Miss the previous round-ups? You can now find them all in the Round-up Section

🌞 Light Is Not Just Mood — It’s Metabolism

By now, the longer days are no longer a novelty — they’re your new baseline.

And if April felt like a gentle nudge, May is where your body starts expecting more from you.

More light exposure

More movement

More regularity

If you’ve been feeling a bit more energised but also a bit more restless or wired, this is often why.

As daylight extends, your circadian rhythm continues to shift. Cortisol rises earlier. Melatonin gets pushed later. Sleep can feel lighter, even if you’re doing “everything right.”

And in perimenopause, this matters more than it should.

Because you’re not just adapting to environmental changes — you’re doing it with fluctuating estrogen and progesterone, which directly affect sleep quality, temperature regulation, and stress response.

So instead of pushing harder, this is the moment to refine.

Here’s where May becomes powerful:

Protein timing becomes more important than total protein.

Morning light increases cortisol naturally — pairing this with a protein-rich breakfast helps stabilise blood sugar and reduces that mid-morning crash or late-afternoon energy dip.

Your body is more responsive to strength signals.

With more daylight and often more incidental movement, this is one of the best times of year to reinforce muscle-building habits — even small ones.

Your gut adapts faster to change.

Seasonal shifts in diet — more raw veg, herbs, lighter meals — tend to be better tolerated now than in winter. It’s a great time to add, not restrict.

Think: fresh herbs, crunchy vegetables, fermented foods (yes, our sauerkraut habit is perfectly timed).

📺 / 🎬 WATCH

I just finished watching the third season of Shrinking, and honestly, it’s one of those shows that gets under your skin in a really good way.

It’s basically about grief and people trying to cope, but it never feels heavy or preachy. It’s more like… messy humans figuring things out in real time.

What I liked is how it balances humour and emotion. You’ll be laughing one minute and then suddenly hit with something that feels way too real the next. But it never feels manipulative — it just reflects how life actually is, where the funny and the painful are constantly mixed together.

And the characters feel really real. No one is perfectly put together; everyone is kind of flawed and a bit chaotic, but you still understand where they’re coming from.

It’s not about big transformations, more like small shifts in how people deal with life.

🤓 SCIENCE

A 2026 meta-analysis on dairy intake and mortality risk highlighted something simple but often overlooked:

Dairy isn’t uniformly “good” or “bad” — the health effects depend strongly on the type and amount consumed.

Across 29 prospective cohort studies (over 1.6 million participants), yogurt intake stood out as consistently protective. Around 200g/day was associated with a lower risk of both all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Cheese showed a small reduction in cardiovascular mortality, and milk showed modest benefits for heart health in some analyses.

This matters because it challenges the idea that “all dairy behaves the same” in the body — fermented dairy, in particular, seems to have a different metabolic and gut-health profile compared to other forms.

The takeaway isn’t to remove or overthink dairy completely.

It’s to focus on smarter patterns:

• prioritizing fermented dairy like yogurt

• keeping overall intake moderate (around 250–300g/day total)

• not treating all dairy products as interchangeable

Small distinctions in food type and dose, repeated over time, are what actually shape long-term outcomes.

🌱 HABITS

This Month’s Habit Review: 1 Tbsp of Sauerkraut a Day

This one surprised me. Not because it was hard — but because it was almost too easy.

Some days, I had it before dinner. Other days, I threw it into a salad or bowl. A few days… I forgot entirely 🤷‍♀️

But overall, it naturally integrated into my routine without friction, because I made sure to place the jar at eye level when I opened the fridge — which is exactly what you want from a habit.

To be honest, I didn’t notice much… but science has clearly shown the benefits of eating fermented foods, so I’m content knowing this is most likely supporting my gut health 😅

New Habit for May: 10 triceps push-ups a day

It’s a small habit, but it actually ticks a lot of important boxes for me at 48.

Tennis season has finally started, and having that baseline upper-body strength makes a real difference in how I feel on the court.

Upper-body strength naturally declines in midlife if you don’t train it consistently, and triceps push-ups are a really efficient way to work the arms, shoulders, chest, and core all at once. It’s also a nice way to support bone loading through the upper body, which matters more as estrogen levels shift.

