A slightly different one from me today. Let me know in the comments if you’d like more food ideas!

People ask me a lot about what I actually eat, so here are three foods I come back to consistently, why I do so and a recipe I make on repeat.

FYI: paid subscribers get access to my full archive - posts like 10 Things I Wish I Knew About Ovulation and Why You Feel Puffier Than Usual - And What Actually Causes It, plus everything else I’ve written on hormones, cycle health and nutrition.

You also get the Women’s Health Nutrition Clinic: live group calls twice a month where you can bring your questions directly to me. £12 a month or £120 a year.

Read more

I hope you’re great. I had a very chilled weekend spent on long walks, working and getting lots of sleep. This week and weekend is a bit more busy. I am going to be posting some days in the life this week, so make sure you follow along on Insta!

Btw I am currently booking my corporate talks ‘Food & Mood’ for World Mental Health Day in October and ‘Nutrition for the Menopause’ for Menopause Awareness Month in October. If you think the business you work for would be interested in learning more, please send me a message here or an email to info@sophietrotmannutrition.com and I can send you some more info. You could also connect with me on LinkedIn here.

Ok soo - the luteal phase is the second half of your cycle - the roughly two weeks between ovulation and your period. It’s also the phase that most women find hardest. Yay.

Here’s what I wish more women knew about it.

1. It only exists because you ovulated

The luteal phase is triggered by ovulation. The empty follicle left behind after the egg is released becomes the corpus luteum, which produces progesterone for the rest of your cycle.

No ovulation means no corpus luteum, which means little to no progesterone in the second half. Without it, the second half of your cycle has very little to run on.

2. Progesterone is the hormone running the show

Progesterone rises after ovulation and stays elevated through the luteal phase before dropping just before your period. It’s calming, mildly sedating, and it’s what makes the second half of your cycle feel manageable.

When it’s lower than it should be - through poor ovulation, stress, under-eating, or age - sleep worsens, anxiety rises, and PMS hits harder.

3. Your energy naturally drops

Progesterone has a calming effect on the nervous system, which can show up as lower motivation, less drive and wanting to be at home more. Your hormones are behind this. Planning lighter social commitments and more rest in this phase helps.

4. Your body temperature rises

After ovulation, progesterone causes a small but measurable rise in your basal body temperature - around 0.2 to 0.5 degrees Celsius. It stays elevated through the luteal phase before dropping back down just before your period arrives.

This is why you might feel warmer at night, sleep more lightly, or find that exercise takes more out of you in the second half of your cycle. You can track this with a basal body thermometer - it’s more precise than a standard one and needs to be taken at the same time each morning before you get up.

5. Your calorie needs are slightly higher

Your resting metabolic rate increases slightly in the luteal phase. Research suggests an additional 100-300 calories a day in the week before your period specifically - so cravings tend to peak then too.

Your body needs more fuel at this point in the cycle. Eating enough - particularly protein and complex carbohydrates - can reduce the intensity of those cravings significantly.

6. There’s a reason the week before your period feels the way it does

In the late luteal phase, both oestrogen and progesterone drop. Serotonin drops with them - which is why mood, irritability and emotional reactivity can change so noticeably in the days before your period. When progesterone has been low through the whole luteal phase, that drop hits harder.

If your PMS is severe - significantly affecting your relationships, your work, or your ability to function - it is worth discussing with your GP.

7. Anxiety in the second half of your cycle is a specific signal

Anxiety that arrives consistently in the week or two before your period - and clears when it does - is worth paying attention to.

It often points to low progesterone. Progesterone has a calming effect on the nervous system, and when it drops more steeply than usual, anxiety tends to follow. Tracking when your anxiety peaks in relation to your cycle gives you a clear place to look.

8. Sleep often gets worse before your period

Poor sleep in the week before your period is very common and very hormonal.

Progesterone supports sleep through its calming effect on the nervous system. As it drops in the late luteal phase, sleep quality often drops with it - and the rise in body temperature across the luteal phase adds to this. If you’re waking at 3am in the week before your period, this is likely why.

Magnesium glycinate in the evening, keeping blood sugar stable across the day, and reducing alcohol in this phase can all support sleep quality.

9. The length of your luteal phase matters

A healthy luteal phase is typically 10 to 16 days. A short luteal phase - under 10 days - suggests the corpus luteum isn’t producing enough progesterone to sustain the phase properly.

If your period arrives very quickly after ovulation, if you spot for several days before it starts, or if your second half consistently feels difficult, the length of your luteal phase is worth tracking. You can estimate it by counting the days between ovulation and the first day of your next period.

10. You can support it nutritionally

Progesterone production and luteal phase health respond to what you eat.

Zinc, vitamin B6 and magnesium have good evidence for supporting progesterone production and reducing PMS symptoms. Vitamin C may also play a role. Food sources first, supplementation where needed.

Blood sugar stability matters too: eating protein and fat at every meal, not skipping meals, and reducing refined carbohydrates in this phase keeps insulin stable, which keeps progesterone relatively more stable in turn.

The luteal phase tends to feel hardest when the body is under-resourced. Eating enough, sleeping enough, and managing stress consistently across the whole cycle - not just in the two weeks before your period - is the foundation.

Thanks for reading!! FYI: paid subscribers get access to my full archive - posts like 10 Things I Wish I Knew About Ovulation and Why You Feel Puffier Than Usual - And What Actually Causes It, plus everything else I’ve written on hormones, cycle health and nutrition.

You also get the Women’s Health Nutrition Clinic: live group calls twice a month where you can bring your questions directly to me. £12 a month or £120 a year.

If this post helped you, you can

• Forward it to someone who’d find it useful

• Leave a comment and let me know which point surprised you most

• Tap the heart so I know you’re enjoying this kind of content (and so your algorithm shows you more of it!)

