Chaos to Calm

Balancing the whirlwind of perimenopause and parenting teens can feel like a daunting challenge. Our guest today, Jessica Donovan, a naturopath and creator of Natural Super Kids, is here to guide us all as we navigate these often choppy waters. Jessica brings her expert knowledge to the table and opens up about her experiences, offering valuable tips on how to maintain our own well-being while caring for our growing teenagers during what is a transitional phase for them and us!
Perimenopause and raising teens are two life stages that can be rather overwhelming individually, let alone when happening at the same time, under one roof! But the key to managing both gracefully and effectively is prioritizing self-care and fostering open communication. Jessica stresses the importance of setting boundaries with our teens, particularly when it comes to their diet and nutrition, without stifling their natural inclination to explore and experiment. Whether it’s dealing with your son’s eating habits during his mountain biking outings or your daughter's snack choices at school, Jessica's insights are sure to provide plenty of food for thought.
Through this enlightening conversation, we discuss available resources, strategies for creating a nourishing home environment, and maintaining healthy relationships with our teens. It's not always an easy ride, but with the right tools and mindset, we can turn the chaos of perimenopause and parenting teens into a calm and rewarding journey. So, tune in and join us in this insightful conversation with Jessica Donovan.
Jessica Donovan is a Naturopath and Mum of two who helps parents raise super kids with healthy food, lifestyle considerations, and natural medicines. She is passionate about educating parents on nourishing their children with real food, helping to boost their health and heal naturally. Jessica combines her extensive naturopathic knowledge with a realistic, empathetic, inspiring, and down-to-earth approach to empower parents to look after themselves and take charge of the well-being of their families through her Natural Super Kids KLUB membership program, you can find out more here https://www.naturalsupe

Send us a question for the FAQs segment or your feedback, we’d love to hear from you.

Find out more about Sarah, her services and the Freebies mentioned in this episode at https://www.ThePerimenopauseNaturopath.com.au

• The Perimenopause Decoder is the ultimate guide to understanding if perimenopause hormone fluctuations are behind your changing mood, metabolism and energy after 40, what phase of perimenopause you're in, and how much longer you may be on this roller coaster for.
• For more, follow on Instagram at @theperimenopausenaturopath.

WORK WITH SARAH THE PERIMENOPAUSE NATUROPATH:

• PerimenoGO (because who wants to pause anyway?!) A self-guided program to help you reverse weight gain, boost energy, and reclaim your mood — without extreme diets or cutting carbs. Perfect for women who want a realistic plan that fits around kids, work, and actual life.
• The Chaos to Calm Method: A 1:1 personalised program for women who want a more personalised plan and support — especially if you’ve got 10kg+ to lose, other health issues, or feel like your body’s just stuck. Includes comprehensive blood testing and analysis, Metabolic Balance ...

Ever wondered why your body feels out of sync during perimenopause? Let's dive into the heart of the matter as we unravel the intricate relationship between perimenopause and the function (or dysfunction!) of your thyroid.
Join me, Sarah McLachlan, The Perimenopause Naturopath, as we explore how the decline of progesterone can lead to an increased risk of autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto's thyroiditis. We also probe into how fluctuating oestrogen levels can interfere with the conversion of thyroid hormone T4 to T3, impacting your metabolism, energy and weight.
In our discussion, we discover how an excess of oestrogen can lead to symptoms of hypothyroidism, throwing the equilibrium between our sex hormones, stress and thyroid hormones into disarray. But it's not all chaos! In understanding these disruptions, we find ways to achieve balance by optimizing the function of our elimination organs like the liver, kidneys and bowel. So, whether you're weathering the hormonal storm or are keen to understand the perimenopause-thyroid connection better, this episode will help you understand WTH is happening with your hormones.
** Find the freebie Sarah mentions in the episode here: The Blood Test Decoder: Optimal Ranges for Women Over 40. **

Send us a question for the FAQs segment or your feedback, we’d love to hear from you.