I like it because it’s not about intensity — it’s about daily signalling. Just enough stimulus to maintain strength, joint stability, and neuromuscular connection without needing a full workout.

And yes… let’s just say it doesn’t hurt when it comes to the “bat arms prevention plan” either 😄

🔥 HOT MERCH ON THE MENOPAUSE COACH SHOP

Get 25% off all products with code SUB25

Yep, Mother Nature sometimes is not really funny…

Light Up The Mood

The real perimenopause definition

Frame This Truth

Because if menopause had a spirit animal, it would definitely be a cat: unpredictable, dramatic, and suddenly affectionate at 3 am.

Purr-fectly Relatable

For the phase where you stop asking for permission, start speaking your mind, and let the hormones deal with it.

Wear It Proudly

📚 READ

While researching new designs for my candle shop, I came across a new word: smut.

Smut is not an acronym, but it refers to romance or fiction that includes explicit sexual content. It’s often used informally online to describe books with steamy or graphic scenes.

Last month, after seeing the trailer for a new series based on books, I got curious and, of course, picked up the book series written by Elle Kennedy and read the first.

It’s a new adult romance series, which means the characters are in their early 20s and the story is set in a college environment. It’s kind of a “smuttish” read in the sense that it includes explicit scenes alongside a full romance storyline, making it the perfect light read just before sleep.

Beyond the romance and spice, it also touches on more serious topics like trauma, consent, and domestic abuse, which are explored through the characters’ backstories and relationships.

The series is called Off-Campus, and it will be streaming on Prime Video starting May 13th.

SUBSTACK

So Substack just launched translations, and honestly, I think it’s kind of a big deal.

Basically, it means posts and Notes can now be automatically translated into a bunch of languages, so you can read writers from anywhere without needing to speak their language. And the same goes for your work — if you write in English, people in other countries can now actually discover and read you properly.

What I like about it is that it makes the whole thing feel way more global. Like you could suddenly stumble across a writer in Japan or Italy you’d never have found before, and their ideas just land in your feed in English. That part feels genuinely exciting — it’s like the internet opening up again in a good way.

But I also wonder about it a bit. Because with a bachelor’s degree in translation and after learning five languages, I know that translation is most of the time not perfect. It flattens tone, humour, little cultural references… all those things that make writing feel like someone.

And I also think it might subtly change what people write, like maybe people start writing in a way that’s easier to translate rather than more personal or local.

Still, overall, it feels like a pretty huge shift. More access, more reach, more cross-cultural discovery — just with a bit of a trade-off on nuance.

📩 This Month’s Hits

Recipe #4 - Hormone-Supporting Turkey and Lentil Stew

AMA #2 - Spring Diet, Hormones and Weight Loss, Dietary Fat, Constipation, Right Weight

Recipe #5 - Mediterranean Sea Bream with Spring Veg Medley

Letter #65 - How to Beat Bloating as a Woman in Your 40s. 7 Science-Backed Steps to Flatten Your Bloat and Reclaim Your Confidence

Recipe #6 - Spinach, Avocado & Feta Omelette (High-Protein, Low-Carb)

To be honest, this month I missed publishing one recipe and one regular post.

Life got in the way, and I chose that and health over Substack.

What did I learn from it? The world kept turning as if nothing had happened. 😉

🥗 EAT: Spring Protein Crunch Bowl with Yogurt-Lemon Dressing

2 servings

Ingredients

• 100 g rocket (arugula)

• 100 g spinach

• 1 medium cucumber (about 200 g), sliced

• 6–8 radishes, thinly sliced

• 1 small fennel bulb (about 150 g), thinly sliced

• 200 g cooked chicken breast, sliced

• 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds

• 2 tbsp sesame seeds

• 2–4 tbsp sauerkraut (optional but recommended)

Dressing

• 150 g Greek yogurt

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• Juice of ½ lemon

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• Salt + black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cook the chicken breast (grilled, pan-seared, or boiled), then slice into strips.