I’m a 33 year old nutritionist living in Lisbon, and I post about nutrition and wellbeing. Subscribe and join in on the fun.

If you’re interested in corporate nutrition talks or 1:1 consultations, send an email to info@sophietrotmannutrition.com. And let’s connect on Instagram.

Have a lovely rest of your day.

Sophie xxx

I am just back to work after some time off. I’m feeling inspired for the coming weeks of work - September is just around the corner and that is usually very busy in nutritionist land. For many it’s a time to get back to healthier habits.

Over the past month or so I’ve been thinking a lot about how to make this Substack more valuable for the people who support it - and today I want to share what I’ve been working on.

From this month, I’m introducing something new for paid subscribers - The Women’s Health Nutrition Clinic.

Twice a month, I’ll host a live group call where you can bring your questions directly to me. It might be about a post I’ve written, something you’re dealing with personally, or something you’ve always wanted to ask a nutritionist.

We’ll spend the first few minutes on a topic I’ve been thinking about, then open it up.

This is the kind of access I usually reserve for the global companies I deliver nutrition sessions for. I’m opening it up to paid subscribers.

I’ll be polling paid subscribers on the best times before the first call - I want the calls to work across time zones, so your input matters.

BTW, the clinic is a space to ask questions and get evidence-based guidance on nutrition and women's health. It's not a substitute for one-to-one advice from a nutritionist who knows your full history. If you're on medication or managing a specific health condition, always check with your GP or specialist before making changes.

Subscribe now

Here’s everything paid subscribers get:

• The Women’s Health Nutrition Clinic - two live group calls a month with Q&A

• Full access to every post in my archive, including all paid content

• New paid posts as they come out - covering hormones, cycle health, nutrition, energy, skin, and more

• Access to the subscriber chat - a space to ask questions, share what’s working and connect with other women doing the same

Some of the posts already in the archive that paid subscribers have access to:

• 10 things I wish women knew about ovulation

• Signs your oestrogen might be dominant

• What your cycle patterns are actually telling you

• Why you feel puffier than usual - and what usually causes it

I'm offering a founding member rate of £12 a month (or £120 a year - which works out to two months free) while I'm getting started. This rate is locked in for life for anyone who joins now - the price will increase for new subscribers as the community grows.

If you’re already a paid subscriber - thank you. Your monthly cost will stay the same. The clinic is yours from the next call.

And as a reminder - you can cancel any time!

Subscribe now

One more thing - if your employer has a professional development or wellbeing budget, this subscription may be something they’d cover.

I’ve put together a short template you can send to your HR or line manager to ask them to cover the cost - here you go.

I’m looking forward to our first call! Have a lovely rest of your day.

Sophie xxx

Oestrogen dominance refers to a state where oestrogen is high relative to progesterone - through oestrogen that’s elevated, progesterone that’s lower than it should be, and/or oestrogen that isn’t clearing from the body efficiently.

When oestrogen stays high relative to progesterone, you tend to feel it! Here are the signs worth knowing.

Read more

Before we get into today’s topic, I wanted to remind you that a big part of my work is delivering talks for businesses - mostly virtually.

I have specific talks that work very well with different awareness days. Some upcoming awareness days and the talks that align -

- Menopause Awareness Month in October - Nutrition for the Menopause

- Men’s Health Month in November - Nutrition for Men’s Health

- World Mental Health Day in October - Food & Mood

- ADHD Awareness Month in October - Nutrition for ADHD

If you think the company you work for may be interested in learning more, send me a message here or an email to info@sophietrotmannutrition.com and I can provide some more information!

Alternatively, you could use this template to recommend me to your HR / people /learning and development team / specific employee resource group.

OK, back to this very important topic!!

Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies in women, and one of the most consistently underdiagnosed.

Women lose iron every month through menstruation. Those with heavy periods lose considerably more. Low-calorie diets, a high volume of exercise and poor absorption all contribute. Many women have iron stores much lower than they should be - and feel the effects every single day.

Here’s what it can look like…

1. Fatigue that feels disproportionate

Persistent fatigue that doesn’t fully resolve with sleep and rest. Iron is essential for producing haemoglobin, which carries oxygen around the body. When iron is low, cells get less oxygen. Everything starts to feel like more of an effort than it should!

2. Brain fog and poor concentration

Your brain uses a significant amount of oxygen. When iron is low and oxygen delivery is reduced, cognitive function suffers - difficulty concentrating, poor short-term memory and mental fatigue that makes sustained focus hard.

3. Hair loss

Low ferritin - stored iron - can trigger telogen effluvium, a type of hair shedding where hairs move into the resting phase prematurely. It often shows up on the top of the scalp. Hair loss from low ferritin tends to appear weeks to months after levels drop, and takes time to recover once they improve.

If you’re losing more hair than you’d expect, ferritin is one of the first things worth checking.

4. Breathlessness on exertion

Getting breathless doing things that used to feel easy - walking up stairs, a light run - is a sign that oxygen delivery to the muscles is compromised. Low iron reduces the body’s capacity to carry oxygen efficiently.

5. Cold hands and feet

Reduced oxygen delivery to the extremities. If your hands and feet are consistently cold regardless of temperature, iron is worth looking at alongside thyroid function.

6. Heart palpitations

The heart works harder to compensate for reduced oxygen delivery. Noticeable palpitations - particularly during exercise or exertion - can be a sign, and worth mentioning to a GP.

7. Pale inner eyelid

Pull down your lower eyelid (maybe sometime when you’re alone lol). The inside should be a healthy pink-red. Pale or whitish inner eyelids can be a visible sign of iron deficiency - though ferritin can be depleted long before that stage.

The difference between haemoglobin and ferritin

The standard test checks haemoglobin - the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. You’re flagged as anaemic when haemoglobin drops below a certain threshold.

Haemoglobin is a late-stage marker. Iron stores can be significantly depleted for a long time before haemoglobin falls.

