Even with a relatively healthy diet, you may be supplementing when stressful with comfort foods which are often those high in sugar, caffeine and other stimulants.

If you include these ‘supplementary items’ as well, you could see your stress levels reduce and be more serene and glide smoothly like a swan through the bumps in your life:

1. Bioidentical natural progesterone helps with the common increase in stress at menopause as many women have depleted progesterone levels then naturally.

Also persistent stress seriously impacts on our hormones as progesterone is used to make the stress hormone cortisol so maintaining hormone balance is key at the time.

2. Salmon is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids which are highly recommended for many health benefits.

This type of fatty acid has anti-inflammatory effects, as does progesterone, and this is believed to help reduce some of the risk factors associated with reducing anxiety and therefore less stress.

3. Spinach is not everyone’s favourite vegetable, apart from Popeye, but it is rich in folate and this leafy green can help stabilise your mood. Studies show a link between folate deficiency and increased risk of depression.

4. Cheese is something we are often cautious about if trying to lose weight because of the potential calorie increase, but it does provide good levels of tryptophan. This amino acid is turned into the neurotransmitter serotonin in your body and this plays an important role in mood control.

5. Almonds again have many health benefits but the key one at menopause is that they are a great source of magnesium. This is the mineral that plays a role in converting tryptophan to serotonin (see Cheese information above) and so plays an important role in mood control and how calm and relaxed you feel.

6. Kidney beans add a healthy dose of zinc into your diet. Low levels of zinc have been linked to an increased level of depression and reduced responsiveness to depression treatment. Ensuring you have an adequate intake can help balance mood and possibly your ability to manage stress better.

7. Camomile tea has been linked to several health benefits including reduced anxiety and depression. If chamomile is not to your taste, and I freely admit it is not mine, you could add a touch of honey or look for one of many good herbal blends that are more flavourful and often named as sleep or relaxing teas.

8. Relaxation is key to reducing stress so find something you can do regularly to keep your stress levels down. It may be as simple as regularly walking or yoga, as exercise does reduce stress, or exploring meditation, counselling or therapies such as homoeopathy or aromatherapy massage.