2. Wash and chop all vegetables and divide evenly between two bowls.

3. Add the chicken on top of each bowl.

4. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and sauerkraut if using.

5. In a small bowl, mix yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper until smooth.

6. Drizzle over both bowls just before serving.

Nutrition (approx. per portion)

• Calories: ~390 kcal

• Protein: ~35 g

• Fiber: ~10–12 g

Why this is good for perimenopause

This bowl is designed to support stable energy, muscle maintenance, and gut health, which become key priorities in perimenopause.

The high protein content helps preserve lean muscle mass and supports metabolism, while the fiber-rich vegetables help regulate blood sugar and reduce energy crashes.

The yogurt-based dressing and optional fermented sauerkraut support gut health, which plays an important role in hormone metabolism and inflammation balance.

It’s a light, nutrient-dense meal that supports both energy and recovery without feeling heavy.

Note: The recipe image is AI-generated

Coming up Next Week…

Next week is the time again for an AMA (Ask Me Anything) newsletter.

Same format:

• real questions

• practical answers

• no fluff

If something has been on your mind, this is where we work through it.

Full transparency: the AMA article is available to paid subscribers only. It’s one of the ways I support the time and care that goes into answering your questions thoughtfully and thoroughly.

So if you’re a paid subscriber, drop your question in the comments or by replying to this email.

And if you’ve been thinking about upgrading, this is a beautiful month to join.

💬 Comment & chat!

Did anything shift for you this month — energy, habits, mood, motivation?

Or are you still finding your rhythm?

Tell me what April felt like for you.

Love this content? Support my work by buying me a coffee ☕ → https://buymeacoffee.com/claudiacanu

Did you miss the first round-up newsletter? Find it here!

🌿 Spring & Your Perimenopausal Body: Why This Season Actually Matters

If you’ve felt slightly off recently — a little more tired, a little foggy, a little wired at the wrong hour — you’re not imagining it.

Whether your clocks changed a few weeks ago or just this past weekend, that lost hour is real.

Losing even one hour of sleep disrupts cortisol patterns and melatonin timing, and in perimenopause, where sleep is already fragile, a small circadian disruption can amplify symptoms like brain fog, irritability, and fatigue for several days.

Research suggests it takes around 5–7 days to fully recalibrate. Be patient with yourself.

But beyond the clock change, there’s a reason you feel a broader, subtler shift in energy around this time of year. It’s not just psychological — it’s biological.

As daylight increases, your circadian rhythm recalibrates. Cortisol patterns shift. Serotonin production gets a boost from more light exposure. And for women in perimenopause — already navigating fluctuating estrogen and progesterone — spring is genuinely one of the best times to press reset on your eating habits.

Here’s what the research suggests:

Bitter greens are your liver’s best friend right now. Dandelion, rocket, radicchio, and chicory — all coming into season — contain compounds that support liver detoxification pathways. Since your liver is responsible for metabolising estrogen, this matters more in perimenopause than at any other life stage.

Asparagus is a prebiotic powerhouse. It feeds the beneficial gut bacteria that, in turn, influence how your body manages estrogen through a process called the estrobolome. Gut health and hormone balance are more connected than most people realise.

Spring is a natural time to reduce inflammatory foods. After winter’s heavier, comfort-food patterns, the seasonal shift gives you a real biological opening to lighten your plate — more raw and lightly cooked vegetables, more variety, less processed food. Chronic low-grade inflammation is one of the key drivers of perimenopausal symptoms, from brain fog to joint pain.

📺 / 🎬 WATCH

The Oscars just happened, and I’ll be honest — I was disappointed F1 didn’t win anything.

I loved that movie - not just because of Brad! - and so did my 85-year-old dad, who has been passionate about Formula 1 his entire life.

On my watchlist:

• Sentimental Value

• Marty Supreme

• Hamnet

• Train Dreams

• One Battle After Another

What did you think about this year’s Oscars? Do you have any favourite movies?

🤓 SCIENCE:

A large 2025 randomised controlled trial following nearly 9,000 older adults (average age 71) found that cocoa extract supplementation lowered the likelihood of developing high blood pressure — though this protective effect was only observed in those who started the study with a healthy systolic blood pressure (below 120 mmHg).

