Kickstart your health after 40: how to feel amazing in 2025 and beyond

Feeling tired, moody, and stuck in your body doesn’t have to be your normal.

So many women believe that fatigue, weight gain, and feeling uncomfortable and out of sync with your body are just part of perimenopause, or worse, that they’re inevitable as you age. But that’s simply not true.

In this episode, Sarah The Perimenopause Naturopath is breaking down the common mistakes that might be holding you back from feeling great, and sharing five simple yet powerful habits that can help you take control of your health and energy in 2025 - and beyond.

Key takeaways
By tuning in, you’ll learn:
•Why perimenopause symptoms are signals, not something you’re stuck with, and how to work with your body instead of against it.
•The biggest misconceptions about life after 40, and how to challenge the “too old to feel good” mindset.
•Five small, practical steps to kickstart your health without changing your whole life - so you can finally feel like your old amazing self again.

Sneak peek:
“Symptoms are signals that your body needs support. Symptoms are always messages from your body that something is out of balance or that it needs something, needs some help to get itself back into balance. And it doesn’t always have to be big, grand things that we change. Sometimes the small daily habits and changes can make a huge difference.”

This isn’t about unrealistic resolutions or all-or-nothing approaches. It’s about realistic, actionable habits that give you the energy to thrive in this next phase of life.

Ready to feel great again? Don’t miss this episode - it’s packed with tips to help you make 2025 the year you finally reclaim your health and energy.

Links & Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
•PerimenoGO: www.theperimenopausenaturopath.com.au/perimenogo
•Blog: How Phytoestrogens Can Help with Perimenopause Symptoms
•Blog: How Much Water Do You Really Need?
•Episode 75:

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

• 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.

WORK WITH SARAH THE PERIMENOPAUSE NATUROPATH:

• PerimenoGO (because who wants to pause anyway?!) A self-guided program to help you reverse weight gain, boost energy, and reclaim your mood — without extreme diets or cutting carbs. Perfect for women who want a realistic plan that fits around kids, work, and actual life.
• The Chaos to Calm Method: A 1:1 personalised program for women who want a more personalised plan and support — especially if you’ve got 10kg+ to lose, other health issues, or feel like your body’s just stuck. Includes comprehensive blood testing and analysis, Metabolic Balance ...

Transcript

If you find yourself struggling with feeling tired, frustrated by weight gain, or just not feeling like yourself anymore, since you hit your forties or your fifties. You're in the right place because today I'm going to show you how to kickstart your health in 2025 and beyond with five super simple, basic, but really powerful steps to help you feel amazing again.

And stay tuned to the end because I'm also sharing one of the biggest mistakes I see women make when it comes to their health in perimenopause and beyond menopause as well, and how you can avoid it so that you can start feeling in control of your body again, start feeling comfortable in yourself again.

I've seen these basics work time and time again, even with my own parents who are now in their late seventies and didn't even start doing these until almost their late seventies. And with lots of my clients as well, who they think. Well, not they think, they do look after themselves.

They try to eat well, they have a pretty good health IQ. They go to the gym or they exercise. They don't eat junk food every day. I think that's a really common misconception that people have that they must be feeling not great or, not able to lose weight because they're eating junk or eating out all the time.

It's a really common misconception that my clients must not be living a healthy lifestyle. But it's, that's actually not true. Like for my client Mia, she came to me I've changed her name for her privacy there, but she came to me feeling really out of sync with her body, low energy, struggling with weight that she had gained and she couldn't get rid of, even though she was eating well.

Moving her body exercising regularly. And she was feeling as well overwhelmed by perimenopause symptoms, like hot flushes and other changes in her body. Yeah. Even though she was also using hormone replacement therapy as well as looking after herself as I said, but with some small really strategic changes, some of which I'll cover today, Mia started sleeping better, feeling more energized, and even seeing five kilos of weight loss within the first few weeks of her starting to do these things. And yeah, huge improvement in those symptoms as well. All within that first month. And that was really great for her. Cause she, when we started working together, she was getting married just five weeks after she started. So she really had a deadline and a timeframe and we were smashed it.

