Every week, my social media feed seems to deliver another advert aimed at perimenopausal and menopausal women, and lately my camera roll has become a depressing little museum of screenshots. Not because I want to share them or give them more attention, but because they make me feel genuine despair. These adverts are everywhere. They promise flat stomachs, reduced bloating, better skin, fewer cravings, balanced hormones, fixed cortisol, boosted metabolism, weight loss, impro

I recently came across an article claiming that a “cortisol detox” is helping menopausal women lose 30 to 40 lbs in six weeks, without injections, HRT or calorie counting. The article says that weight gain in menopause is not really about age, metabolism or willpower, but about cortisol. It claims that certain foods, including whole grains, fruit smoothies, low-fat yoghurt, protein bars, diet drinks and deli meats, can spike cortisol and cause the body to hold onto stubborn b