HOW TO RESET

Stress, inflammation and poor nourishment can throw off the body’s hormonal balance and trigger issues, but there are some basic techniques Lara Briden recommends for all her patients, focusing on soothing, cooling and nourishing the body:

■ Schedule two hours of something you love every week. It could be visiting a gallery (Covid rules permitting), walking, swimming – anything to reduce stress

■ Try meditation, massage or yoga

■ Include protein with every meal – including breakfast – to stabilise blood sugar

■ Aim to sleep well for seven hours each night, tackling as a priority possible causes of poor sleep, such as perimenopause symptoms, stress, grief and exposure to blue light

■ Find an exercise you enjoy and make sure you do it regularly

■ Avoid inflammatory foods, such as sugar. Make sure each meal comprises starchy carbohydrates, protein and healthy fat – and eat only until you’re full

■ Try giving up cow’s dairy for a couple of cycles as it’s an inflammatory food for many women – goat and sheep’s dairy is better, while certain cow’s dairy products, including ricotta and butter, are OK

■ Maintain gut health with probiotics

■ Give up smoking and stick to five drinks a week

■ Find out what supplements can help. This varies depending on age, diet, sensitivities and conditions, but Briden recommends 300mg of magnesium glycinate, “the miracle mineral for periods” after food (it’s not advised for people with kidney disease), along with B vitamins and zinc, where there’s a deficiency