Clear, practical answers to common questions about perimenopause, symptoms and metabolic health.
Navigating changes in your energy, hormones or metabolism can feel confusing at any stage of midlife; whether you’re in perimenopause, menopause or beyond. Many women are told their symptoms are “normal,” or feel unsure whether their fatigue, weight changes, sleep issues, inflammation or mood shifts are hormone- or stress-related.
This page brings together the questions I’m asked most often about symptoms, bloodwork and how I work, with clear, practical explanations to help you understand what your body is showing you. If you’re still unsure after reading, you’re welcome to book a 15-minute clarity call to talk through your symptoms and next steps.
Perimenopause is the natural transition leading up to menopause and can last up to 10 years, often beginning from around age 35. It frequently shows up long before cycles change. Many women first notice symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, sleep disruptions, weight changes, inflammation, bloating, anxiety, mood shifts or feeling “not like themselves.” These changes are hormonal and metabolic; not imagined, and not “just aging.”
If you want to understand the early signs more clearly, this article may help:
→ Understanding Perimenopause & SymptomsIn perimenopause, hormones and metabolic function shift long before periods stop. Stress hormones, insulin, thyroid patterns, nutrient status and inflammation can all influence how your body regulates energy, mood and weight.
These shifts are often missed in standard testing, which is why a clinically phased, bloodwork-led approach gives clearer answers.
For more support on navigating these changes:
→ Nutrition & Exercise Strategies in Perimenopause
For weight gain specifically:
→ The science of weight-loss: what your hormones and brain have to do about it
The ranges your GP uses are based on population averages, not on what is optimal for energy, hormones or metabolic health.
“Normal” ranges only rule out disease, they don’t explain:
-
fatigue
-
weight gain
-
brain fog
-
sleep problems
-
mood changes
-
digestive symptoms
-
inflammation
-
stress intolerance
A functional, pattern-based interpretation looks at trends, ratios and early shifts that can create symptoms long before anything appears “out of range.” You’re not imagining these symptoms, they’re simply not explained by basic ranges. A deeper interpretation offers far more insight into what your body is showing you.
-
There is no single blood test that confirms perimenopause. It’s understood through age, symptoms and patterns. But bloodwork is incredibly helpful for understanding why you feel the way you do.
Standard lab interpretations focus on disease detection, not optimal wellbeing. Functional blood testing gives a clearer picture of what your body needs.
For perimenopause and midlife health, we may review markers related to:
-
metabolic function and blood sugar regulation
-
thyroid health
-
inflammation
-
nutrient status
-
liver function
-
stress patterns
-
cardiovascular risk
These markers reveal what your body needs now and why symptoms are showing up. This deeper interpretation is included in the Clinical Health WOF
-
The Health WOF gives you a clinical review of your bloodwork, symptoms and underlying drivers, along with clear recommendations for your next steps. It’s ideal if you want direction and a clearer understanding of what your body is asking for right now.
For women who want more hands-on support, there is also the option of ongoing coaching, which includes regular check-ins, personalised protocols, adaptive nutrition phases, stress and nervous system support, and guidance as your body responds and changes.
A one-off consultation gives you answers. Ongoing support helps you apply those answers in a structured, supported way.
If you’d like help deciding what you need, you can book a free 15-minute clarity call through the Services page.
Some women simply need a clearer understanding of what’s happening and what to adjust; the Health WOF provides that.
Others have symptoms that have been building for months or years, or they want accountability, structure and clinical guidance as they make changes that will last. In these cases, ongoing support can be incredibly helpful, offering regular coaching and tailored adjustments based on your symptoms, progress and physiology.
If you’re feeling inflamed, exhausted, wired-but-tired, overwhelmed or like nothing you try is working anymore, ongoing support can offer the structure needed to create meaningful change, but the WOF is always a solid first step.
Yes. Nutritional, metabolic and lifestyle recommendations can complement medications, thyroid treatment, antidepressants or HRT.
Your plan is built around your physiology, your results and your current treatments, never in conflict with them.
It’s completely normal to feel hesitant, especially if you’ve tried different things before or feel unsure about where to start. The approach I use is adaptive, not one-size-fits-all. If something isn’t working, we look at why and adjust based on your symptoms, bloodwork insights, energy patterns, stress response and metabolic markers.
You’re not expected to get everything right on your own, and you’re not “failing” if you need more support; midlife is a time of real physiological change. Many women notice meaningful improvements in energy, sleep, digestion, inflammation and mental clarity once they understand what their body is showing them and begin making targeted changes.
If you’re unsure where to begin, a 15-minute clarity call or a Health WOF is a safe place to start. From there, we can talk about whether some form of ongoing support might be helpful for you.