Among participants with normal systolic blood pressure at baseline, cocoa extract reduced hypertension risk by 24%.

Source: PubMed

🌱 HABITS:

This Month’s Habit Review: Standing on One Foot

At the end of last month, I set myself the goal of practising standing on one foot for 2 minutes at a time during my morning face yoga.

I started simply — standing on one foot, switching when I was tired. No timing, just noticing my body.

A few weeks later, I can now hold it naturally for longer without any forcing.

Two days ago, for the first time, I covered the full duration of my face yoga — about 6 minutes.

After a month of practice, this has become more of an automatic habit: when I’m about to start my face yoga, I simply kick off my shoes and stand on one foot.

It’ll be impossible to know if this contributed to my bone health until my next DEXA scan, but practising balance has real, documented benefits in perimenopause:

• Balance & fall prevention — declining estrogen accelerates bone loss, making fractures more dangerous, and single-leg balance directly reduces fall risk

• Neuromuscular coordination — trains the brain-to-muscle connection and strengthens your core

• Ankle & foot stability — shifting hormones affect ligament elasticity; this exercise strengthens the small supporting muscles

New Habit for April: 1 Tablespoon of Sauerkraut a Day

I’ve been fermenting my own sauerkraut and it’s been far easier than I expected. Now I want it to become part of my daily diet.

The goal: 1 Tbsp a day, either just before dinner or added to a salad or bowl.

Do you make and/or eat sauerkraut? Scroll down to get the recipe to make your own.

🔥 HOT MERCH ON THE MENOPAUSE COACH SHOP:

Get 25% off all products with code SUB25 at @menopausecoach

Perimenopause is hot shirt. Available in many colors with white or black text.

Menopause in progress… candle

Light It Up

Proud Member of Perimenopause Club mug

Sip with Pride

Menopause Notebook:

Write Your Story

🎧 LISTEN:

5 Easy Wins to Reduce Microplastics and Forever Chemicals — Age Better with Liz Earle, with guest Dr Sabine Donnai (52 min)

Dr Sabine Donnai joins Liz Earle to explain why detoxification deserves a place alongside sleep, nutrition, and exercise when it comes to healthy ageing.

The conversation covers where we encounter microplastics and forever chemicals in everyday life — from kitchens to wardrobes to drinking water — and offers practical, low-effort swaps to reduce your toxic load.

Particularly relevant for us: the episode explores how gut bacteria help the body process microplastics, and how the liver, kidneys, gut, and sweat all play a role in detoxification.

📚 READ:

BOOK:

The Girl with a Pearl Earring - by Tracy Chevalier + movie

You might already know that I have this habit of seeking out movies based on books: I like to read the book first, and only when I’m done do I watch the movie.

For this one, I had actually seen the 2003 film before, but it had been so long that I’d completely forgotten it. So this time, I read the book for the first time and then watched the movie.

Released in 2003, starring Colin Firth as Vermeer, Scarlett Johansson as Griet (she was just 18), and Cillian Murphy as the young butcher (27 at the time), it’s a quietly beautiful period piece, full of tension and very little dialogue.

As often happens, the book gave me so much more, but I still truly appreciated watching such a modern classic.

SUBSTACK:

This month, I came across something I don’t see often enough: content written for the partner, not the woman going through it.

Simon Salt writes The Quiet Transition — Men Supporting Partners Through Menopause, and this particular piece tackles something quietly important: why so many men notice that something has shifted in their relationship, but can’t connect the dots to menopause. According to a recent large-scale survey he cites, only 1 in 4 men who noticed changes in their partner were able to link them to the menopause transition.

His argument is that the problem isn’t a lack of effort or care — it’s the absence of a shared framework. Without menopause as a reference point, changes get interpreted in isolation, effort scatters, and both partners end up feeling like they’re trying hard and still missing each other. Naming it doesn’t fix everything, but it turns confusion into coherence.