Find out more about Sarah, her services and the Freebies mentioned in this episode at https://www.ThePerimenopauseNaturopath.com.au

• The Perimenopause Decoder is the ultimate guide to understanding if perimenopause hormone fluctuations are behind your changing mood, metabolism and energy after 40, what phase of perimenopause you're in, and how much longer you may be on this roller coaster for.
• For more, follow on Instagram at @theperimenopausenaturopath.

WORK WITH SARAH THE PERIMENOPAUSE NATUROPATH:

• PerimenoGO (because who wants to pause anyway?!) A self-guided program to help you reverse weight gain, boost energy, and reclaim your mood — without extreme diets or cutting carbs. Perfect for women who want a realistic plan that fits around kids, work, and actual life.
• The Chaos to Calm Method: A 1:1 personalised program for women who want a more personalised plan and support — especially if you’ve got 10kg+ to lose, other health issues, or feel like your body’s just stuck. Includes comprehensive blood testing and analysis, Metabolic Balance ...

Emotional eating isn’t a lack of willpower - it’s your brain trying to make you feel safe in the easiest way possible.
If you’ve ever found yourself turning to chocolate, wine, or chips after a long day, you’re not alone - but it doesn’t have to stay this way.
Key takeaways
Discover the real reasons behind emotional eating and how perimenopause, holiday stress, and subconscious habits play a role. This episode breaks down:

• Why you eat on autopilot: Understand how the brain’s reward system strengthens emotional eating patterns - and why stress and overwhelm make this worse.
• How the festive season fuels emotional eating: Learn how family dynamics, unresolved emotions, and holiday busyness trigger this cycle.
• The first step to breaking the cycle: Why self-compassion and curiosity are essential tools for creating intentional, lasting change.

Sneak peek
“Knowing what food to eat is the easy part. The hard part is working with your mind - your monkey mind - stepping out of autopilot mode, and living intentionally. It’s about giving yourself permission to feel what’s there and learning to interrupt the patterns.”
This episode is for every woman who’s tired of feeling trapped by emotional eating - especially during stressful times. Listen now to gain clarity, feel empowered, and learn the first steps toward change.
Tune in to the full episode now to uncover how emotional eating works, why it feels so hard to break, and the tools you can start using today.
Links & Resources Mentioned in the Episode

• Podcast Episode: Setting Boundaries Without Guilt
• Podcast Episode: Avoiding Burnout This Holiday Season
• Learn more about PerimenoGO

Send us a question for the FAQs segment or your feedback, we’d love to hear from you.

Find out more about Sarah, her services and the Freebies mentioned in this episode at https://www.ThePerimenopauseNaturopath.com.au

• The Perimenopause Decoder is the ultimate guide to understanding if perimenopause hormone fluctuations are behind your changing mood, metabolism and energy after 40, what phase of perimenopause you're in, and how much longer you may be on this roller coaster for.
• For more, follow on Instagram at @theperimenopausenaturopath.

WORK WITH SARAH THE PERIMENOPAUSE NATUROPATH:

• PerimenoGO (because who wants to pause anyway?!) A self-guided program to help you reverse weight gain, boost energy, and reclaim your mood — without extreme diets or cutting carbs. Perfect for women who want a realistic plan that fits around kids, work, and actual life.
• The Chaos to Calm Method: A 1:1 personalised program for women who want a more personalised plan and support — especially if you’ve got 10kg+ to lose, other health issues, or feel like your body’s just stuck. Includes comprehensive blood testing and analysis, Metabolic Balance ...

What if I told you that you’re not exhausted because you’re getting older.

You’re exhausted because your body isn’t getting what it needs.

Most women in perimenopause think they need more coffee, stricter diets, or harder workouts to fight fatigue, brain fog, and weight gain. But what if the real problem is how you’re fueling your body?

After competing in a full-contact national box lacrosse championship at 50, playing against women half my age in 2-hour games, five days straight, in 30-36o heat, I saw firsthand how nutrition, hydration, and recovery can make or break your energy levels - no matter your age.

Key Takeaways:

✔ The biggest fueling mistakes most women in perimenopause make - and why they’re making you feel more exhausted, not better.
✔ Why carbs are your friend, not your enemy (and how cutting them can actually backfire on your metabolism, sleep, and hormones).
✔ How to eat, drink, and train smarter so you stop crashing mid-afternoon and start feeling strong again - without extreme diets or over-exercising.

