The Bugs That Control Women’s Health.... 

One of the most fascinating parts of human health, specifically women’s health, that no-one talks about is... the estrobolome. 

Yes that’s a real word it refers to the collection of gut bacteria that metabolise and regulate circulating estrogen. This unique subset of the gut microbiome produces enzymes, primarily one called β-glucuronidase, which influences estrogen’s reabsorption and activity in the body.  

First, a bit of a primer on estrogen: 

Estrogen is metabolized by the liver and excreted into bile in its “conjugated” form, i.e. bound to something else. 

The estrobolome, via β-glucuronidase enzymes, “deconjugates” estrogen (i.e. breaks it free) in the gut, allowing it to be reabsorbed into circulation. 

Any dysbiosis (imbalance in gut bacteria) can lead to either: 

1. Excessive reabsorption, resulting in high estrogen levels. 

2. Poor reabsorption, resulting in low estrogen levels. 

Thus, a healthy estrobolome ensures optimal levels of circulating estrogen, crucial for reproductive health, bone density, cardiovascular health, and mood regulation. 

So....how do you take care of your estrobolome? 

1. Support Gut Health: 

• Promote a diverse and balanced gut microbiome by consuming prebiotic and probiotic-rich foods. 

• Limit antibiotics and unnecessary medications that disrupt gut bacteria. 

2. Regular Bowel Movements: 

• Ensure healthy digestion and prevent constipation, as sluggish bowels can allow estrogen to linger in the gut and be excessively reabsorbed. You want regularity in gut motility too, to keep that factory line moving... 

Interestingly there are types of food which can help with the above... 

1. Prebiotics: 

• Prebiotics are fibers that feed beneficial gut bacteria, supporting the estrobolome, e.g 

  • Inulin: Found in garlic, onions, leeks, and chicory root which promotes Bifidobacterium species, which help regulate gut inflammation and maintain hormonal balance. 

  • Resistant Starch: found in green bananas, cooked-and-cooled potatoes, and legumes. This supports Bacteroides species, which play a role in estrogen metabolism. 

  • Beta-Glucans: found in oats and barley. Supports Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, both crucial for a healthy estrobolome. 

2. Probiotic-Rich Foods: 

• Fermented foods help introduce beneficial bacteria to the gut. E.g: Yogurt with live cultures (Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains) and Kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and miso. 

3. High-Fiber Foods: 

• Fiber binds excess estrogen in the gut and helps excrete it via the stool. E.g: Whole grains, vegetables, legumes, and fruits. 

4. Polyphenol-Rich Foods: 

• Polyphenols have prebiotic-like effects and promote beneficial gut bacteria. E.g: Berries, green tea, dark chocolate, and pomegranate. 

5. Cruciferous Vegetables: 

• Rich in indole-3-carbinol, which supports liver detoxification of estrogen. E.g: Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale. 

P.S after over a year.. the PAPERBACK version of my book is finally coming out! It’s got a new cover, it’s smaller and more travel friendly than a bulky hardback AND it’s cheaper than the hardback too! If you want to learn more interesting things like the above check it out: LINK 

P.P.S if you’ve already read it, please drop a review on Amazon! 

Do You Actually Need Magnesium Supplementation? 

I’ve softened my stance on supplements and believe there is a role for taking specific ones beyond nutritional deficiencies. When it comes to Magnesium, once again there is nuance to be had. 

First of all there are so many different types of magnesium supplements (quick breakdown below) which vary in their bioavailability and usage: 

1. Magnesium Citrate: 

• Bioavailability: High; easily absorbed in the gut. 

• Use: Ideal for those with constipation due to its mild laxative effect. 

• Best For: General supplementation and mild magnesium deficiency. 

2. Magnesium Glycinate: 

• Bioavailability: Very high; bound to glycine, an amino acid. 

• Use: Low-Moderate evidence for calming effects, useful for sleep, anxiety, and muscle relaxation. 

• Best For: Those with sensitive stomachs, as it’s gentle on digestion. 

3. Magnesium Malate: 

• Bioavailability: Moderate to high; bound to malic acid. 

• Use: May help with fatigue and muscle pain. 

4. Magnesium Oxide: 

• Bioavailability: Low; poorly absorbed. 

• Use: Common in over-the-counter laxatives. 

• Best For: Not recommended for supplementation due to poor absorption. 

5. Magnesium Threonate: 

• Bioavailability: High, particularly for crossing the blood-brain barrier. 

• Use: May improve cognitive function and memory. 