Ferritin is the storage form of iron. The NHS reference range for ferritin goes down to around 13 micrograms per litre for women. Many practitioners working in this space consider levels below 50-70 to be suboptimal, particularly if you’re symptomatic.

Ask your GP for a full iron panel - serum iron, ferritin, transferrin saturation and TIBC (total iron-binding capacity).

What raises iron

Haem iron. The most absorbable form. Red meat, liver, dark poultry (like chicken thigh) and oily fish. Two to three portions of red meat a week alongside regular oily fish makes a meaningful difference over time.

Non-haem iron. Legumes, dark leafy greens, fortified foods, pumpkin seeds, tofu and dried apricots. Less absorbable than haem iron, but can still improve iron reserves.

Vitamin C at the same meal. Vitamin C significantly enhances non-haem iron absorption. A glass of freshly-squeezed orange juice, some broccoli, peppers or tomatoes alongside your iron-rich meal - your body absorbs considerably more iron this way.

Space out tea and coffee. Tannins in tea and coffee inhibit iron absorption. Leaving at least an hour between these drinks and an iron-rich meal helps, particularly if levels are low.

Supplementation. If dietary changes aren’t enough, supplementation is worth discussing with a GP or nutritionist. Ferrous forms (ferrous sulphate, ferrous fumarate) are commonly prescribed but can cause digestive side effects.

Ferrous bisglycinate and liposomal iron tend to be better tolerated. Take with vitamin C for best absorption - and on an empty stomach where possible, unless it causes nausea.

One important note before supplementing: some people absorb too much iron rather than too little. Hereditary haemochromatosis is a genetic condition where iron accumulates in the body over time - and supplementing without knowing your levels can cause harm.

Getting a full iron panel before starting any iron supplement is always the right first step. We’ll cover iron overload and haemochromatosis in a separate piece.

Address heavy periods. If heavy periods are consistently depleting your iron, nutritional support for heavy periods is worth exploring alongside iron repletion.

If this post helped you, you can

• Forward it to a friend or your WhatsApp group

• Leave a comment and tell me which sign resonated most

• Tap the heart so I know you’re enjoying this kind of content (and so your algorithm shows you more of it!)

I’m a 33 year old nutritionist living in Lisbon, and I post about nutrition and wellbeing. Subscribe and join in on the fun.

If you’re interested in corporate nutrition talks or 1:1 consultations, send an email to info@sophietrotmannutrition.com. And let’s connect on Instagram.

Have a lovely rest of your day.

Sophie xxx

I’ve worked with hundreds of people one-to-one, and I’ve been featured in the BBC, Business Insider, the Evening Standard, Women’s Health and Sheerluxe.

I work with people on everything from painful periods, hormonal acne and low energy to poor sleep, hair health and general diet optimisation. I work with both men and women.

I’m finalising my September intake at the end of this week, so if you want to start then, now is the time to get in touch.

Send an email to info@sophietrotmannutrition.com and we can have a chat about whether it’s the right fit.

The six-week package includes an initial 60-minute consultation, two 30-minute follow-ups, food diary analysis, personalised nutrition and lifestyle recommendations, written summaries and action points after each session, supplement and testing guidance where relevant, and weekly email check-ins between sessions so you can send updates and I can adjust as we go. All sessions are virtual.

Now, onto today’s post. Here are some of the things I’ve been telling clients in clinic recently…

If your sugar cravings are persistent, check your cortisol and your sleep

Read more

Before you read on: paid subscribers get access to my full archive - posts like 10 Things I Wish I Knew About Ovulation and Why You Feel Puffier Than Usual - And What Actually Causes It, plus everything else I've written on hormones, cycle health and nutrition.

You also get the Women's Health Nutrition Clinic: live group calls twice a month where you can bring your questions directly to me. £12 a month or £120 a year.

Subscribe now

Your skin changes every month. The breakout that arrives on your jaw a few days before your period. The way your complexion looks different around ovulation. The skin that’s changed over the past year and you haven’t been able to work out why.

All of it means something. Your skin is connected to your hormones, your gut, your blood sugar and your sleep - and once you understand what it’s responding to, you can start to address it at the source.

BTW, upgrading your subscription to the paid version will give you access to my entire archive of ‘paid’ posts - including What Your Cycle Patterns Are Telling You, Why You Feel Puffier Than Usual - And What Actually Causes It and 7 Common Nutrition Mistakes That Drain Your Energy - amongst others! I am extremely appreciative of anyone who chooses to support my work in this way.

OK, let’s get to it!

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Back to work!!

Before you read on: paid subscribers get access to my full archive - posts like 10 Things I Wish I Knew About Ovulation and Why You Feel Puffier Than Usual - And What Actually Causes It, plus everything else I’ve written on hormones, cycle health and nutrition.

You also get the Women’s Health Nutrition Clinic: live group calls twice a month where you can bring your questions directly to me. £12 a month or £120 a year.

Ok, today we are talking about good old cortisol. Cortisol is your body’s main stress hormone. You need it - it gets you out of bed in the morning, helps to regulate energy and metabolism and helps you respond to demands across the day.

But chronically elevated cortisol is one of the most common things I see affecting my clients’ energy, mood, cycles and weight.

Here are eight signs it might be higher than it should be - and what’s typically behind each one.

Btw, do subscribe if you haven’t already!

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1. You’re waking at 2, 3 or 4am

Cortisol follows a daily rhythm. It spikes in the morning, then falls gradually across the day, reaching its lowest point in the evening to allow sleep.

When this rhythm is disrupted - by chronic stress, poor sleep habits, or blood sugar dropping overnight - cortisol can spike in the early hours. That spike wakes you up. You lie there, mind active, often anxious, finding it hard to get back to sleep. Not ideaaal.

