Helen Ritchie
Clinical Nutritional Therapist
Your risk of depression almost triples at menopause – how depressing is that?
I suffered with depression on and off for many years and know what it’s like to feel that life is not worth living. I have been offered antidepressants many times - including for menopause symptoms - but they don't address the real underlying issues. Plus they only work for a minority, are highly addictive, and […]
What are phytoestrogens and what menopause symptoms can they help with?
Phytoestrogens are plant-based compounds that have a similar structure to human oestrogen. They can bind to estrogen receptors in the body and have a mild oestrogenic effect [about 1/1000th as potent as human oestrogen], which can help to reduce the severity of menopausal symptoms. They are clever too, in that they can help reduce high […]
Are you getting your daily dose?
To feel good at menopause every little thing you can do to boost your happiness levels can make a difference. Focus on getting a daily dose of these 4 important chemicals. Here’s how: ? Dopamine - the "reward" chemical that is released when you achieve a goal or experience something pleasurable. Boost your dopamine levels […]
Hair on the chin [nose, lip]? It’s a menopause thing!
If you’re like me and have noticed excess hairs on the chin, upper lip and up the nose, now you're menopausal, you may have wondered why this is happening? It’s all because of the relatively lower levels of oestrogen versus testosterone [aka an androgen excess], so essentially another symptom of hormonal imbalance. Is there a […]