Episode 115: Fibre: The Missing Link in Your Energy, Hormones and Gut Health

Fibre has had a rebrand, but the real story is what it does behind the scenes. We’re talking bowel movements, yes, but also the less obvious wins: steadier blood sugar, healthier cholesterol, a happier gut microbiome, better immune resilience, and smoother hormone balance. If you’ve ever wondered why you can “eat well” and still feel bloated, sluggish, or out of sorts, the missing piece might be simpler than you think.

We unpack why most people in the UK are only getting around half the recommended fibre intake, and why the 30g-a-day target is more of a baseline than a finish line. You’ll hear the practical difference between soluble fibre and insoluble fibre, how soluble fibre forms a gel that slows digestion, and why that matters for glucose spikes and feeding beneficial gut bacteria. We also get very honest about what “normal” looks like when it comes to frequency, stool health, and why “once a week” should never be brushed off.

Then we connect fibre to detoxification and hormone health. Used hormones and toxins are processed through the liver and moved into the gut via bile, and without enough fibre they can be reabsorbed instead of eliminated, which may add to symptoms linked with oestrogen dominance like PMS, heavy periods, hormonal acne, headaches, and bloating. We also touch on low FODMAP diets, why some fibres can trigger symptoms when the gut is already inflamed, and how short chain fatty acids support inflammation control and gut lining strength.

If you want realistic, food-first ways to boost dietary fibre without living on bran cereal, we’ve got you. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave us a review, then come tell us in our free Facebook group: what’s the easiest fibre upgrade you’ll make this week?

If this episode has you thinking, “Where do I even start?”… I’ve got you.

I’ve created a Big Hug Care Package — full of simple, fibre-rich food ideas to support your gut, alongside breathwork to help calm and settle your system (because your gut doesn’t just need the right foods… it needs the right state too).

You can grab it here

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Thank you for listening.

You can continue the conversation with us in the Far 2 Fabulous Facebook group. Come and connect with other women on a journey to empowered health.

For more information about Julie Clark Nutrition, click HERE
For more information about Catherine Chapman, click HERE

If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support the show, you can buy us a coffee HERE. Your support helps us continue creating episodes and improving our recording setup.

We look forward to you joining us on the next episode.

Episode 114

1.6 million people in England are using GLP-1 weight loss injections, and most are paying privately. That single fact changes the whole conversation, because it raises the stakes around screening, fake supplies, side effects, and what happens when people take a powerful medication without the nutrition, exercise, and psychological support that should come with it.

We share what we learned at a healthy weight loss conference, including the NHS-style three-part approach to prescribing, common contraindications (from thyroid history to pregnancy planning and gallbladder or pancreatic issues), and the day-to-day reality of symptoms like nausea, fatigue and digestive upset. We also talk honestly about diet culture and the return of the “super skinny” ideal, and why that pressure can make people accept risks they would never take in any other area of health.

Then we get into the part that rarely makes headlines: muscle and bone. If a big chunk of weight loss is actually lean mass, and if people regain fat more easily than they rebuild strength, the scale can go down while long-term metabolic health goes backwards. We break down why protein (often at least 1.2 g per kg), whole foods, supplements when needed, and resistance training are non-negotiables, especially for women as we age. We also share Dr David Unwin’s take on hunger, why willpower-based dieting fails, and why sugar and refined carbs can behave like an addictive substance for some people, plus how trackers and CGMs can help or mislead.

If you care about sustainable weight loss, obesity support, type 2 diabetes risk, and real wellbeing, come listen, share it with someone who needs a kinder and smarter framework, and then subscribe and leave us a review so more women can find the conversation.

Got a question or comment? Send us a text message here!

Click HERE to support us.

Thank you for listening.

You can continue the conversation with us in the Far 2 Fabulous Facebook group. Come and connect with other women on a journey to empowered health.

For more information about Julie Clark Nutrition, click HERE
For more information about Catherine Chapman, click HERE

If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support the show, you can buy us a coffee HERE. Your support helps us continue creating episodes and improving our recording setup.

We look forward to you joining us on the next episode.

Episode 113

You eat well, you’re generally fit, you try to sleep, you do your best and yet you’re the one who catches every bug and takes the longest to recover. That frustration is real, and it can make you wonder if something is quietly “wrong” with you. We go straight at the question a listener asked: why do I feel so run down when I’m healthy?

I share the first non-negotiable step: recognising red flags and knowing when to book in with your GP, especially with persistent or unusual symptoms. Once that’s ruled out, we do a calm but honest audit of the foundations that drive energy and immune resilience: running on empty, sleep that’s slipped, food ruts, skipped meals, low protein, dehydration, and the subtle creep of caffeine or alcohol when life gets full-on. We also talk about stress as more than feelings, including the body load of doing things that clash with your values and the power of better boundaries.

From there we zoom out to hormones and midlife health. Oestrogen, progesterone and cortisol shifts can change how resilient you feel, how well you sleep, and how long inflammation hangs around after illness. If you’ve genuinely got the basics in place but you still aren’t bouncing back, we discuss practical next steps like blood work for key nutrients and markers, plus deeper options such as mineral testing and gut health support, because your immune system and your microbiome are tightly linked.

If this lands for you, subscribe, share this with a friend who always says “but I’m the healthy one”, and leave us a review so more women can find the podcast. What’s the first foundation you’re going to audit this week?

Got a question or comment? Send us a text message here!

Click HERE to support us.

Thank you for listening.

You can continue the conversation with us in the Far 2 Fabulous Facebook group. Come and connect with other women on a journey to empowered health.

For more information about Julie Clark Nutrition, click HERE
For more information about Catherine Chapman, click HERE

If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support the show, you can buy us a coffee HERE. Your support helps us continue creating episodes and improving our recording setup.

We look forward to you joining us on the next episode.