She smashed it.

If we haven't met, I'm Sarah, the perimenopause naturopath, and I've helped hundreds of women over 40 navigate perimenopause with confidence. Feel great in their bodies and reclaim their mood and energy. So if you're over 40 and feeling like you're changing hormones or hijacking your mood, energy, and weight, and you want to change that in a holistic way, then this is the place for you because each episode of chaos to calm podcast, I share with you my views on what's happening in your body, why are you feeling the way you are and how you can change that with actionable advice to help you move from chaos to calm and feel more comfortable in your body despite perimenopause or menopause. 

So today, well, first podcast episode for 2025. So welcome. And we are going to be talking about how you can kickstart your health in 2025 with five really simple tips that I want you to make into habits.

I think habits is really the key to creating health in the longterm. Habits. And I'll save the other tip the other really important thing for the end. So listen, stay with me. And we're going to work with your body, not against it. That's really key as well. We want to embrace your changing body, embrace your changing hormones and work with them, not try and like beat them back into where we wanted them to be like what they are in our twenties or our thirties.

They're just like, It's not going to be like that. They're not going to be like that again. And it's just like, you might as well go hit your head against a wall. If you're going to try and force your hormones back into some kind of balance that resembles what they were in your twenties or thirties, but some of you, they probably weren't even balanced at that time then.

So let's talk about some of the common pitfalls before we get into the tips, let's talk about some of the common pitfalls that really stop women from feeling their best. These are my observations, really common themes I see in the women that I talk to, and work with as well. So the first pitfall is believing that perimenopause symptoms.

And symptoms of aging are inevitable. And I would say the other heart of that is that HRT is the only option to undo those. And some of you, that might be fine. You want it, you're open and happy to do HRT. And for others of you, it might not be available to you, or it's not something that you want to do.

So it can leave you just resigned to, Oh, well, it's just I have to do it. I have to put up with this. And it is one of the biggest misconceptions that I see is that symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, mood swings, that they're just part of perimenopause, even flushes, sweats, insomnia, people put up with a lot.

Because they think nothing can be done to change them. And so the truth really is that these symptoms are signals that your body needs support. Symptoms are always messages from your body that something is out of balance or that it needs something, needs some help to get itself back into balance. And it doesn't always have to be big grand things that we change or we do.

Sometimes the small daily habits and changes can make a huge difference. And that's what I'm here to talk to you about today. Because it's not all fancy shakes, pills, powders, potions, flogging yourself at the gym at least for an hour every day. Like it's just doesn't have to be about that. And in fact, that often doesn't work for you in perimenopause.

It'll have the opposite effect there too. So the second pitfall that I see is thinking that it's all about luck or genetics. And that case, this kind of just ties into the first one as well, doesn't it? Where we just resigned or thinking, oh well I just have to put up with it. You might think. your perimenopause experience is entirely dictated by your genes.

So like, Oh, my mum had a horrific perimenopause. So that's going to be it for me. Or all the women in our family have horrible perimenopause. That's what I hear a lot. And so then, Think that's just your lot in life. And that's just how it has to be. But what are genes definitely play a role in every aspect of us and our health and our behaviors and habits.

But we are always in charge of whether those genes are switched on or switched off. So your daily habits, what you drink, what you eat, what you do, they're what determine whether those genetic switches are turned on or not. So yeah, you might inherit a gene that can lead you down one path, but always we do have more control than we think.

And we have more opportunity to influence that than what we realize. So just because someone else in your family or someone that you're related to your mom or your auntie or your grandma perimenopause and menopause, it doesn't mean that's what you need to expect or what you're going to resign yourself to experiencing.

Now this is this pitfall, this obstacle to feeling great, I see it in men and women and I always say to my husband, I can't believe how many people write themselves off as old. So many people, like I still play lacrosse and play competitive sport and I, and people will say to me, Oh, I'm too old, I say, are you playing? Are you going to play this year?

