10 Life Changing Health Hacks Every Woman Needs to Know!
Since qualifying as a Health and Wellbeing coach in 2020, a Grey Area Drinking Coach in 2021 and a Menopause Coach in 2023, I learnt a LOT about women’s health and ways to optimize it. But in all honesty, I’ve learnt even more from the incredible guest experts I have interviewed in my women’s health programs over the last 4 years. The information I’ve been able to learn from them has been mind-blowing. And it’s too important not to share.
As we come off the back of Women’s Health Week, I want to share my top 10 women’s health hacks for optimal mental, physical and emotional wellbeing.
Get your Vitamin D levels checked
I can’t emphasis this enough. Vit D deficiency has a HUGE role to play in our mental health and deficiencies impact our serotonin production and also how well we sleep. I live in Perth, where the sun shines a LOT. I am outside every single day running or walking my dog and often wear short sleeves to absorb sunlight when I can. However, my recent blood tests show that even with my daily walks outside and my really great diet, I am at the lowest level of ‘in range’ and way off my optimal number. I was advised to get the Bioceuticals Vit D spray, which I spray under my tongue every morning. I honestly can notice a difference in my mood.
Create a rock-solid sleep routine
Never underestimate the impact sleep has not just on physical health but also mental health. Poor sleep has been linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, dementia and other cardiovascular diseases. Your body needs time to heal and repair. It can only do this while you sleep. But we can’t expect to be rushing around all evening and then get into bed and fall asleep immediately. Falling asleep is a PROCESS that takes a couple of hours. I am always asleep within 10 mins of getting into bed (this wasn’t always the case and I have worked bloody hard to achieve this), and these are my tips:
Eat dinner 2 hours before you want to fall asleep and nothing in that final 2 hour window. It’s hard to fall asleep if you’re still digesting food.
Turn all bright lights off as soon as it’s dark outside so you just have low-level lighting (minimal) to instigate melatonin production (darkness instigates melatonin and we can’t fall asleep unless we are producing melatonin. Artificial lights disrupt melatonin production).
Avoid using devices for at least 90 minutes before bed.
Avoid alcohol.
3. Get to know your circadian rhythm and live in flow with it.
This means 80% of the time going to bed at the same time and getting up at the same time. Your body craves routine in this way. It’s how our ancestors lived and how we are designed to live as humans. Work out when you prefer to exercise and create a routine that includes this most days (some people are evening and some are morning). Know when you feel the most creative and productive and structure your work tasks (where possible) around this. When we give our body this routine and structure, she rewards us with vitality and energy.
4. Let yourself be happy.
In her book ‘The 5 regrets of the dying’ Bronnie Wares states the 5th regret of those at the end of their lives is that they didn’t let themselves be happy. What truly makes you happy? When we know this, we can ensure to add it in more. I listened to a podcast recently where the guy being interviewed said there is research to show 3 things make humans happy: 1) music (create a feel-good playlist! Music can shift our mood and mindset). 2) Connection. Make sure you spend as much time as possible with people you love doing things you love. At the end of the day, is there anything more important in life than this? 3) Learning. Humans love to learn. What are you interested in? Find what interests you and learn about it—books, podcasts, TED talks, YouTube videos. Your brain is happiest when it’s learning.
5. Avoid or cut down on alcohol.
For many people I work with, abstinence is actually so much easier than moderation. Women cannot metabolise alcohol as effectively as men and we are more at risk of the health dangers associated with alcohol. The World Health Organisation has stated that in some regions, alcohol is the biggest risk factor for breast cancer. While alcohol is dressed up as a way to socialise, relax and a'reward', we also have to remember it’s a level one carcinogen and in the same cancer-causing category as tobacco and asbestos.
While the alcohol industry may do everything possible to make their drinks look inviting and harmless, they aren’t. Reach out to me for help with changing your drinking habits or join my October alcohol-free challenge HERE. The benefits of removing alcohol include less anxiety, better sleep, more energy, improved clarity, more positive thinking, higher motivation, improved cardio-vascular health, lower blood pressure, and improved brain health. If all this were available as a pill, it would be worth billions!
6. Add in beans.
Those of you who’ve done my sugar and nutrition challenges have heard our incredible guest speaker on the power of beans! Eat beans every day! I add black beans to my yoghurt and nuts each morning. Why beans? They have the highest amount of soluble fiber of any food type, which means they extract toxins from the body and a diet high in beans can support reducing anxiety, inflammation, auto-immune conditions, weight loss, menopause symptoms and reduce sugar cravings. To access all the information in my sugar and nutrition reset course, click HERE.
7. Rest.
It is SO important we have time in our day to rest. I don’t mean sleep. I don’t mean lie on the sofa scrolling. I mean deep, restorative rest where our mind and body have time to relax and switch off. If we don’t, we risk getting caught in the chronic stress cycle, which is hugely detrimental to our physical health. Deep rest looks like:
Yin yoga
Non-sleep deep rest (yoga nidra—this is my absolute favourite)
Meditation
Walking slowly without music or distraction and taking in nature
Breathwork
Soothing music
Massage/reflexology
Sound healing
8. Get to know your body.
Have your biomarkers checked regularly and know not just the wide range of ‘ok’ as per your GP but actually what the optimal range is. I recently had 50 biomarkers checked via blood tests from a functional medicine doctor. A standard GP would have said I was in range and ok for everything. But in 5 areas, I was off my ‘optimal’ performance number. With some small adjustments and adding in a couple of new supplements and foods to my diet, I am feeling better than ever. This is whilst in the midst of perimenopause.
9. Move your body every single day.
I’m going to give you 2 reasons. The first is that when we exercise, we release cytokines, which cross the blood-brain barrier to act as an antidepressant and improve brain health, prevent dementia and improve our mood and sense of wellbeing. Exercise is the most potent longevity drug, says Peter Attia. The second reason is that what you do today will directly impact how you live your life in your 80’s and 90’s. Picture yourself at the age of 85. What do you want to be doing?
Travelling? Playing with your grandkids? Catching up with your friends? Walking at the beach?
Everything you do today in terms of exercise will directly impact the body and health you have in your 80’s and 90’s. It’s so important we build muscle. We know that after the age of 65, around 30% of people have a fall each year.
Over 50% of women do not return to their pre-fall health after falling (My mum had a bad fall at 69 and has never been the same since); 20-30% of women over 65 die within 1 year of having a fall. What prevents us from falling? Muscle strength, mobility, balance. Make sure you are including all these forms of exercise in your week. It doesn’t have to be an hour each day—20-30 minutes is better than nothing!
10. I love the saying, “Everyone has two lives.
The second one starts when we realise we only have one." Are you living your life with full knowledge and awareness that you only have one? Do you respect and nourish your body? Do you rest? Do you have adventures? Do you push yourself just a little out of your comfort zone? Do you prioritise spending time with the people you love doing the things you love?
What’s one thing you could do today to live a happier and more intention life? Is it your health and changing your drinking? Is it spending less time on your phone? Is it having regular blood tests? Is it saying no to others more so you can say yes to yourself more?
For more information on my October Alcohol free challenge, click HERE and for my self-paced courses on women’s health, click HERE. I am on a mission to change as many women’s lives as I possibly can.
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