Why your morning coffee is making perimenopause harder

What if your morning coffee routine - the thing you rely on to wake up and get through the day - is actually working against you?

It might be the reason you’re crashing by mid-afternoon, craving sugar, and feeling like you can’t get through the afternoon without more caffeine.

Here’s what we cover in this episode:

• Why coffee first thing in the morning makes perimenopause symptoms worse - and how it affects your energy, cravings, and hormones
• The surprising way coffee messes with blood sugar and nutrient absorption - and why this matters if you’re struggling with fatigue, mood swings, or brain fog
• The simple change to your coffee habit that helps stabilise your energy, reduce cravings, and support hormone balance

Sneak Peek:

“If you can’t function without coffee, we need to look at what’s really going on.”

Your morning routine matters more than you think - and this tiny tweak could make a huge difference in how you feel.

🎧 Hit play now to learn why coffee timing is everything, and what to do instead.

Links & Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

• Ep 9: Intermittent fasting
• Ep 59: Eat your way through perimenopause

Send us a question for the FAQs segment or your feedback, we’d love to hear from you.

Find out more about Sarah, her services and the Freebies mentioned in this episode at https://www.ThePerimenopauseNaturopath.com.au

• PerimenoGO (because who wants to pause anyway?!) Discover how to use food as your most powerful medicine, smoothing hormonal fluctuations and easing perimenopause symptoms naturally. (Yes, you have more options than hormone therapy!) Say goodbye to feeling out of control and hello to feeling more like your old self every day.
• The Perimenopause Decoder is the ultimate guide to understanding if perimenopause hormone fluctuations are behind your changing mood, metabolism and energy after 40, what phase of perimenopause you're in, and how much longer you may be on this roller coaster for.
• For more, follow on Instagram at @theperimenopausenaturopath.

Two hormone-ravaged brains under one roof? No one warned us about this!

Perimenopause is hard enough on its own - now level it up by adding in a teenage daughter going through puberty, and suddenly, your house feels like a hormonal war zone. Mood swings, tears, interrupted sleep, emotional outbursts over things that make no sense… sound familiar?

The good news? The same things that support your perimenopausal hormones can also support hers. And in this episode, I’m breaking down exactly how to make that happen.

Key Takeaways:

• How to reduce the chaos in your house by supporting both your hormones and your daughter’s, without crazy diets, strict rules, or meal-time battles.
• The #1 food mistake that makes perimenopausal symptoms (and puberty mood swings) worse, and what to do instead to keep blood sugar and hormones stable.
• The truth about the “vegan trap” in puberty and perimenopause - why iron and calcium matter more than you think, and how to make sure you’re both getting enough.

Sneak Peek:

“Two hormone-ravaged brains in the one house, but only one of you gets the luxury of extra sleep. And spoiler… it’s not you.”

If you’re feeling exhausted from riding this hormonal rollercoaster alongside your daughter, this episode is for you. You’ll walk away with simple, practical steps to support both of you - without overcomplicating meals, stressing over food, or adding another thing to your already full plate.

Links & Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

• PerimenoGO – My step-by-step food and lifestyle-based program to guide you to thrive in perimenopause (while still making meals that work for your whole family).
• Follow me on Instagram for more perimenopause insights and tips: @theperimenopausenaturopath
• Episode 59: The Perimenopause Diet
• Episode 48: Phytoestrogens
• Episode 56: Soy

Send us a question for the FAQs segment or your feedback, we’d love to hear from you.

Find out more about Sarah, her services and the Freebies mentioned in this episode at https://www.ThePerimenopauseNaturopath.com.au

• PerimenoGO (because who wants to pause anyway?!) Discover how to use food as your most powerful medicine, smoothing hormonal fluctuations and easing perimenopause symptoms naturally. (Yes, you have more options than hormone therapy!) Say goodbye to feeling out of control and hello to feeling more like your old self every day.
• The Perimenopause Decoder is the ultimate guide to understanding if perimenopause hormone fluctuations are behind your changing mood, metabolism and energy after 40, what phase of perimenopause you're in, and how much longer you may be on this roller coaster for.
• For more, follow on Instagram at @theperimenopausenaturopath.

What if I told you that you’re not exhausted because you’re getting older.

You’re exhausted because your body isn’t getting what it needs.

Most women in perimenopause think they need more coffee, stricter diets, or harder workouts to fight fatigue, brain fog, and weight gain. But what if the real problem is how you’re fueling your body?

After competing in a full-contact national box lacrosse championship at 50, playing against women half my age in 2-hour games, five days straight, in 30-36º heat, I saw firsthand how nutrition, hydration, and recovery can make or break your energy levels - no matter your age.

Key Takeaways:

✔ The biggest fueling mistakes most women in perimenopause make - and why they’re making you feel more exhausted, not better.
✔ Why carbs are your friend, not your enemy (and how cutting them can actually backfire on your metabolism, sleep, and hormones).
✔ How to eat, drink, and train smarter so you stop crashing mid-afternoon and start feeling strong again - without extreme diets or over-exercising.

Sneak Peek:

“Some of the younger women were struggling. They were exhausted halfway through because they weren’t eating enough, weren’t eating the right things, and weren’t recovering properly. And I see this all the time with women in perimenopause too.”

Your body isn’t working against you - it just needs the right support.

The way you fuel yourself directly affects how you feel every day. If you’re tired of crashing at 3 p.m., feeling sluggish no matter what you eat, or wondering why your workouts aren’t making a difference, this episode is for you.

Listen now and start making the small shifts that lead to big results.

Links & Resources Mentioned:
📍 Blog post - The Perimenopause Diet
📍 1:1 sessions now available – work with The Perimenopause Naturopath team

Send us a question for the FAQs segment or your feedback, we’d love to hear from you.

Find out more about Sarah, her services and the Freebies mentioned in this episode at https://www.ThePerimenopauseNaturopath.com.au

• PerimenoGO (because who wants to pause anyway?!) Discover how to use food as your most powerful medicine, smoothing hormonal fluctuations and easing perimenopause symptoms naturally. (Yes, you have more options than hormone therapy!) Say goodbye to feeling out of control and hello to feeling more like your old self every day.
• The Perimenopause Decoder is the ultimate guide to understanding if perimenopause hormone fluctuations are behind your changing mood, metabolism and energy after 40, what phase of perimenopause you're in, and how much longer you may be on this roller coaster for.
• For more, follow on Instagram at @theperimenopausenaturopath.

You’re doing everything “right” - eating well, exercising, taking the supplements, maybe even starting HRT - so why do you still feel exhausted, foggy, and stuck in a body that isn’t cooperating?

If perimenopause has left you frustrated and wondering why nothing is working, chances are you’re making one of these three common mistakes.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Most women are given generic, one-size-fits-all advice when it comes to perimenopause. But here’s the truth - what worked in your 30s won’t work now. In this episode, I break down the biggest mistakes women make when trying to fix their perimenopause symptoms and what actually works instead.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

✔ Why HRT isn’t a magic fix: and how starting it at the wrong time can make symptoms worse, not better
✔ The real reason you still feel awful: and the overlooked health factors (beyond estrogen) that could be driving your symptoms
✔ Why DIY-ing your way through perimenopause is keeping you stuck: and how to finally get clarity on what your body actually needs

If you’ve been spinning your wheels, trying everything but still feeling awful, this episode will give you the clarity you need to move forward with confidence.

SNEAK PEEK:

“Trying to ‘balance your hormones’ in perimenopause is like chasing the end of a rainbow - it’s just not going to happen. Instead of focusing on balance, we need to focus on helping your body adapt to these changes.”

If you’re tired of wasting time, money, and energy on things that don’t work, this episode will help you cut through the noise and focus on what actually makes a difference for your body in perimenopause.

Send us a question for the FAQs segment or your feedback, we’d love to hear from you.

Find out more about Sarah, her services and the Freebies mentioned in this episode at https://www.ThePerimenopauseNaturopath.com.au

• PerimenoGO (because who wants to pause anyway?!) Discover how to use food as your most powerful medicine, smoothing hormonal fluctuations and easing perimenopause symptoms naturally. (Yes, you have more options than hormone therapy!) Say goodbye to feeling out of control and hello to feeling more like your old self every day.
• The Perimenopause Decoder is the ultimate guide to understanding if perimenopause hormone fluctuations are behind your changing mood, metabolism and energy after 40, what phase of perimenopause you're in, and how much longer you may be on this roller coaster for.
• For more, follow on Instagram at @theperimenopausenaturopath.

More periods, more PMS, more pain?! I thought perimenopause was supposed to be about less…

If you’ve been told that perimenopause means fewer periods, lower estrogen, and less of everything… think again. In the early and mid-stages of perimenopause, many women experience more - heavier periods, more PMS, more breast tenderness, more anxiety, more migraines, more bloating. And it’s all because of one thing: estrogen excess.

Doctors often focus on hormone loss in perimenopause and menopause, but before hormones decline, they fluctuate wildly - sometimes reaching higher levels than ever before.

