. You can even whip yourself up a thick sugar-free banana smoothie before you go to bed. Bananas are high-glycaemic fruits, so try adding in some protein or good fat with your smoothie so sugar levels don’t skyrocket into the night. Some of my favourites are coconut oil or almond butter, but you get to pick!

Walnuts

Walnuts contain tryptophan, which helps produce melatonin and serotonin in the body and improve the quality of our sleep by regulating the sleep cycles. Walnuts contain their own source of melatonin, which may help you fall asleep faster.

Pumpkin seeds

A cup of roasted pumpkin seeds contains around 649 mg of magnesium, which is nearly double the daily recommendation of the National Health Institute. Magnesium supports deep, restorative sleep by maintaining healthy levels of GABA (a neurotransmitter that promotes sleep). Magnesium deficiencies are associated with heightened stress and anxiety, which of course lead to less sleep, so these pumpkin seeds have many benefits.

If you’ve been searching for the magical solution to get more sleep, no need to keep searching. Try to avoid the over-the-counter sleep aid and add these foods to your bedtime routine to get your body on the right path to sound sleep!

If you would like to try my best essential oils for sleep, email me here and I will be happy to send you the blissful night sleep blend. [email protected]

Yours in health and wellness,

Trish