2. You’re exhausted but can’t wind down

Cortisol should be low by the evening. In people with disrupted cortisol rhythms, it can stay elevated later into the day - or rise again in response to a stressful evening.

The result: you’re tired, but your nervous system is still on alert. You can’t switch off. Scrolling for hours, mind still going, not actually resting even when you’re lying on the sofa.

3. Weight is shifting to your middle

Cortisol tends to direct fat storage towards the abdomen. This is partly because cortisol raises blood sugar, which raises insulin, and insulin promotes fat storage around the middle in particular. Love it.

If your weight is changing and it’s mostly around your middle, cortisol and insulin are both worth considering alongside other factors.

4. Cravings for sugar and refined carbs feel frequent and intense

Cortisol raises blood sugar - it’s preparing the body to deal with a threat. Your body then releases insulin to manage that rise. When insulin brings blood sugar down, cravings kick in.

This is why chronic stress tends to make cravings louder and harder to ignore. It’s a physiological response driven by the cortisol-insulin cycle repeating across the day.

5. Anxiety that doesn’t quite match your circumstances

Cortisol keeps the nervous system on alert. When it’s chronically elevated, the nervous system stays in a low-level state of vigilance even when there’s nothing immediate to respond to.

6. Your cycle has changed or become less predictable

Chronic stress can suppress the hormonal signals that trigger ovulation - which can delay it, shorten the luteal phase, or make cycles longer and more variable.

I see this a lot in clinic. A period of high stress - a difficult job, a bereavement, a move - and suddenly the cycle is different. Often it comes back once things settle. Sometimes it needs more support.

Btw if you are finding this helpful, please may you ‘like’ the post on Substack, or leave a comment - it really helps me reach more people and it also tells the algorithm you are interested in these kind of posts! Thank you sm!!

7. You’re getting ill more often than you’d expect

Cortisol is anti-inflammatory in short bursts. Over time, chronically elevated cortisol can suppress immune function, leaving you more vulnerable to picking up bugs and slower to recover.

If you feel like you’ve been getting everything going round, or you take longer than expected to recover, immune suppression from chronic stress is worth considering alongside other factors.

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8. Brain fog and difficulty concentrating

Sustained high cortisol can impair memory, concentration and cognitive clarity over time. It tends to show up as feeling like you can’t hold a thought, forgetting what you walked into a room for (my personal favourite) and finding it harder to focus than you used to.

Blood sugar instability makes this worse as the brain is particularly sensitive to blood sugar fluctuations.

What’s often causing it

Stress from work and life is the obvious one. These tend to get less attention:

Under-eating. The body interprets insufficient food as a threat. Consistently eating too little - can keep cortisol elevated. This is one of the most common drivers I see in clinic.

Too much high-intensity exercise with too little recovery. Exercise is a cortisol stimulus. Short-term, that’s fine and beneficial. But doing HIIT most days, not sleeping well, and not eating enough around it means exercise is adding to the cortisol burden.

Caffeine timing. Coffee on an empty stomach can amplify the cortisol awakening response. Caffeine after midday can interfere with sleep, which drives cortisol higher the next day.

How to bring cortisol down

Eat regularly and eat enough. Stabilising blood sugar is one of the most effective things you can do. Regular meals with protein and fat - this reduces both cortisol and insulin spikes and reduces the cravings that come with them.

Sort your caffeine timing. Eat something before your first coffee, and keep caffeine to the morning where possible.

Look at your exercise. If you’re doing a lot of high-intensity training and you’re not sleeping or recovering well, it may be adding to the problem.

Prioritise sleep. Cortisol and sleep are directly connected - poor sleep raises cortisol, raised cortisol disrupts sleep. Dim lights in the evening, keep screens out of the bedroom, finish eating a couple of hours before bed, keep bedtimes consistent.

Magnesium glycinate supports cortisol regulation, GABA function and sleep quality. Worth taking in the evening - through food (dark leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate) and supplementation. Check with your doctor or pharmacist first if you’re on medication or have kidney issues.

Ashwagandha has good evidence for reducing cortisol and supporting resilience to stress - worth considering if stress is a long-term pattern. Avoid in pregnancy and if you’re on thyroid medication or immunosuppressants. Discuss with a nutritionist or doctor before starting.

Reduce alcohol. It fragments sleep and worsens the cortisol cycle, even in small amounts.

Protect your diary. Chronic overcommitting is a cortisol input! Saying no more often and building genuine rest into your week are all part of this.

If this post helped you, you can

• Forward it to a friend or your WhatsApp group

• Leave a comment and tell me which sign resonated most

• Tap the heart so I know you’re enjoying this kind of content (and so your algorithm shows you more of it!)

I’m a 33 year old nutritionist living in Lisbon, and I post about nutrition and wellbeing. Subscribe and join in on the fun.

If you’re interested in corporate nutrition talks or 1:1 consultations, send an email to info@sophietrotmannutrition.com. And let’s connect on Instagram.

Have a lovely rest of your day.

Sophie xxx

BTW, looking for a more structured way to learn? The Cycle Syncing Academy brings together everything I wish I’d been taught about the menstrual cycle, with 16 in-depth modules, a workbook and practical resources. Explore the course here - it is currently discounted!

Back to this post though, your period itself is only several days of your cycle. The other three weeks are giving you just as much information.

The spotting that shows up a day or two before your period starts. The cycle that arrives too soon, or goes on longer than it should. The week before your period that feels completely different to everything else (!!!).

Those patterns mean something - and in this post I’m walking through five of them, what each one often tells you about your hormones, and what to do with it.

FYI, paid subscribers get access to my full archive - posts like 10 Things I Wish I Knew About Ovulation and Why You Feel Puffier Than Usual - And What Actually Causes It, plus everything else I’ve written on hormones, cycle health and nutrition.

You also get the Women’s Health Nutrition Clinic: live group calls twice a month where you can bring your questions directly to me. £12 a month or £120 a year.