Sneak Peek:

“Some of the younger women were struggling. They were exhausted halfway through because they weren’t eating enough, weren’t eating the right things, and weren’t recovering properly. And I see this all the time with women in perimenopause too.”

Your body isn’t working against you - it just needs the right support.

The way you fuel yourself directly affects how you feel every day. If you’re tired of crashing at 3 p.m., feeling sluggish no matter what you eat, or wondering why your workouts aren’t making a difference, this episode is for you.

Listen now and start making the small shifts that lead to big results.

Links & Resources Mentioned:
📍 Blog post - The Perimenopause Diet
📍 1:1 sessions now available – work with The Perimenopause Naturopath team

Send us a question for the FAQs segment or your feedback, we’d love to hear from you.

Find out more about Sarah, her services and the Freebies mentioned in this episode at https://www.ThePerimenopauseNaturopath.com.au

• The Perimenopause Decoder is the ultimate guide to understanding if perimenopause hormone fluctuations are behind your changing mood, metabolism and energy after 40, what phase of perimenopause you're in, and how much longer you may be on this roller coaster for.
• For more, follow on Instagram at @theperimenopausenaturopath.

WORK WITH SARAH THE PERIMENOPAUSE NATUROPATH:

• PerimenoGO (because who wants to pause anyway?!) A self-guided program to help you reverse weight gain, boost energy, and reclaim your mood — without extreme diets or cutting carbs. Perfect for women who want a realistic plan that fits around kids, work, and actual life.
• The Chaos to Calm Method: A 1:1 personalised program for women who want a more personalised plan and support — especially if you’ve got 10kg+ to lose, other health issues, or feel like your body’s just stuck. Includes comprehensive blood testing and analysis, Metabolic Balance ...

Ever wondered about the mental or emotional transformation women undergo during perimenopause and into menopause? Well this episode is your roadmap to understanding it and why this decade could be your most empowering yet! Join Sarah as she talks with Amanda Trieger, a naturopath and menstrual health advocate with two decades of experience. Together, they delve into the power of living cyclically, the concept of Maga, and how honouring our rites of passage can create a powerful ripple effect in our lives and society.
Amanda emphasizes the importance of tracking your cycles—be it lunar or menstrual—as a cornerstone for creating change. It's like having a GPS for your body, offering real-time updates on your hormonal landscape. The conversation also challenges societal norms that equate menopause with old age, redefining it as a powerful transition rather than a decline.
The episode introduces Maga, a transformative phase in a woman's life that starts around age 40. Amanda describes it as a time to harvest life experiences and offer them back to the community. It's your autumn season, a time to slow down, reflect, and prepare for the next chapter. The episode also delves into the importance of creating rituals to honor life transitions like menopause, framing it as a rite of passage or a graduation ceremony for your hormones. Finally, the conversation touches on why the current work culture isn't designed for cyclical beings like women and how recognizing menstrual health as a vital sign can be revolutionary.
Tune in to move from bewilderment to empowerment, and gain actionable insights and a deeper understanding of your body.

Send us a question for the FAQs segment or your feedback, we’d love to hear from you.

Find out more about Sarah, her services and the Freebies mentioned in this episode at https://www.ThePerimenopauseNaturopath.com.au

• The Perimenopause Decoder is the ultimate guide to understanding if perimenopause hormone fluctuations are behind your changing mood, metabolism and energy after 40, what phase of perimenopause you're in, and how much longer you may be on this roller coaster for.
• For more, follow on Instagram at @theperimenopausenaturopath.

WORK WITH SARAH THE PERIMENOPAUSE NATUROPATH:

• PerimenoGO (because who wants to pause anyway?!) A self-guided program to help you reverse weight gain, boost energy, and reclaim your mood — without extreme diets or cutting carbs. Perfect for women who want a realistic plan that fits around kids, work, and actual life.
• The Chaos to Calm Method: A 1:1 personalised program for women who want a more personalised plan and support — especially if you’ve got 10kg+ to lose, other health issues, or feel like your body’s just stuck. Includes comprehensive blood testing and analysis, Metabolic Balance ...