I appreciate this because it’s rare. Most menopause content speaks to us — and rightly so. But our partners are often just as lost, and handing them something written specifically for them, with this much empathy and clarity, feels like a genuine act of connection. Worth sharing with the person in your life who’s trying to understand but doesn’t quite have the words yet.

📩 This Month’s Hits

This month I have started not one but two new recurrent newsletters:

1. Monday Recipe: every week, a new recipe with an explanation of how each ingredient supports your perimenopausal body

2. Ask Me Anything: a monthly newsletter where I answer your real questions. More info below.

Here is the full list of this month’s articles:

AMA #1: In this first AMA newsletter, I’ve answered your questions about calorie deficits, breakfasts, supplements and muscles.

Letter #62: I’m a 47-Year-Old Perimenopause Nutritionist. Here’s What I Eat Every Single Day - The foods that keep me energized, regular, and building bone density and muscles through hormonal chaos.

Recipe #1: Make Ahead Breakfast Yogurt Bowl. No re-heat, to-go meal prep. With 32g protein and 12 g fiber

Letter #63: My Bones Were Quietly Changing In Perimenopause. What to eat in your 40s to nourish your bones - plus a free Feed Your Bones Guide

Recipe #2: A Mediterranean Salad That Works With Your Hormones - High-protein, fiber-rich, and designed to support energy, metabolism, and gut health

Letter #64: The Bone Loss Clock Starts in Your 40s. Here’s How to Get Ahead of It. - I got my first DEXA scan at 47. The results changed how I eat, how I train, and why I’m writing this.

Recipe #3: The Perimenopause Power Toast - 30g of protein, omega-3s, and bone-building nutrients — in under 10 minutes

🥗 EAT: Red Cabbage Sauerkraut

Ingredients:

cabbage (red or green)
salt

Instructions:

1. Cut the cabbage very thin.

2. Weigh it when moving it to a container.

3. The first time, it’ll be a bit hard to understand how much cabbage you need in order to fill your container. Keep in mind that when you pack it very tightly, it takes a lot less space than you might think.

4. Add 2% salt of the total weight of the cabbage (once it’s chopped up).

5. Massage with your hands until it creates a brine.

6. Add it to a jar and pack it tight. Lacto-fermentation is anaerobic, which means it won’t happen in the presence of oxygen. So, keeping all the cabbage below the brine, away from the air, is important. They say you can do this with a large cabbage leaf that acts as a barrier for your sauerkraut, but it didn’t work for me, and I had to throw out my first batch. So, I got a glass fermentation weight, and I’m very happy with it.

7. Over the coming days, you should notice bubbles, so it’s important to burp your jars by opening them every so often, or by keeping them slightly loose. I don’t use any lid because the weight acts as one. This goal is to allow excess gas and overflowing brine to escape. Pro tip: Keep the jars on a dish to minimize the mess.

8. The speed at which your sauerkraut ferments depends on many factors, including the temperature of your home. It’ll ferment faster in warmer environments, but I generally like to ferment it at room temperature for a minimum of 2 weeks before consuming it.

9. Note that homemade sauerkraut is harder than the mushy store-bought. Once the fermentation process is passed, you can try some of it and decide if you’d like to ferment it for longer. If you like as it is, move the jar to the fridge. At this point, it’s not important that the cabbage stays below the brine.

10. Always use a clean utensil to serve.

You can make this recipe with green or red cabbage.

Red cabbage sauerkraut has a few nice advantages over the classic green version:

More nutrients: Red cabbage is richer in vitamin C and contains anthocyanins — the pigments that give it its purple color — which are potent antioxidants linked to heart health and reduced inflammation.

Same probiotic benefits, prettier result: You get all the usual fermentation benefits (gut health, improved digestion), but the color is stunning — it turns a vivid magenta-purple, which makes it visually striking on a plate.

Slightly milder flavor: Red cabbage tends to produce a sauerkraut that’s a bit less sharp and more earthy than green, which some people prefer.

Bonus for perimenopause specifically — since you asked earlier, the anthocyanins in red cabbage have been studied for their potential role in reducing inflammation and supporting cardiovascular health, both of which become more relevant during perimenopause.