"Oh no, I'm too old now." And I say, well, hang on, how old are you? And they'll be like, late thirties or early forties. I'm like, dude, I'm 50 and still playing. My husband's 55 and he's still playing. And I get that it's not for everyone. Maybe you have other focus or things shift in life, but don't tell me you're too old when you're in your thirties or forties, please don't write yourself off as old at that time, because it's simply not true.

Yes, we're aging. We're aging all the time. Every day we're a little bit older than we were the day before it's true, but So many women in their forties and fifties and men, like I said as well, but you assume that feeling tired, uncomfortable joint pain, or all those sorts of things is just what happens when you age.

And it's just simply not true. Aging doesn't have to mean decline and it doesn't have to mean pain and being uncomfortable. Again, it's about what you eat, drink and do. And with the right support, you can thrive well into your later years. Like I said, at the start, my mom and dad, my dad's 79, mom's 75.

Oh, I hope I got that right. Nearly 75. And they're doing great. Not on any medication, still really active. They take my kids out every week and they're going for walks on the beach and ride their bike and do dad play golf and, for the most part walks around the 18 holes every time.

So, please don't write yourself off as old and don't, and what people will accept as, Oh, I'm just getting older, the things that they'll live with or put up with. It's no good and there's plenty of life left in you. Yeah, I'm sure. So pitfall number four, living life on autopilot. So one of the most overlooked things or the biggest pitfall is living your life on autopilot.

So this is when we're stuck in routines or habits or behaviors that really don't serve us. But it's just things that we do because that's what we do. That's what we've always done. And it is easy to keep repeating the same habits or doing the same things week after week and year after year, even if they're not.

Really working for you, but you might not even notice it. They're not working for you because you're living on autopilot and just going through the motions. Our brain loves it when we live on autopilot because it's less resources that are needed for it to keep us upright and alive. It can just tune out cause there's so much input in all our senses or into our brain, there's a lot of input all the time.

And, that means that it needs to filter out a lot of stuff. So if we're just doing the same things and living on autopilot maybe eating the same foods or buying our lunch at the same place and needing the same thing from that same restaurant or cafe all the time, even if we think afterwards, Oh, I don't feel really great eating that or whatever it might be.

Our brain does like that because it's less decisions and less thought that has to go into the process. Living on autopilot kind of makes us like a robot. I think. This is we're pre programmed and just doing the same program over and over again. And a lot of the time it doesn't suit you, especially as your hormones change and your body is changing, you need to change the program. 

Now, so that's the common pitfalls or common obstacles that I see. And that's not even considering what you eat, drink or do, but it's really the thoughts, isn't it? I've been talking a lot about thoughts lately in the last probably eight episodes, but I hope that you see that's why it's really important.

Your mindset and thinking about why you're eating or why you're doing the things that you do is so important. So now let's shift into talking about what you can do or what I suggest that you do some simple, but really powerful habits that will help you feel amazing in 2025 and beyond.

Because I'm not all about new year, new you or quick fixes or all or nothing diet mindset. I'm here to help you make long term healthy lifestyles. That's what I love to help people to do. Learn how to eat to support their body or eat in a way that supports their body, now and ongoing and building that longterm healthy lifestyle so that you learn, what to eat for sure to manage through perimenopause, but also beyond that as well.

So the other thing about what I'm going to talk about is yes, they are small and they're kind of basic. But they're the things that give you the longterm health. They're small, they're actionable, and they build momentum. They feed off each other and they all stack and work together to give you that longterm health because long term health isn't necessarily about completely overhauling your life burning it all down and starting again, and for some people that doing that, that might work really well for you, but for others, it can be difficult to do that and you better off just adding in small things one at a time.

So I'm going to give you five tips. And then I'm going to tell you the big mistake that I see people make all the time. So you don't do it too, but what I would suggest is that you add in your tips, like work on one at a time, add one in, master it for at least a week and then add another behavior in.

