Hot flushes, irritability, brain fog, mood swings, weight gain, low mood and low energy can all be signs of menopause, the phase of a woman’s life when the menstrual cycle comes to a stop and hormonal changes occur affecting levels of oestrogen in the body. Less widely spoken of is the fact that there is a male menopause which is due to a period of gradual adjustment in testosterone levels and has some similar symptoms.

Making good dietary decisions, decreasing stress, exercising and getting enough sleep can help to alleviate these issues, but let’s face it, achieving all of these things in a full life can be very stressful in itself.

Luckily seeds are a fantastic way to add omega-3 fatty acids, fibre, protein, B vitamins and magnesium to your daily eating, and they taste great too. Adding foods that contain phytoestrogens – broccoli, cauliflower, dark berries, chickpeas, soya beans – can also help mimic oestrogen and help to reduce the symptoms.

Other foods that can help include yogurt, oily fish, black tea and foods like tofu, tempeh and soya milk.

It is advised to try and avoid processed foods and refined carbohydrates to ensure that you are leading as balanced a lifestyle as you can. This will mean you are doing your best to keep symptoms at bay.

We know that the transition from perimenopause (where symptoms can begin and periods can become irregular) to menopause can last for several years, but the good news is that if you look after yourself naturally you can improve the chances of milder symptoms. Some people even experience none!

To get your day off to the best start we have created this delicious HRT Granola recipe which uses our Lightly Toasted Three Seed Mix. Serve it with yogurt and dark berries and you’ll be ticking so many nutrition boxes as well as looking forward to breakfast every day. We even have this as a late night snack sometimes – sshhhhh.