• Best For: low-moderate evidence for supporting brain health  

6. Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salts): 

• Bioavailability: Low when taken orally. 

• Use: Often used in baths to soothe sore muscles. 

• Best For: External use rather than supplementation. 

Out of all the above, Magnesium Glycinate is often recommended for its high bioavailability, gentle effect on the stomach, and calming properties. 

A close second would likely be magnesium citrate for general use, especially if mild constipation is a concern. 

Now for the nuance; most people do NOT need magnesium supplements if they have a balanced diet. Magnesium is abundant in many common foods, and the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for adults is 400–420 mg/day for men & 310–320 mg/day for women. 

Here’s how you can easily meet the Magnesium RDA through diet (pick and mix!): 

1. Pumpkin Seeds: 1 ounce (28g) = 168 mg. 

2. Almonds: 1 ounce (28g) = 80 mg. 

3. Spinach: 1 cup, cooked = 157 mg. 

4. Black Beans: 1 cup, cooked = 120 mg. 

5. Dark Chocolate (70–85% cacao): 1 ounce (28g) = 64 mg. 

6. Avocado: 1 medium = 58 mg. 

7. Banana: 1 medium = 32 mg. 

8. Salmon: 3 ounces (85g) = 26 mg. 

9. Quinoa: 1 cup, cooked = 118 mg. 

A Daily Example could look something like this: 

• Breakfast: 1 avocado with toast + 1 banana (90 mg). 

• Lunch: Spinach salad with black beans (277 mg). 

• Snack: 1 ounce of almonds (80 mg). 

• Dinner: Grilled salmon with quinoa (144 mg). 

Total: ~590 mg magnesium—easily meeting the RDA! 

It is important to bear in mind there are many common conditions which can contribute to fluctuating magnesium levels and this can help guide your decision: 

1. Periods: 

• Blood loss and hormonal fluctuations can deplete magnesium levels, contributing to cramps and fatigue. 

2. Menopause: 

• Declining estrogen levels can impair magnesium absorption and contribute to bone density loss. 

• Magnesium may alleviate symptoms like muscle cramps and support bone health, although the bulk of data here is anecdotal or low quality. 

3. Chronic Stress: 

• Stress increases urinary excretion of magnesium, potentially leading to deficiency. 

4. Medical Conditions: 

• Gastrointestinal disorders (e.g., Crohn’s disease, celiac disease). 

• Kidney diseases. 

• Diabetes, due to increased magnesium loss in urine. 

5. Alcohol Use: 

• Chronic alcohol consumption can lead to magnesium depletion. 

A Meatsuit’s Guide To Building Habits in 2025... 

Building better habits is one of those noble, Sisyphean tasks humanity attempts every January, armed with nothing more than over-optimism and an unreasonably expensive gym membership.

By February, most of us are staring at the metaphorical boulder of our resolutions as it rolls back down the hill, crushing our hopes of ever becoming the kind of person who wakes up at 5 a.m. to meditate or meal-preps kale salads (not that you’d want to do any of this...). The truth is, sticking to habits isn’t about willpower alone—it’s about neuroscience, self-awareness, and accepting that you’re a flawed, beautifully messy bag of microbes. 

First, accept your brain is lazy – use that. 

Your brain is a creature of efficiency, driven by the basal ganglia, a tiny region responsible for automating repetitive tasks. Habits form when behaviors get carved into neural pathways, freeing up your prefrontal cortex (the part of your brain that decides, Should I eat the kale or cake?) for more complex tasks like existential dread or binge-watching season 2 of Squid Games. 

The catch? Your brain doesn’t care if the habit is good or bad—it just likes things easy. Cue the cycle of doom: every time you hit snooze or reach for doughnuts instead of carrots, you reinforce those grooves in your neural record player. To break free, you must trick your brain into working for you, not against you. 

Step 1: Make it stupidly easy 

The philosopher Epictetus said, “No great thing is created suddenly,” and he might’ve been talking about flossing. The problem with New Year’s resolutions is that we aim for grandeur—run a marathon (don’t look at me!), write a novel, stop eating chocolates—without realizing our brains are more interested in conserving energy than achieving greatness. 

The Dark Truth: Your brain hates change. It’s wired to avoid pain (mental or physical) and seek pleasure. So don’t demand heroics—start small. 

Want to exercise? Put your running shoes by the door. No grand plans for a marathon—just tie the laces and walk around the block. 

Want to meditate? Don’t aim for an hour. Sit quietly for 30 seconds. If that feels too long, stare blankly at the wall for 15. 