If you’re wondering why your symptoms feel worse, not better, this episode will help you understand exactly what’s happening in your body.

What you’ll learn:

• Why early perimenopause is often about too much estrogen, not too little. You’ll understand why your periods may be getting heavier and your PMS more intense, even if you’ve been told perimenopause is all about hormone decline.
• How progesterone is dropping faster than estrogen - leading to estrogen excess. We break down why this imbalance causes mood swings, anxiety, and why you might feel like a completely different person some days.
• Why waiting for hot flushes and skipped periods to “confirm” perimenopause is a mistake. Your body is already giving you signs - learn what they are and how to support yourself now.

Sneak peek:

“We’re told that perimenopause or menopause is all about the decline of hormones. But actually, very early, early, and mid-perimenopause are all about more. More symptoms, more irritation, more PMS, more period pain, more allergies, migraines, headaches - all of that sort of thing. It’s about more hormones, not less.”

Your symptoms are real - and you don’t have to wait for your period to get irregular to do something about them.

If you’ve been dismissed because you’re not having hot flushes, still getting your period regularly, told you’re too young for perimenopause, or feel like your body is working against you - this episode is for you.

The sooner you understand what’s happening, the sooner you can support your body through these shifts and stop feeling like you’re riding a hormonal rollercoaster.

Listen now to understand what’s really happening in your body - and how to start feeling better today.

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• Ep 78: The 5 stages of menopause
• Free Training

Send us a question for the FAQs segment or your feedback, we’d love to hear from you.

Find out more about Sarah, her services and the Freebies mentioned in this episode at https://www.ThePerimenopauseNaturopath.com.au

• PerimenoGO (because who wants to pause anyway?!) Discover how to use food as your most powerful medicine, smoothing hormonal fluctuations and easing perimenopause symptoms naturally. (Yes, you have more options than hormone therapy!) Say goodbye to feeling out of control and hello to feeling more like your old self every day.
• The Perimenopause Decoder is the ultimate guide to understanding if perimenopause hormone fluctuations are behind your changing mood, metabolism and energy after 40, what phase of perimenopause you're in, and how much longer you may be on this roller coaster for.
• For more, follow on Instagram at @theperimenopausenaturopath.

Think eating well means cooking one meal for your family and something different for yourself? That’s a recipe for burnout.

If you’ve ever found yourself making one meal for your family and something completely different for yourself, just so you can eat “healthy,” this episode is going to change the way you think about food.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
•How to make one meal work for everyone - without being a short-order cook, without food battles, and without feeling like you’re eating salads on your own, 24/7 and missing out on yummy meals.
•How I handle picky eaters and sensory preferences (including what’s worked in my neurodivergent household).
•How to set up simple food systems - from meal planning to getting kids in the kitchen - so that dinner time feels easier, not harder.

SNEAK PEEK:
“There’s this idea that if you want to eat well - to support your hormones, balance blood sugar, and avoid creeping weight gain - you end up eating salads alone while your kids get their usual spag bol. That’s NOT how I do things.”

Eating well in perimenopause should fit into your life - not take it over. In this episode, I’m walking you through exactly how I make this work for my family (without stress or extra effort) and how you can do the same.

Hit play now to learn how you can eat in a way that supports your hormones, energy, and metabolism - without making separate meals or spending hours in the kitchen.

LINKS & RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
•The Perimenopause Diet Episode
•Phytoestrogens Episode
•Soy Episode
•Episode with Jessica Donovan
•Join PerimenoGO → (Includes my Feeding Your Family guide as a bonus!)
•Follow me on Instagram for more real-life strategies + what I feed my family

Send us a question for the FAQs segment or your feedback, we’d love to hear from you.

Find out more about Sarah, her services and the Freebies mentioned in this episode at https://www.ThePerimenopauseNaturopath.com.au

• PerimenoGO (because who wants to pause anyway?!) Discover how to use food as your most powerful medicine, smoothing hormonal fluctuations and easing perimenopause symptoms naturally. (Yes, you have more options than hormone therapy!) Say goodbye to feeling out of control and hello to feeling more like your old self every day.
• The Perimenopause Decoder is the ultimate guide to understanding if perimenopause hormone fluctuations are behind your changing mood, metabolism and energy after 40, what phase of perimenopause you're in, and how much longer you may be on this roller coaster for.
• For more, follow on Instagram at @theperimenopausenaturopath.

Wait… phantom smells are a perimenopause symptom?!

If you’ve ever found yourself Googling, “Is this perimenopause or am I losing my mind?” You’re not alone.