Read more

One of the things that frustrates me most is how little we’re taught about our menstrual cycles. For something that so many of us experience every month - the education we receive is surprisingly limited.

Most of us leave school understanding the basics of periods, reproduction and contraception, but not what’s actually happening across the menstrual cycle, why hormones fluctuate, why symptoms can change from week to week, or how nutrition and lifestyle can support us throughout the month.

Over the past few months, I’ve been creating something I’ve wanted to share for a long time.

Today, I’m so excited to finally introduce The Cycle Syncing Academy.

The Cycle Syncing Academy is a comprehensive online course designed to help you understand the menstrual cycle, what happens during each phase, and how nutrition and lifestyle can influence the way you feel throughout the month.

Inside the course you’ll learn:

• The science behind the menstrual cycle, explained simply

• What happens during each phase of your cycle and why

• How nutrition can support hormone health throughout the month

• How energy, appetite, mood and exercise may change across your cycle

• Practical strategies to help manage common symptoms, including PMS

• How to apply what you’ve learned using the accompanying workbook

What’s inside?

The course includes 16 in-depth modules, covering:

• Welcome & Introduction

• What Your Cycle Actually Is

• The Hormones Running the Show

• How to Track Your Cycle

• Your Menstrual Phase

• Your Follicular Phase

• Ovulation

• Your Early Luteal Phase

• The Premenstrual Window

• Building Your Cycle Food Framework

• Blood Sugar, Cravings & Energy

• Movement & Exercise Across the Cycle

• Managing Work, Plans & Social Energy

• Sleep, Digestion & Body Image

• When Things Aren’t Textbook

• Building Your Personal Cycle Blueprint

You’ll also receive:

• A comprehensive workbook

• A menstrual health supplement cheat sheet

• Cycle-friendly snack ideas

• Practical resources to help you put everything into practice

By the end of the course, you’ll have a clear understanding of your menstrual cycle and the confidence to make informed nutrition and lifestyle choices that support your health for years to come.

To celebrate the launch, The Cycle Syncing Academy is available at an introductory price of $197. Once the launch offer ends, it’ll be $247.

💼 Want your employer to cover the cost?

Many organisations offer learning and development or wellbeing budgets that can be used for professional development. If you’d like to ask your employer to expense The Cycle Syncing Academy, I’ve included a template email here that you can copy, personalise and send.

I genuinely believe this is the education so many of us should have received years ago! My hope is that it helps you better understand your body, make sense of the changes you experience throughout the month, and feel more confident supporting your health.

→ Enrol in The Cycle Syncing Academy

Exciting times! Have a great rest of your day.

Sophie x

BTW, if you are interested in 1:1 support, or you are interested in nutrition talks or group coaching sessions for the business you work for, email me info@sophietrotmannutrition.com and I can send you some more information.

Your period gives you information every single month. The colour, the clots (lol if you’re a male reading this on the tube), the cramps that vary from one month to the next, the way it looks completely different on day one versus day three.

You notice it all. But without knowing what you’re looking at, it’s hard to know what any of it means.

In this post I’m walking through five things your period blood is actually telling you - including when to flag something to your GP, and when to stop worrying about something you’ve been overthinking for years.

Later this week, we will have a post on what your cycle patterns are telling you.

FYI: paid subscribers get access to my full archive - posts like 10 Things I Wish I Knew About Ovulation and Why You Feel Puffier Than Usual - And What Actually Causes It, plus everything else I’ve written on hormones, cycle health and nutrition.

You also get the Women’s Health Nutrition Clinic: live group calls twice a month where you can bring your questions directly to me. £12 a month or £120 a year.

Read more

I’m sending this off from my co-working space. I find it really important to have a space to work away from my home. It realllly helps my overall wellbeing. Also, they have great snacks.

The past few weeks have been filled with corporate work, my parents and family friends visiting Lisbon, Sonar festival in Barcelona (so good) and fun social events in Lisbon.

BTW, looking for a more structured way to learn? The Cycle Syncing Academy brings together everything I wish I'd been taught about the menstrual cycle, with 16 in-depth modules, a workbook and practical resources. Explore the course here

The next few weeks are a bit less busy and getting back into a flow with Substack is top of my list.

I have some drafts that I am going to post, so you’ll get a few posts this week. As I have taken a bit of a break, I think the algorithm may not prioritise my content - if you find this post useful please could you do me a massive favour and hit the like button? I would be ever so appreciative!

BTW, if you haven’t yet followed me on Instagram, I am going to be posting more in the coming weeks - find me here.

Also, I have some availability for my six-week 1:1 nutrition programme - reach out to me info@sophietrotmannutrition.com if you’d like to learn more.

Ok, so today I want to talk about ovulation.

Most women are never taught anything about ovulation unless they’re trying to conceive. Which is a shame, because it may just be the most important event in the entire cycle, and it shapes how you feel for the entire second half of the month!

So. Ten things I really wish I’d known earlier.

FYI: paid subscribers get access to my full archive - posts like 10 Things I Wish I Knew About Ovulation and Why You Feel Puffier Than Usual - And What Actually Causes It, plus everything else I’ve written on hormones, cycle health and nutrition.

You also get the Women’s Health Nutrition Clinic: live group calls twice a month where you can bring your questions directly to me. £12 a month or £120 a year.

Read more

Happy Tuesday. I hope your week is off to a good start.

I’m writing this from my kitchen table in sunny Lisbon. I actually had a completely different post planned for today. Then I saw the news drop and thought - this is more important!!

As of today, PCOS has officially been renamed PMOS. The Lancet published the consensus paper this morning, and a global team led by Monash University in Australia has been working towards this rename for 11 years.

If you, or someone you love, has PCOS - this matters. So, let’s get into it!