So my first tip is going to be, is add more vegetables. Super basic, lots of different colored veggies and not starchy ones. So not like I want you to aim over your day to get to 600 grams. And that can include a little bit of fruit, but not a lot and not the starchy veg. So your sweet potato, your potatoes they're not really being included in that pumpkin, maybe a little bit, but not the majority of them. I want the majority of your veg to be leafy greens, broccoli other brightly colored stuff like that as well. They'll boost your nutrient intake, supports your hormone health as well lots of fiber in that much veg for you, which is really important for your hormone excretion or elimination. Super simple step, but makes a huge difference and I actually was really horrified recently in a mum's group that I'm in like a Facebook mum's group when someone asked the question about do they cook every night for their family and so the answer to that wasn't shocking to me as much as because like, I don't cook every night, I get my kids to cook some of the time and we have regular leftover nights and sometimes I'll cook something with the intention that another night I'm not going to cook because that's in the freezer. So, but the surprise to me was the lack of vegetables that people were feeding their families and themselves. So, like they were, maybe having spaghetti bolognese or, dishes like that multiple times in the week, but not, adding or hiding any veg in it. Or not serving it with say a salad on the side and, not even really eating a lot of fruit. 

So I know that those things can be expensive these days for sure, but also if you're not feeling great, that's expensive to you in terms of time and what you can get done. And, also if you have to go to the doctor, that's super expensive.

I took my child to the doctor today for a regular check. She has the autoimmune condition, so we need to get her eyes checked every year. This was a specialist eye doctor and that was like 150 for a very short time, a very short appointment, but even I took my 17 year old to the doctor to get a blood test referral and that was 120.

It's expensive to go to the doctor. So if you can avoid it, definitely. And basics like eating more veg. 

So 600 grams over the day is what you're aiming for. Now, one thing that you can do, I've talked a lot in the past about insulin resistance and managing your blood glucose levels you want to go for a walk after your meals, after your lunch or your dinner, just 10 or 15 minutes, or if you can't go for a walk, maybe it's snowing or raining or whatever, it's too hot, it's like 42 degrees outside.

Put some music on and have a little dance for 10 minutes. It doesn't have to be super huffy puffy, it can just be gentle but it's going to do really great things for your digestion, your blood sugar levels particularly and your insulin as well. And that's what we're all here for because that's really what you want to do.

To, manage not just for weight, but like for your health generally as well. So, yeah, going for a walk, it'll, it's so, it's relatively easy to incorporate, but it really, hits a big win. I don't know if that's the right analogy anyway. It's nice for your mood as well. And if you think that you can't afford the time to do it, then you probably really need to do it.

Yeah. Yeah. So I have that little bit of downtime. Yeah, so big benefits from it, from a small investment there. Now, the third tip is all about water and having a drink of water. And my kids will tell you much to their annoyance. If there's ever a problem or something going on, what does mum say? Have a drink of water.

Have you had any water today? I'll say, have you eaten? It manages to serve, solve most problems. And then, the third one I always ask them is, have you done a poo? Cause it's usually it fixes a lot of things. And if you don't drink enough water, it's really difficult to go to the toilet and use your bowels.

So dehydration can worsen lots of things, fatigue, brain fog, your memory concentration, those things that can be big problems in perimenopause and menopause. Early menopause as well. How much water you actually need is usually a lot more than what you think. I've got a blog. I'll put it in the show notes, the link to it there.

So you can calculate how much you need and you can check it out in the show notes. They're super important. And I do recommend a filter. And I talk about that in the blog as well. Tip number four is sleep. Now I did talk about this just towards the end of last year. So probably episode 74, I think is about sleep.

And it is the most underrated tool for your health. And, I know in perimenopause, it's really difficult to get sleep, but prioritizing and setting things up. So you give yourself the chance or the opportunity to have seven to nine hours of sleep each night is a real game changer. And ideally that some of that sleep, like at one to two hours will be before midnight, because that's going to pay big dividends for your health.