By lowering the barrier to entry, you bypass your brain’s resistance and sneak new habits into your routine like a Trojan horse. 

Step 2: Reward the dopamine machine 

Dopamine isn’t just the “feel-good” chemical—it’s the neurotransmitter responsible for motivation and habit reinforcement. When you tie a reward to a habit, your brain starts associating the action with pleasure, making it more likely to stick. 

Realisation: Rewards don’t have to be noble. If going to the gym means you get to binge the latest true-crime doc afterward, so be it. Use your own hedonism as leverage. 

 Make the reward immediate: Your brain isn’t great at connecting long-term rewards (six-pack abs by summer) with short-term pain (sweaty, gasping lunges now). Find a way to make the payoff instant, even if it’s something as simple as tracking your progress on an app. 

Step 3: Accept you may fail – and use it! 

 You will fail. Often. And that’s fine. Neuroscience shows that habits aren’t broken by failure but by abandoning the attempt entirely. The prefrontal cortex (your inner CEO) loves an excuse to give up, so when you skip a workout or binge an entire pizza, it’ll whisper, “See? You’ll never stick to this.” 

Embrace your failures like old friends. They’re not roadblocks; they’re data. What caused you to skip that workout? Was the habit too ambitious? Were you tired? Adjust, adapt, and try again. 

 Consider this: If every time you fell off the bike as a child, you declared yourself a lifelong non-cyclist, you’d still be walking everywhere. Failure isn’t failure—it’s feedback. 

Step 4: Make rituals 

 Humans are creatures of ritual. Neuroscientists have found that tying habits to specific cues (like time, location, or context) strengthens neural connections and makes habits automatic. 

Rituals are essentially superstition with structure. You’re no different from the medieval peasants who thought a morning chant kept the plague at bay—you’re just swapping chants for setting out your yoga mat before bed to guarantee you’ll stretch in the morning. 

Attach your new habit to an existing routine: 

Brush your teeth? Do 10 squats afterward. 

Brew your morning coffee? Journal for two minutes while it drips. 

By linking habits to things you already do, you create a chain reaction that’s hard to ignore. 

Here’s the brutal, liberating truth: You are not special. Your brain is not some mystical, unfathomable enigma—it’s a lazy, pattern-loving lump of neural wiring that just wants to keep you alive with the least amount of effort. That’s why habits are hard. But it’s also why habits are possible. 

Life isn’t about becoming perfect; it’s about becoming slightly better at working with what you’ve got. Build your habits like scaffolding, piece by piece, knowing full well that some parts will collapse and need rebuilding. But over time, with patience and a bit of strategy, you’ll create something solid enough to stand. And isn’t that what we’re all trying to do? Build a life that doesn’t fall apart every time we fail. 

Routine is Great, until it isn’t... 

Routine is the spine of our existence, the metronome that keeps the chaotic symphony of life in rhythm. It’s comforting, predictable, and keeps us from dissolving into existential despair. Wake up. Brush teeth. Eat the same cereal you’ve eaten since 2003. Go to work. Repeat. There’s a beauty in it—a quiet, unspoken truth that stability is the scaffolding on which our sanity is built.  

But here’s the issue: if routine is the spine, stagnation is its scoliosis.  

Every now and then, you have to stretch, crack the joints of your predictable existence, and try something new—or risk becoming a living museum exhibit titled The Creature of Habit. 

I’m not dismissing routine outright. It’s the reason you remember to pay your bills, the reason you’ve developed enough skill at your job to survive, and the reason you’re not still wandering your kitchen at 2 a.m., unsure of how to turn on the coffee machine. 

Neuroscience backs this up: routines reduce cognitive load. Your brain loves autopilot because it’s efficient. But what makes routines efficient also makes them suffocating. 

When you’re locked in the same patterns day after day, the parts of your brain responsible for curiosity, creativity, and growth—the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus—start to creak. You’re not just stuck in a rut; you’re building a home there, complete with a decorative "Live, Laugh, Love" sign and a Netflix subscription. 

Ok imagine you’re a plant.  

Routine is the water and sunlight you need to survive, but every now and then, you require a strong gust of wind to remind you to grow deeper roots—or a curious gardener to move you into a bigger pot. Trying something new isn’t about abandoning routine; it’s about poking tiny holes in it to let in some fresh air. 

Think about the stories you tell about yourself. Most of them start with, “This one time…” not, “Every Tuesday at 4 p.m., I eat the same tuna sandwich.”  

