This is a brilliant follow on to the Alcohol & the Menopause episode from Season 6 Episode 7 with Sarah Williamson, coach and author of Drink Less, Live Better.

We all know how tricky it can be as the Christmas party season gets underway and our schedule fills up with all manner of seasonal celebrations.

In this bonus episode, Sarah joins me again to share some excellent advice and sneaky quick wins on ways to moderate your alcohol intake and still enjoy all your social engagements, during the frantic festivities of December.

She shares 7 excellent tips so that no one will even notice that you’re being careful. Not that it’s anyone else’s business, but we all know how awkward peer pressure can be at this time of year! There are some really good ideas here and I guarantee that you’ll find them helpful.

Tune to find out more about stealth ordering, managing rounds, smart drinking options and NO-vember!

If you’re a fan of The Happy Menopause, please tell your friends and family about it, and make sure you click the follow or subscribe button on whichever platform you listen on, to make sure you never miss an episode. It really does make a huge difference to the algorithms which influence the visibility of the podcast, so that more women can find the show. After all, every woman deserves to have a happy menopause.

Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest.

Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places.

Struggling with bloating, cramping, unpredictable bowels or that sudden dash-to-the-loo urgency? You’re certainly not alone. In this episode of The Happy Menopause, I take a deep dive into Irritable Bowel Syndrome — a condition that affects a huge number of women, and one that often gets worse during perimenopause and menopause.

I’ll explain what IBS actually is, how it’s diagnosed, and why hormonal changes can make your gut so much more reactive at this stage of life. We’ll look at the gut–brain axis, food sensitivities, FODMAPs, stress, dysbiosis and the key factors that might be driving your symptoms.

Most importantly, I share 10 practical nutrition and lifestyle strategies you can start using straight away to calm your digestion, reduce discomfort and feel more confident in your gut again.

If you’re tired of feeling bloated, uncomfortable or out of control with your symptoms, this episode is packed with clarity, reassurance and actionable steps to help you feel better.

If you love The Happy Menopause, please tell your friends and family, and don’t forget to hit follow or subscribe on your favourite podcast platform. It makes a huge difference to the algorithms that decide whether more women get to find the show - after all, every woman deserves to have a happy menopause!

Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest.

Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places.

Urinary tract infections — or UTIs — aren’t the most glamorous topic, but they’re incredibly important, and we just don’t talk about them enough. If you’ve ever had one, you’ll know how miserable they can be: the burning, the stinging, those endless trips to the loo, the pain, and that bone-crushing fatigue. They can really knock you sideways.

For many women, UTIs become more common — and more stubborn — during perimenopause and menopause.

In this episode, I’m joined by the brilliant Helen Lake, a specialist urology nurse, to help us understand why UTIs happen, why they mustn’t be ignored, and what you can do about them — from medical treatments to nutrition and supplements.

Helen explains everything you need to know about identifying, understanding, and managing UTIs — and hopefully banishing them for good. We cover the key symptoms, prevention strategies like staying hydrated and double-voiding, why test results aren’t always conclusive, and when antibiotics are needed. We also look at the role of beneficial bacteria, cranberry and D-mannose, vaginal moisturisers, topical oestrogen, and how to advocate for yourself with your GP.

If you’ve found this episode helpful, please share it with a friend who might benefit too. And if you love The Happy Menopause podcast, I’d be so grateful if you could leave a five-star rating and a quick review on Apple Podcasts — or wherever you like to listen.

And don’t forget to subscribe, so you don’t miss out on upcoming episodes. These small steps make a huge difference to the algorithm, and help more women find the show.

After all, every woman deserves to have a happy menopause.

Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest.

Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places.