So I talked about in that sleep podcast episode last about dimming the lights, turning off your screens, unwinding with something calming like reading or stretching. And those doing that and really focusing on that sleep and giving yourself the opportunity to sleep because it's where your brain and your body does its repair and rebalancing and restoration.

Pays dividends for your your health, your weight. Like I've got so many blogs and podcast episodes on how sleep. It impacts your health in the long term. And yet we're still scrolling on our phones or watching stuff late into the night to have some me time. The me time you need to have is with your pillow and sleeping and that is going to give you more energy and less reliance on caffeine, which also messes with your hormones and your mood and your energy.

And, yeah, there's a lot of research that supports sleep as being really key for your longevity and your health. Last tip, last thing to try, over the next weeks is incorporating phytoestrogen foods. I have a love affair with them. I eat them every day. I encourage all my clients to eat them every day.

And they are natural compounds found in your foods like flax seeds and lentils and tofu, to help modulate your estrogen levels. And they're really helpful to reduce symptoms like hot flashes or your mood swings. And also helping to improve your insulin sensitivity and, halt that sort of creeping weight gain that women in perimenopause and menopause have to the tune of usually 500 grams per year.

I've got a blog that goes deeper into phytoestrogens and one on soy as well. So I'll link both of those in the show notes for you at www.chaostocalmpodcast.com. All right. 

 That's my five tips for you for today. Adding in more veggies to your day, so 600 grams per day, non starchy veg, so not potatoes or sweet potatoes, and a little bit of pumpkin, not a lot, same with carrots and a little bit of fruit can be incorporated into that, but not the potatoes and sweet potatoes.

Go for a short walk after your lunch and dinner, or breakfast as well. Make sure you're getting enough water, plain water, not flavored, prioritize your sleep and getting sleep, incorporate some phytoestrogen foods into your day.

And the biggest mistake I think, the biggest pitfall is writing yourself off as old or resigning yourself to, Oh, that's how it was for my mum. That's how it's going to have to be for me. Aging doesn't have to mean feeling bad or slowing down. Also perimenopause and menopause doesn't have to mean feeling bad or slowing down.

I think it's really important that you understand that. I guess if you're here with me on the podcast, I'm hoping that you do know that and understand that by now, but I can't tell you enough that it's really important. And I, like I said, I've had probably the last eight or so podcast episodes have all been about habits and mindset and reflection and reviewing.

They are the keys to your long term health and you can feel incredible no matter your age, no matter what stage of perimenopause or menopause you're at, you can feel great. You can feel wonderful through this time period, just because you've hit 40 doesn't mean it's like it's all downhill.

You're not over the hill. You're not on the downslope. You don't have to be that way. So I think that's the big mistake that people make is writing themselves off as old or, Oh, well it's perimenopause. It's menopause. What can you do? So much! So if you are ready to ditch the idea that you just have to put up with perimenopause symptoms or feeling like it's all downhill because I'm old.

And instead you want to take control and using simple changes to what you eat, drink, and do. Then I invite you to check out my program, PerimenoGO. It's designed to help women like you navigate perimenopause and menopause with confidence, feel great in your body and really enjoy this stage of life.

So you'll find the link to find out more about PerimenoGO in the show notes, alongside all those other resources that I mentioned through the episode, you can go to www.theperimenopausenaturopath.com.au/perimenogo to learn more about PerimenoGO or otherwise visit the show notes there from wherever you're listening.

So thank you again for tuning in today's episode on how to kickstart your health in 2025 and beyond. If you found this episode helpful, please do make sure to follow the podcast so you don't miss future episodes and tips. And while you're there, please rate the podcast, even leave a review and let me know what you'd like to see more of on the podcast.

It's really helpful for me to provide content that's it's valuable to you but ratings and reviews also means more women get shown or find the podcast and have the opportunity to transfer their perimenopause from chaos to calm. So that my friend is all for this episode. Thank you so much for listening and sharing your time with me today.

I do really appreciate it until next time. Keep transforming your perimenopause from chaos to calm and here's to feeling great in the year ahead.