Novelty is the fuel of memory. Neuroscientists know that when you try something new, your brain releases dopamine, the neurotransmitter of pleasure and reward, creating vivid, lasting memories. Without novelty, life flattens into a series of identical Tuesdays. 

Philosopher Søren Kierkegaard once said, “Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom.” He might as well have been talking about trying sushi for the first time or signing up for a pottery class. Sure, it’s easier to stick with what you know. But growth lives in discomfort. It’s in fumbling through something unfamiliar, failing spectacularly, and emerging on the other side with a new story, skill, or scar. 

Your brain thrives on stimulation. By introducing something new—learning a language, taking a new route to work, or even just trying that weird herbal tea your coworker keeps raving about—you force your neurons to forge fresh connections. These connections spill over into other areas, making you more creative, adaptable, and, dare I say it, alive. 

If you never try anything new, you’re essentially pressing repeat on your life until you’re just a set of habits wrapped in aging skin. Sure, you might avoid failure, but you also avoid serendipity—the unexpected joys that come from stepping outside your bubble. 

I’ve had a somewhat stagnant routine for weeks and months now... left unchecked, is a slow death. One day you wake up and realize you’ve become a caricature of yourself, drinking the same brand of coffee in the same mug while complaining about the same coworker for the 4,000th time. 

I’ve been toying with the idea of starting brazilian jiu jitsu lessons for over a year now. Due to various reasons, I’ve not quite had the impetus to go ahead and sign up but that changes next week. I will be starting my first ever BJJ lesson! 

Trying something new reminds you that you are not a machine following programmed instructions. You are a dynamic, unfinished work of art capable of reinvention. 

Start Small, Turn Routine into Ritual & Embrace the Fear of Looking Stupid!

One Thing I Wish I Knew Before My 30s... 

“Most People Don’t Know What They’re Doing—And Neither Do You” 

Your 20s are plagued by the sneaking suspicion that everyone else has life figured out while you’re still Googling “How to fold a fitted sheet” or “What is APR?” But here’s the glorious truth: no one knows what they’re doing. Not your boss, not that friend with the six-figure job and the Pinterest-perfect house, not even the smug guy on TikTok guru selling you his “five steps to success.” 

Life is just one big game of improvisation, and everyone’s winging it. The ones who look like they have it together? They’re just better at pretending. Or they’ve reached the stage of denial so advanced it’s practically an art form. 

Even the great philosophers couldn’t figure it out. To quote Socrates  “I know that I know nothing.” And if the father of Western philosophy couldn’t hack it, what chance do you have? 

Stop comparing yourself to other people. They’re as clueless as you are; they just hide it better. 

Confidence isn’t about knowing everything—it’s about accepting that you won’t. Learn to make peace with the chaos and when someone tells you they’ve figured out the meaning of life, nod politely and run—they’re either delusional or selling something. 

A Strange But Effective Sleeping Tip... 

What if I told you that increasing your intake of fruit and vegetables can improve sleep? (I promise your mum did not put me up to this) 

Researchers from the University of Michigan suggested that in addition to WHAT you eat, WHEN you eat matters too. 

The field of chrononutrition (how food intake timing affects your biological clock) is a growing field of research and early data suggests that eating at specific times and specific food & time pairings can influence your sleep behaviour. 

Now not all of this is an exact science since the needle is constantly moving, but it is interesting data nonetheless and you may be inspired to experiment with your own food diary and sleep schedules. 

Some research suggests that for those who struggle with sleep induction (getting to sleep), a high-glycaemic index (GI) meal four hours before bedtime allowed participants to fall asleep in 9 minutes on average whereas those who ate a low GI meal took 17.5 minutes. This might be due to the fact that high-GI meals result in a greater concentration of the amino acid tryptophan in the bloodstream which is ultimately converted into serotonin and then melatonin, which regulates the sleep-wake cycle. 

Late eating can also be problematic. The later you eat, e.g. within a 90 minute window before bed could mean an increased risk of acid reflux and bloating which can fracture sleep leading to more nighttime awakenings and more interrupted sleep.  

Eating at the wrong times may impact the ‘clocks’ in your body’s cells too. As your day goes on, your digestive function tails off as your clock cells realise it’s nighttime. Eating late at night constantly pushes back your biological clock, a region of the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, and also clocks in every cell in the body. 

There’s evidence that this could impact the synchronisation of your sleep wake cycles. Something to chew on and digest over the holidays! 

P.S for a deeper dive into the world of sleep and building better sleep habits, check out my podcast episode on sleep here:

P.P.S if you’ve listened to any episodes, please drop a rating on Spotify or Apple Music!