Before you read on: paid subscribers get access to my full archive - posts like 10 Things I Wish I Knew About Ovulation and Why You Feel Puffier Than Usual - And What Actually Causes It, plus everything else I’ve written on hormones, cycle health and nutrition.

You also get the Women’s Health Nutrition Clinic: live group calls twice a month where you can bring your questions directly to me. £12 a month or £120 a year.

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So What’s Actually Changed?

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is now called polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS).

The condition itself hasn’t changed. The diagnostic criteria haven’t changed. If you’ve been diagnosed with PCOS, you still have the same condition - it just has a new, more accurate name.

What has changed is how we describe it, talk about it, teach it and research it. And really - it’s about time!

Why The Old Name Was Misleading

The name ‘polycystic ovary syndrome’ was always a bit of a misnomer.

First - the “cysts” on the ovaries aren’t actually cysts. They’re follicles. Tiny fluid-filled sacs that contain immature eggs.

Second - not every woman with PCOS has them. You can have the full condition without any visible follicles on a scan. Many women have been told they “can’t have PCOS” because their scan came back clear, when in fact they did have it, just without that one feature.

Third - calling it “polycystic ovary syndrome” made it sound like it is ‘simply’ a condition of the ovaries. Something to deal with when you want to have a baby.

But PCOS has never been just about the ovaries. It’s a whole-body condition that affects insulin sensitivity, blood sugar regulation, weight, skin, hair, mood, mental health, and long-term cardiovascular and metabolic health. The ovaries are only one part of the story.

The new name reflects this.

Breaking down the new name

Polyendocrine means involving multiple hormonal systems. Not just reproductive hormones - the entire endocrine system. Insulin, cortisol, thyroid, androgens, the lot.

Metabolic refers to how your body processes energy, glucose and fat. PCOS/PMOS is strongly linked to insulin resistance, which affects weight, energy, cravings, and long-term risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Ovarian keeps the reproductive piece in the name - because it still affects ovulation, periods and fertility.

Syndrome means a group of symptoms that occur together rather than a single disease.

When you read it that way, you can see immediately that this is a more accurate description of what’s going on in the body. PMOS is a metabolic and endocrine condition that also affects ovulation.

Btw, if you’re enjoying this, please could you do me a massive favour and tap the heart so I know you like this kind of content. It also helps other women find the post, which feels especially important today. Thank youuu!!

Why This Rename Is Such A Big Deal

You might be reading this thinking, why does the name even matter? Same condition, new label. What’s the difference?

It matters more than you’d think. Here’s why.

Diagnosis - women with PCOS have historically been under-diagnosed for years, partly because the name made everyone (including doctors) focus on the ovaries. Women without visible follicles on a scan have been told they don’t have it when they do (I have seen so much of this in clinic). A name that reflects the actual condition should mean better, faster diagnosis.

Research funding - there’s a long-standing concern that conditions framed as gynaecological receive less research funding than conditions framed as metabolic or cardiovascular. Depressing, right? The rename should help with that, opening up more research, more medication options, and more treatment innovation.

Long-term care - when PCOS was seen as a reproductive issue, women were often taken most seriously when they wanted to have a baby. The rename should mean women get long-term monitoring of insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular health and mental health, not just fertility support.

Stigma - the name PCOS came with a lot of baggage. The cystic imagery, the assumption it was about fertility, the way it was discussed only in relation to having children. A more accurate name should help with how women feel about their own diagnosis too.

Symptoms To Know - Especially If You’ve Never Been Diagnosed

The rename is going to bring a lot of attention to this condition over the next few weeks. If you’ve been wondering whether some of your symptoms fit, here’s what to look out for.

Irregular or absent periods, particularly cycles longer than 35 days. Acne, especially around the jawline and chin. Excess hair growth on the face, chest or back.

Thinning hair on the scalp. Weight changes, particularly around the middle. Insulin resistance, which can show up as fatigue after meals, sugar cravings, and difficulty losing weight. Difficulty conceiving. Mood changes, including higher rates of anxiety and depression.

Around 1 in 8 women globally have PMOS - more than 170 million people! A significant proportion of those are undiagnosed. If a few of those symptoms sound like you, it’s worth raising with your GP.

Ask specifically for an assessment that includes hormone testing (androgens, LH, FSH, anti-Müllerian hormone), thyroid function, and a fasting insulin and glucose panel. A scan alone isn’t enough.

What This Changes For Women Who Have Already Been Diagnosed

If you’ve been diagnosed with PCOS, the new name doesn’t change your treatment plan or your medication. You still have the same condition. The diagnostic criteria are the same.

What does change is how the condition is discussed and managed going forward. Over the next few years, you should see better long-term monitoring of metabolic and cardiovascular markers. Updated medical guidelines. Better education for doctors. More research into treatments that address the whole condition rather than just one symptom.

If your doctor still calls it PCOS in the short term, that’s fine - the rename will take time to filter through clinical practice. But the framework for how to think about it has officially changed.

The Bottom Line

PMOS is the same condition, more accurately named.

The rename matters because language shapes how we think. Calling it “polycystic ovary syndrome” kept the focus on the ovaries. Calling it “polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome” makes clear it’s a whole-body condition.

This change has been a long time coming. For the millions of women living with it - including many who don’t yet know they have it - it should mean better diagnosis, better care, and better outcomes.

So there you go! A big day in women’s health, and one worth marking properly.

If this post helped you, you can

→ Forward it to a friend or your WhatsApp group, especially anyone you know who has PCOS

→ Leave a comment and let me know what you think of the rename

→ Tap the heart so I know you’re enjoying this kind of content, and so your algorithm feeds you more content like this

I’m a 33 year old nutritionist living in Lisbon, and I post about nutrition and wellbeing. Subscribe and join in on the fun.

If you’re interested in corporate nutrition talks or 1:1s for the company you work for, send an email to info@sophietrotmannutrition.com. And let’s connect on Insta.