Hot flushes and mood swings get all the attention, but what about the bizarre symptoms no one warns you about? The phantom smells that only you can smell, the itchy ears that make you feel like a dog with fleas, the skin-crawling sensation that makes you want to jump out of your own body?

In this episode, Sarah, The Perimenopause Naturopath is breaking down the weirdest perimenopause symptoms and explains:

• Why these odd symptoms happen (hint: it has to do with receptors on every single cell of your body).
• Why your symptoms come and go unpredictably.
• What you can do to help your body adapt so these symptoms don’t take over your life.

You don’t have to just put up with this. There’s a way to support your body through the perimenopause rollercoaster, and it starts here.

SNEAK PEEK:

“I hear this all the time from my clients, and I bet you’re Googling it too: ‘Is XX symptom part of perimenopause, or am I losing my mind?’ And I want you to know that you’re probably not losing your mind. There are many weird and wonderful symptoms that come up from perimenopause.”

If you’ve been dealing with bizarre, unexplained symptoms in your 40s or 50s and wondering what the heck is actually happening in your body, this episode is for you.

Hit play and let’s make sense of what’s happening in your body.

Links & Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

• Watch my free training: Why you’re gaining weight after 40: the 4 hormone shifts you can’t ignore
• Ep74: Improve your sleep
• Ep 54: How do I detox my liver?

Send us a question for the FAQs segment or your feedback, we’d love to hear from you.

Find out more about Sarah, her services and the Freebies mentioned in this episode at https://www.ThePerimenopauseNaturopath.com.au

• PerimenoGO (because who wants to pause anyway?!) Discover how to use food as your most powerful medicine, smoothing hormonal fluctuations and easing perimenopause symptoms naturally. (Yes, you have more options than hormone therapy!) Say goodbye to feeling out of control and hello to feeling more like your old self every day.
• The Perimenopause Decoder is the ultimate guide to understanding if perimenopause hormone fluctuations are behind your changing mood, metabolism and energy after 40, what phase of perimenopause you're in, and how much longer you may be on this roller coaster for.
• For more, follow on Instagram at @theperimenopausenaturopath.

You might be in perimenopause and not even realise it.

Most women don’t know that perimenopause happens in distinct stages, and by the time they start experiencing symptoms that feel impossible to ignore, they’ve already been in it for years.

So, how do you know where you are in the perimenopause transition - and what’s coming next?

If you’ve been feeling off but can’t pinpoint why, or struggling with more PMS, heavy periods, mood swings, or energy crashes, this episode will help you figure out which stage of perimenopause you’re in and what your body needs from you right now.

Key Takeaways:
• 5 stages of perimenopause explained: If you think menopause happens suddenly or overnight, you’re missing the opportunity to feel great through your 40s and 50s. Perimenopause is a gradual transition, and understanding it helps you take control.
• The early signs most women dismiss: You don’t have to wait until your cycle is completely irregular or symptoms are unbearable to do something about it. Recognising the first shifts can make all the difference.
• How to support your body in each phase: Whether you’re dealing with worsening PMS, unpredictable periods, or feeling like a stranger in your own body, knowing what’s happening under the surface will help you feel more in control.

Sneak Peek:
“We kind of think we go from reproductive to menopause, like you’re not in it and then suddenly - bang! - you’re in menopause. But it doesn’t happen that way. It’s a bit more insidious. Perimenopause is a gradual transition, and we often miss that whole gradual part until things start happening more for us.”

Your body is changing. When you understand where you are in the journey, you can make choices that will work to help you feel better.

Links & Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

• Download The Perimenopause Decoder
• Episode 68: Is it dementia?
•Episode 59: The perimenopause diet
• Episode 56: Soy in perimenopause
• Episode 48: Phytoestrogens

Send us a question for the FAQs segment or your feedback, we’d love to hear from you.

Find out more about Sarah, her services and the Freebies mentioned in this episode at https://www.ThePerimenopauseNaturopath.com.au

• PerimenoGO (because who wants to pause anyway?!) Discover how to use food as your most powerful medicine, smoothing hormonal fluctuations and easing perimenopause symptoms naturally. (Yes, you have more options than hormone therapy!) Say goodbye to feeling out of control and hello to feeling more like your old self every day.
• The Perimenopause Decoder is the ultimate guide to understanding if perimenopause hormone fluctuations are behind your changing mood, metabolism and energy after 40, what phase of perimenopause you're in, and how much longer you may be on this roller coaster for.
• For more, follow on Instagram at @theperimenopausenaturopath.