Coming up Next Week…

Next Tuesday is the time for the second AMA (Ask Me Anything) newsletter.

It’s a space where you can bring your real-life questions about perimenopause, menopause, nutrition, cravings, belly fat, energy crashes, supplements, protein, gut health — the things that actually come up in your day-to-day life.

No fluff. No generic advice.

Just practical, evidence-based guidance you can apply immediately.

If there’s something you’ve been wondering about — this is your invitation to ask.

✨ How it works:

• You send me your question.

• I answer it in depth in the monthly AMA post.

• You learn not only from your question, but from everyone else’s too.

Full transparency: the AMA article is available to paid subscribers only. It’s one of the ways I support the time and care that goes into answering your questions thoughtfully and thoroughly.

So if you’re a paid subscriber, drop your question in the comments or by replying to this email.

And if you’ve been thinking about upgrading, this is a beautiful month to join.

💬 Comment & chat! Anything in this round-up newsletter spark your curiosity? Have questions? Got a recommendation of your own? Pop ‘em below.

Love this content? Support my work by buying me a coffee ☕ → https://buymeacoffee.com/claudiacanu

Each month, I’ll share my favorites: from podcasts, books, and songs to TV shows, movies, and more.

I’ll also include a favorite recipe and an ingredient spotlight, breaking down its nourishing benefits, pairing ideas, and why it’s one of my top picks.

Plus, I’ll share a new habit I’m introducing for the month, one that I hope will inspire you to try it and support your well-being.

Think of it as a little guide to inspiration, enjoyment, and wellness, all in one place.

📺 / 🎬 WATCH:

Tv show: Riot Women

Riot Women is a British drama that follows five women in midlife who form a punk band, using music to navigate life’s challenges, friendships, and journeys of self-discovery - with humor, heart, and plenty of attitude.

As a 47-year-old woman, I found so many moments relatable; the themes felt authentic and true to life. The cinematography is stunning, and the script is sharp, funny, and heartfelt. Finally, the music is just top!

🤓 SCIENCE:

Iron levels and cognitive performance in perimenopause study.

This study looked at iron levels, cognitive performance, and brain iron in women during the menopausal transition.

It found that higher systemic iron (measured via blood markers like ferritin) was linked with better cognitive performance without being associated with increased iron deposits in the brain, suggesting that optimizing iron might help with “brain fog” in perimenopause without raising the risk of harmful brain iron accumulation.

🌱 NEW HABIT:

After a DEXA scan a few months ago, I’ve been focusing on my bone health. I’ve made some changes to my diet and workouts, and now I want to introduce a small daily habit that could also benefit my bones: balance.

For the next month, I’ll practice standing on one foot for 2 minutes at a time while doing my morning face yoga.

I’m a multitasker when it comes to habits—I can’t dedicate hours of my day to them—so whenever possible, I stack them.

If you don’t do face yoga, when could you try standing on one foot? Maybe while brushing your teeth or doing your skincare?

Let’s see if this habit sticks. I’ll report back in next month’s roundup newsletter ;)

By the way, if you’re in your 40s and haven’t had a DEXA scan yet, I highly recommend it. It gives you a baseline for your bone health and lets you start taking action if needed, helping to reduce the risk of osteoporosis as you approach menopause.

🔥 HOT MERCH:

Get a 25% discount on all my Etsy products with the code SUB25

A funny perimenopause and menopause t-shirt for all the women who have become members of the 3AM club.

Available in different colors and sizes.

Join the 3AM Club!

6 different menopause stickers on a sticker sheet.

To use on a notepad, laptop, water bottle, or phone case. Perfect for gifting your bestie or other women in your life who get it.

Stick It, Love It!

A customer bought this mug, and she came back to buy 5 more.

I guess all her friends wanted one too!

Sip With Attitude!

Have you ever considered that your hot flashes might be a sign you’re secretly a dragon? If so, you need this candle!

Unleash Your Inner Dragon!

🎧 LISTEN:

PODCAST: 4 lifestyle changes that lower high blood pressure by Zoe Science & Nutrition.