Have a lovely rest of your day.

Sophie xxx

I arrived back in Lisbon last night - which felt very overdue! I’m now back in one of my favourite cafés, answering emails and finishing off this piece with a matcha. I soon head to a new brunch spot I want to try, with a friend I haven’t seen in a while.

The rest of the day and eve will be spent back in my apartment unpacking and working on a project.

Anyway, let’s get into today’s post, because this is something so many people experience, but it still catches many off guard every single time.

Some days you wake up, look in the mirror, and just feel puffier.

Your face looks a bit fuller. Your stomach feels more bloated. Your rings are tighter. Your clothes fit differently. And it can throw you off more than you’d expect..!

You start wondering what caused it. Was it the salty dinner? The bad sleep? The wine? Your period coming? The fact you have not properly been to the loo in two days??

There usually is a reason.

Puffiness can be linked to sleep, stress, alcohol, constipation, travel, saltier food, hormones, and just being a bit out of routine.

Once you understand what tends to cause it, it becomes much easier to manage - and often easier to avoid too.

FYI: paid subscribers get access to my full archive - posts like 10 Things I Wish I Knew About Ovulation and Why You Feel Puffier Than Usual - And What Actually Causes It, plus everything else I’ve written on hormones, cycle health and nutrition.

You also get the Women’s Health Nutrition Clinic: live group calls twice a month where you can bring your questions directly to me. £12 a month or £120 a year.

Read more

First of all, apologies for being a bit quiet on here. I know it has been a little while, so thank you for bearing with me.

I was working from Cape Town for a month, which was such a treat, and I’m going to share more from that soon - including some of my favourite spots and a few tips from my third time there. Its such an amazing place.

Since then, I’ve been back in the UK doing nutrition talks for companies and spending time with family. I’m actually writing this from Northampton at the moment, where I’m doing some talks for a beverage company.

I’m back to London this weekend before finally heading back to Lisbon on Monday. Which feels slightly mad, because I haven’t actually been in Lisbon since the end of February.

I’ve really missed writing on here and speaking with you, and I’m very excited to get back into it properly. I’m getting back on Instagram this week too, and I’ve got lots of content planned across both platforms that I hope you’ll really enjoy!

I wanted this to be my first post back because I know how much you loved my last post on the menstrual cycle. So many of you shared it, sent it to friends, and messaged me about it, which I absolutely loved. It reminded me how important it is that this information is explained in a way that actually makes sense.

If you haven’t read the first one yet, I’d start there, then come back to this one.

Understanding your biology helps you make sense of why your usual lunch suddenly stops cutting it one week of the month. Why your sleep is off even though you’ve done ‘all the right things’. Why one workout feels great, then the next week everything feels much harder.

Your menstrual cycle affects far more than your period. It can shape your appetite, digestion, mood, confidence, body temperature, energy, sleep, training, and how manageable life feels.

Once you start noticing your own patterns, it is such a game changer. You become less confused, less hard on yourself (huge!!), and much better at supporting your body.

So here are 10 more things I really wish I had known earlier.

FYI: paid subscribers get access to my full archive - posts like 10 Things I Wish I Knew About Ovulation and Why You Feel Puffier Than Usual - And What Actually Causes It, plus everything else I’ve written on hormones, cycle health and nutrition.

You also get the Women’s Health Nutrition Clinic: live group calls twice a month where you can bring your questions directly to me. £12 a month or £120 a year.

Read more

Hello from a verrry rainy Lisbon! I hope you’ve had a great start to the year.

I spent the first couple of weeks of Jan in London, staying with my family. I used a cowork in Shoreditch, and it was fun to be back in my old routine of getting the Northern Line into East London for work, and hanging in the area.

I started my career working in fintech in Shoreditch. And I was also living in Stoke Newington before I moved to Lisbon.

Anywayyy enough about my life story - I’m looking forward to dedicating more time to Substack this year, starting off with a backlog of articles that will be published in Feb!

Ok so, I deliver a lot of nutrition talks for businesses (message me if interested - Nutrition for Female Health works really well for International Women’s Day celebrations), and I also do 1:1 work.

One question I’m asked twice a week without fail is - ‘are artificial sweeteners bad for me?’.

I thought this would be a great post to start the year with!

Artificial sweeteners are often positioned as the sensible option. You get sweetness without sugar, fewer calories, and the sense that you’re making a healthier choice.

They’re everywhere now - in drinks, yoghurts, protein powders, snack bars and desserts.

FYI: paid subscribers get access to my full archive - posts like 10 Things I Wish I Knew About Ovulation and Why You Feel Puffier Than Usual - And What Actually Causes It, plus everything else I’ve written on hormones, cycle health and nutrition.

You also get the Women’s Health Nutrition Clinic: live group calls twice a month where you can bring your questions directly to me. £12 a month or £120 a year.

Read more

I’ve been having so many conversations lately with clients who feel confused by their digestion. One week everything feels calm and predictable. The next week feels bloated, heavy or sensitive, even when their routine has not changed much.

And because most women were never taught the basics of how hormones influence the gut, it is very easy to think something is wrong or that you are doing something badly.

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Your gut responds to hormonal changes far more than we were ever told. Oestrogen, progesterone and cortisol all influence digestion, appetite, bowel movements, bloating, cravings, motility and even what foods feel appealing.

When you understand the rhythm of your cycle, it becomes much easier to work with your body instead of guessing every month.

FYI: paid subscribers get access to my full archive - posts like 10 Things I Wish I Knew About Ovulation and Why You Feel Puffier Than Usual - And What Actually Causes It, plus everything else I’ve written on hormones, cycle health and nutrition.

You also get the Women’s Health Nutrition Clinic: live group calls twice a month where you can bring your questions directly to me. £12 a month or £120 a year.

