This is where I share the things I recommend the most in my women's health community.
I hope you find something to eat, drink, use or read that helps you along your way.
R x
Sally Parkes Yoga is a leading teacher training school for yoga specialising in women’s health. They are offering an incredible opportunity to join their 2024 teacher training courses.
As a member of the Sally Parkes Yoga teaching team, I can absolutely recommend the trainings that Sally offers. If you would like to study with Sally you can get a 5% discount on her 85hr Pregnancy Yoga Teacher Training and her Menoyoga® Yoga for Menopause Teacher Training. Simply my use my unique discount code BOON5 at checkout for your discount.
I've been using Tropic products for years as the entire range is vegan and cruelty-free, mostly organic and absent of many of the common skincare nasties which disrupt our hormones. It's also a carbon neutral company that double offsets it's emissions so you can shop with an eye on the planet too.
My most used products include the Fixing Gel Mascara, Super Greens Nutrient Boost Oil and the 100% mineral-based and reef safe Skin Shade Sun Cream.
Exhale's coffee not only tastes FAB but it's also organic, fair trade and lab tested. I love that they are a B Corp, the decaf is mountain water processed (yipee!) and the packaging is plastic-free and compostable. Best decaf EVER!
180 caps, will last 3 months at the recommended dose of 2 caps/day. My skin, nails AND hormones behave when I take these on a regular basis.
Tribest Green Star Juicer, Fruit and Vegetable Blender with Powerful Heavy Duty Twin Gears & Bio-Ceramic Technology
*Tribest Green Star juicer*. This is the main juicer I use for the Boon Juice Cleanse. It's a twin gear, bio-ceramic masticating juicer with great yield, low heat transfer and it LOVES leafy greens. I even get juice out of spearmint! Comes with 5yr UK warranty. A juicer for life, not just for Christmas.
My 600W Nutribullet gets used multiple times a day to make smoothies, deserts, blend coffee beans, mill linseeds and grind nuts/ice. It is worth every penny in terms of ease and frequency of use, plus easy to clean as the cups and lids are all dishwasher safe. No kitchen should be without one-I even take ours on holiday!
This beautifully illustrated book by local Menopause Nutritionist, Karen Newby is such as comforting, accessible and informative read. Aimed at the lay person, it covers what is going on in your body hormonally during the menopause transition, talks about the four helpful areas we need to 'shift' (with sections called 'reset', 'cleanse', 'rest' and 'eat') with helpful tips on how to do just that, and ends with a troubleshooting section on therapeutic foods that help and areas that can hinder your mind-body health. Empowering women from their own kitchens, Karen explains in plain English what might be helping and hindering you during this important life stage interspersed with extra bonus advice from experts in their respective fields (think sleep experts, menopause specialist GPs etc). This gorgeous, hardback manual would make a perfect gift for a girlfriend or female relative, is written on the right side of non-patronizing and is SUPER easy on the eye. I mean, who doesn't love a hard bound coffee-table, Insta-worthy, self-help, book-right?
Hormone Repair Manual is a practical guide to feeling better in your 40s, 50s, and beyond. It explains how to navigate the change of perimenopause and relieve symptoms with diet, nutritional supplements, and bioidentical hormone therapy. A must read!
The Period Repair Manual is your definitive guide to better periods using diet, nutritional supplements, herbal medicine, and natural hormones. It contains advice and tips for women of every age and situation. If you have a period (or want a period), then this book is for you.
Chill: The Cold Water Swim Cure—A Transformative Guide to Renew Your Body and Mind
In Chill, expert anaesthetist and researcher Dr. Mark Harper delivers long-awaited evidence that cold-water swimming can achieve powerful, tangible health benefits. If you're into sea dipping, this one's for you.
This is the fastest selling vegan cook book ever with good reason. I use it weekly, have lent it out (reluctantly) a million times and most of the pages are stuck together with maple syrup and coconut milk. You don't need to be vegan to enjoy these simple and tasty recipes: they're a great way for ALL of us to get more plants into our lives. Order it now, you can thank me later.
Even if you're not a fully fledged vegan, I cannot recommend this book's easy peasy recipes highly enough! It's full of healthy, flavoursome ideas for your next meal and they really are quick to make. It has a handy kitchen and store cupboard essentials list at the beginning, plus VERY handy tips on how to actually cook in 15 minutes successfully. Family faves in this house are the kerala cauliflower curry, and red pepper and mushroom fajitas with a cheeky summer punch slushie on the side!
Your mind will be blown at how many interesting, tasty and quick recipes can be made with just 5 ingredients. Think black bean mushrooms with soba noodles, tofu harissa scramble or kale, pomegranate and sweet potato salad YUM! My most made recipe in here is the sweet potato brownies. SO. FREAKIN'. GOOD
Unless you've been hiding under a rock, Wim Hof and his ice bath antics will be on your radar. But did you realise that if you have a brain, some lungs and a shower, you can practice almost ALL of his techniques within the comfort (that's debatable) of your own home? In this book, he breaks down his famous techniques for super charging our health, strength and happiness into easy to read chapters and a step by step approach. How he can spend hours in an ice bath and doesn't even feel cold? I read this book in a weekend and think you will too. Also makes a great present for anyone interested in cold water dipping.
Sylk is the perfect substitute for the bodys natural lubricating system making intimacy more comfortable and enjoyable.
Free from parabens, drugs, hormones and animal products Sylk is safe for use with tampons and condoms.
Epsom Salts are well known for their muscle relaxing and recovery effects when used in the bath. Personally I find an Epsom Salt bath really helpful for improving both sleep quality and quantity. They really knock me out!
These 500ml Lavender & Vanilla refill bottles can refill 5x standard Salt of the Earth deodorant sprays or 10x travel sprays. This helps reduces plastic waste, your carbon footprint and means you only buy deodorant once a year!
Salt of the Earth deodorant is certified COSMOS Natural, free from aluminium chlorohydrate and other controversial chemicals, gentle on your skin and made from natural mineral salts, essential oils and aloe vera. It is Vegan and Vegetarian Society approved but most importantly, it smells nice and it works!
Taking your supplements is another boring 'must do' for busy women but missing them comes at a cost. The solution: get yourself a 'granny pot' and never forget your supplements again! Consistency is critical for long term health gains so this is an easy win.
YES WB water-based personal lubricant is a natural silky gel which moisturises and lubricates intimate tissues. Organic and PH-matched, I've been using this for years.
Unsure whether to go water-based, oil-based for your personal lubricant? Me too! Some times of the month I prefer one, other times I prefer the other, sometimes I like both, where you apply oil-based first then the water-based on top. Et viola, you have double glide (DG). Enjoy these hypoallergenic products with gay abandon knowing that they are available on NHS prescription and recommended by gynaecologists.
Make sure you're testing your progesterone at the most accurate time (5-7 days after ovulation ideally) with these easy to use ovulation test strips which measure luteinizing hormone (LH) in the urine. Also useful for checking you're actually still ovulating.
Make sure you're testing your progesterone at the most accurate time (5-7 days after ovulation ideally) with these easy to use ovulation test strips which measure luteinizing hormone (LH) in the urine. Also useful for checking you're actually still ovulating.