In this episode, Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains how high blood pressure is often a symptom of lifestyle, diet, stress, and gut health, not just a number.

After talking about how it raises the risk of heart disease, stroke, and dementia, he shares practical, evidence-based strategies - like diet, exercise, sleep, and stress management - to lower your blood pressure and protect your heart and brain.

SONG: Bruno Mars - I just might

I love this video about his live performance at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards.

And if you want to learn the choreography, I’m following this video ;)

📚 READ:

BOOKS:

I read fiction in bed to switch my mind off.

One of the books I’ve read this month that I enjoyed is:

The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas

Catalina Martín needs a wedding date fast to cover up a white lie. Her infuriating colleague, Aaron Blackford, offers to help, and as the wedding approaches, she starts to wonder if he’s not so unbearable outside the office.

Maybe what I liked most was the use of Spanish; it took me back to Spain and the years I lived there. If you know some Spanish, you’ll love it.

Fun fact: I started reading this book in Spanish because I assumed that, since the author is Spanish, she wrote the original in her mother tongue. I generally prefer reading books in their original language when I can.

However, after a few pages, I noticed the reading didn’t flow. So I did some research and discovered that the book was actually first written in English, which explained why the translation wasn’t that great.

SUBSTACK:

The Wellness Girlies Are Becoming Really Well Women by Abby Charette

Abby Charette - Really Well

The Wellness Girlies Are Becoming Really Well Women

There was a time when wellness felt… easy…

Read more

3 months ago · 7 likes · Abby Charette - Really Well

I loved this article because it reminds me that wellness isn’t about perfection or recreating the past. As life gets busier, our routines must evolve.

The piece highlights how “really well” women focus on resilience, self-care, and sustainable habits that support real life and not just appearances. It’s a refreshing, realistic take on staying healthy while honoring who we’ve become.

📩 This Month's Hits

Changes to Newsletter Tiers: Finding the Right Support for Your Health Journey

Your Doctor Says Your Labs Are “Normal”, But You Still Feel Awful. Here’s Why.

The Iron Absorption Guide Your Doctor Didn’t Give You - The difference between iron-rich eating and iron-smart eating

Why You’re Constipated in Perimenopause (And What to Do About It) - Foods and supplements to increase your fiber intake

🥗 EAT:

INGREDIENT: Eat this at least once per week - Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds are a nutritional powerhouse, packed with magnesium, zinc, healthy fats, and antioxidants that support heart health, hormone balance, and immune function. They’re also great for digestion and can help regulate blood sugar.

How to incorporate them into your diet: sprinkle them over salads, meal bowls, oatmeal, or yogurt, blend them into smoothies, or enjoy them roasted as a crunchy, nutrient-dense snack anytime.

They are an easy addition to reach your 30+ plants per week.

RECIPE: Smoky Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

I’m not usually a huge fan of pork, but this is an easy recipe that always impresses. I can cook large quantities at once, and it takes just 10 minutes to prep.

I like to serve it with rice and green beans, or a raw cabbage salad.

Coming up Next Week…

Next Tuesday is the time for the very first AMA (Ask Me Anything) newsletter.

It’s a space where you can bring your real-life questions about perimenopause, menopause, nutrition, cravings, belly fat, energy crashes, supplements, protein, gut health — the things that actually come up in your day-to-day life.

No fluff. No generic advice.

Just practical, evidence-based guidance you can apply immediately.

If there’s something you’ve been wondering about — this is your invitation to ask.

✨ How it works:

• You send me your question.

• I answer it in depth in the monthly AMA post.

• You learn not only from your question, but from everyone else’s too.

Full transparency: the AMA article is available to paid subscribers only. It’s one of the ways I support the time and care that goes into answering your questions thoughtfully and thoroughly.

So if you’re a paid subscriber, drop your question in the comments or by replying to this email.

And if you’ve been thinking about upgrading, this is a beautiful month to join.

Subscribe now

💬 Comment & chat! Anything in this week’s newsletter spark your curiosity? Have questions? Got a recommendation of your own? Pop ‘em below.

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