1. Oestrogen in the follicular phase supports easier digestion

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I’ve been speaking to so many clients recently about skin, breakouts, dehydration, redness and texture changes, and it always comes back to the same thing.

Your skin barrier needs support from the inside as much as the outside. You can have the best routine in the world, but if your nutrition does not give your skin what it needs, you end up chasing products instead of addressing the foundations!

Your skin barrier relies on healthy fats, antioxidants, hydration, minerals and digestive support. When these areas fall short, you can see it in tightness, irritation, breakouts, dryness or that tired look that appears overnight for no apparent reason.

The good news is that food can make a real difference for most people. These are the foods I come back to again and again when clients want calmer, plumper, healthier skin that looks refreshed and balanced.

FYI: paid subscribers get access to my full archive - posts like 10 Things I Wish I Knew About Ovulation and Why You Feel Puffier Than Usual - And What Actually Causes It, plus everything else I’ve written on hormones, cycle health and nutrition.

You also get the Women’s Health Nutrition Clinic: live group calls twice a month where you can bring your questions directly to me. £12 a month or £120 a year.

Here are the foods I recommend most often.

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Hello! I hope you are enjoying December and that it is not feeling too chaotic!

This is the time of year where people message me saying they feel tired, snacky, unfocused and/or overwhelmed and cannot work out why. It is rarely one big thing. It is usually a few continued patterns that chip away at your energy.

FYI: paid subscribers get access to my full archive - posts like 10 Things I Wish I Knew About Ovulation and Why You Feel Puffier Than Usual - And What Actually Causes It, plus everything else I’ve written on hormones, cycle health and nutrition.

You also get the Women’s Health Nutrition Clinic: live group calls twice a month where you can bring your questions directly to me. £12 a month or £120 a year.

Okayy so, here are seven nutrition mistakes I see all the time and what helps instead -

Read more

If you have ever wondered why your life seems to follow the same pattern every month, this will explain it. Cycle syncing does not make you a new person. It simply helps you stop fighting the natural shifts your hormones are creating.

Also, if you’ve ever wished someone would just explain how to eat, move and plan your month in a way that matches your shifting hormones, my Cycle Syncing Starter Kit is exactly that.

It’s a clear, practical framework you can start today, and is one of the things that would have changed everything for me years ago.

Let’s get into it!

1. It shows you why some weeks feel lighter and others feel heavier

One week you feel unstoppable and the next week you want to hide from the world. Most women assume this inconsistency is a mindset issue, but it is usually hormonal!

Once you understand how your brain and body change across the month, you stop thinking everything is random and start seeing a very clear pattern. It genuinely helps you feel calmer and far more in control.

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2. Your productivity becomes easier to manage

Your brain has phases where focus, organisation, creativity and planning come naturally. When you stop expecting yourself to perform at the same level every single week, you actually get more done with less friction.

Cycle syncing makes productivity feel more realistic. It helps you put the right tasks in the right phases (as much as is possible with your work) so your month feels smoother.

3. You stop treating yourself like a robot

Most women assume consistency means behaving the same every day. It really doesn’t. When you understand your cycle, you recognise that your energy, appetite, mood and stress tolerance naturally shift.

You start building routines that work with these changes instead of ignoring them. Life feels lighter when you stop demanding constant sameness from yourself.

4. PMS feels less confusing and less intense

Understanding your luteal phase genuinely changes everything. You stop panicking when cravings spike, emotions feel heavier or sleep is disrupted.

You also stop blaming yourself for being “off” because you recognise why it is happening. When you expect the shift, you can support it better and avoid feeling like you are losing control every month.

5. Eating well becomes easier and more intuitive

Your hunger cues naturally change across your cycle. Some weeks you need more food. Some weeks you feel lighter. Some weeks digestion slows, and others feel effortless.

Once you learn why this happens, you can stop fighting your appetite so much and start giving your body what it actually needs.

6. Work feels more manageable when you use the rhythm

Cycle syncing gives you permission to schedule your month in a way that protects your energy. You stop booking big deadlines in your lowest energy phase.

You place creative work where your brain is clearer and admin where you feel more inward. It is one of the easiest ways to reduce overwhelm without changing your entire routine.

7. Relationships feel easier too

When you understand your cycle, you communicate differently. You know when you will be more sensitive, more social or more introspective. You stop assuming every emotional shift means something is wrong.

It also helps partners understand you better, which removes so much tension. The whole dynamic softens when you know what to expect.

8. It is especially helpful if you have ADHD

Hormonal fluctuations can make ADHD symptoms feel unpredictable. Focus, motivation, emotional regulation and decision making all shift through the cycle.

Cycle syncing helps you anticipate this and prepare your environment so you feel less overwhelmed. Many of my ADHD clients say this one skill has changed their daily life more than anything else!

9. It removes guilt and replaces it with clarity

Instead of thinking you have failed because you feel different from last week, you understand why it is happening. You stop expecting yourself to be permanently motivated and start recognising your natural rhythm.

This removes so much shame and helps you make kinder, more informed choices throughout the month.

10. You feel more connected to your body

This is the part women always mention. You finally understand yourself. You see predictable rhythms in your mood, creativity, appetite, productivity, stress tolerance and energy.

It makes life feel less chaotic and far more personal. You become more attuned to what you need and when you need it!

If you want something practical to help you bring cycle syncing into your life, you can download my Cycle Syncing Starter Kit here.

Also, if you want support with healthy habits and routines, come join my online membership, The Accountability Club. We have our next call on Tuesday!

Thank you for reading!

If you enjoyed this, you can
→ tap the heart so more women find this and so the algorithm sends you more of this content
→ forward it to a friend
→ leave a comment telling me which point surprised you

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I am a 33 year old nutritionist living in Lisbon and I post about hormones, nutrition and wellbeing. Subscribe and join in on the fun!

Sophie xxx