May Newsletter - Stress, Stillness & the Microbiome
May 29, 2026 2:59 pm
Hi !
May arrives with longer days, fresh green growth, and the sense that life is speeding up again.
And while spring can feel energising, it can also quietly increase pressure. More plans. More movement. More expectations. Many people notice that even in beautiful seasons, their nervous system still feels unsettled.
This month, we’re exploring the relationship between stress and the microbiome.
Because stress doesn’t only affect the mind. It changes digestion, nutrient absorption, inflammation, sleep, cravings, and even the balance of bacteria living within the gut.
The good news is that the body is always listening for safety, too.
Through nourishment, rest, mindful awareness, and gentle daily practices, we can begin supporting both the nervous system and the microbiome together.
Blog Post of the Month
Gut Health & Trace Minerals: Copper, Iodine and Manganese
Sometimes people describe it as feeling like their body is “running on low power”.
Energy fades gradually. Concentration becomes harder. Hair, skin, hormones, and resilience all begin to feel slightly “off”, even when blood tests appear mostly normal.
This month’s blog explores the often-overlooked relationship between gut health and trace minerals such as copper, iodine, and manganese. These nutrients may be needed in small amounts, but they play enormous roles in thyroid health, energy production, antioxidant protection, connective tissue, and the nervous system.
And increasingly, we’re learning that chronic stress and digestive imbalance may interfere far more with these minerals than we once realised.
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Podcast of the Month
Finding Your Ground | Michael Benjamin Avery
Some conversations linger long after they end, and this was one of those.
Michael and I spoke about what it truly means to “find your ground”. Not as something external to achieve, but as a deeper sense of steadiness within yourself.
We explored the experience of feeling ungrounded, the long process of searching, and the shift that happens when you stop constantly looking outward and begin listening inwardly instead.
It’s a thoughtful and honest conversation about stability, self-trust, and coming home to yourself.
Recipe of the Month
Spring Herb Chicken with Peas, Mint & Lemon Yoghurt
A light yet deeply nourishing May dish, full of fresh herbs, gentle fibre, healthy fats, and calming flavours for both gut and nervous system.
Ingredients (serves 4):
- 4 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
- 2 tbsp butter or ghee
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- Sea salt & black pepper
- 200 g (7 oz) peas
- Handful fresh mint
- Handful fresh parsley
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
For the yoghurt sauce:
- 150 ml (5 fl oz) full-fat yoghurt or kefir yoghurt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Small pinch sea salt
- Chopped fresh mint
Method:
- Season the chicken with thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Heat butter or ghee in a pan and cook the chicken skin-side down until golden and crisp. Turn and cook through gently.
- Add garlic and peas during the final few minutes.
- Stir together the yoghurt sauce ingredients.
- Serve the chicken topped with herbs, lemon zest, and yoghurt sauce.
Fresh, calming, and supportive for digestion without feeling heavy.
Book of the Month
Fearless Fermenting — Austin Durant
This book brings fermentation back to what it has always been: alive, intuitive, nourishing, and deeply human.
Austin Durant makes the world of fermented foods feel approachable and creative, guiding readers through the process of crafting foods that support gut health while also reconnecting us with traditional food wisdom.
From sauerkraut and kefir to more adventurous ferments, the book balances practical guidance with encouragement, reminding us that fermentation doesn’t need perfection, it needs curiosity, patience, and trust in natural processes.
A wonderful companion for anyone wanting to support their microbiome in a more hands-on, grounded way.
Meditation of the Month
Peace Begins Here
Peace rarely arrives through force.
More often, it begins quietly, when the nervous system no longer feels the need to stay in constant defence.
This meditation offers a gentle space to soften inwardly, release pressure, and reconnect with the calm that already exists beneath the noise. A beautiful practice for stressful days, emotional overwhelm, or simply moments when you long for stillness.
Reflection for May
Stress is not only something we think. It’s something the body experiences.
The gut tightens. Digestion changes. Sleep becomes lighter. Cravings shift. Even breathing can become shallower without us noticing.
And often, healing begins not with doing more, but with creating small moments where the body feels safe enough to soften.
A slower meal.
A deeper breath.
A few quiet minutes without input.
A reminder that rest is productive too.
The nervous system notices these things.
So does the microbiome.
Question of the Month
What helps my body genuinely feel safe, calm, and supported, not just distracted or busy?
Sometimes the answer is simpler than we expect. When you'd like to share, just hit reply and send me a message, I'm curious how things feel for you and will respond to your message.
Curious about working with me?
If you’re longing for steadiness, deeper self-connection, or support in navigating your inner world, I’d love to meet you. Coaching offers a gentle, grounded, nourishing space where you can explore what’s going on beneath the surface.
You’re warmly invited to book a gifted conversation, a chance for us to talk, explore, and see what support would feel good for you.
Courses & Programmes
Over the past months, more of the work behind the scenes has become available.
These courses are designed to bring together practical knowledge, traditional nourishment, body literacy, and deeper self-understanding, in a grounded way that honours real life and real healing.
At the moment, the courses are primarily text-based with worksheets and guidance included, and over time I’ll continue adding audio and video support as they evolve further.
🌿 The Four Phases — £29
A course designed to help women understand the cyclical nature of their bodies and begin working with their changing energy, rather than constantly fighting against it.
It explores cycle syncing through nourishment, lifestyle, movement, and awareness, helping you reconnect with the wisdom of your own inner seasons.
Know Your Cycle, Know Your Body — £49
A complete 11-module fertility awareness course for women wanting to deeply understand their cycles, fertility signs, and overall reproductive health.
Whether your goal is conception, natural birth control, hormone awareness, or simply understanding your body more fully, this course offers both practical tools and deeper connection.
The Gut Recovery Programme (Beta Access) — currently £99
This programme has been years in the making.
I first began building it back in 2021, and over time it grew into something far deeper and more comprehensive than I originally imagined. Gut healing touches everything, digestion, immunity, hormones, mood, nervous system regulation, energy, and so much more.
The programme is inspired by various traditional gut-healing principles such as, but approaches healing more slowly and gently, with expanded stages, flexibility, and space for individual pacing.
It includes:
- An 8-stage gut recovery framework
- Recipes, worksheets, symptom trackers, and practical guidance
- Deep dives into fermentation, fats, dairy, sweeteners, herbs, and healing foods
- Support around setbacks, overwhelm, and the emotional side of healing
The course is now available in Beta, which means it is fully usable already, but I am still adding more: bonusses, audio, video, and refinements over time.
Because of that, I’m currently looking for a small group of people who would like to go through the programme and offer feedback as it continues developing.
The current price is £99, but during this beta stage you can access it with 50% off using the code:
Feedback50
The price will increase gradually as more content is added over time.
And beyond these, there are still more ideas growing in the background around health, nourishment, healing, family wellbeing, and creating deeper connection with ourselves and each other.
Slowly becoming real, one piece at a time
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Helping you create the life you want.
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PS — Want to explore if coaching with me is a good fit? Let’s have a proper conversation. Book yourself in here:
