Suffolk Woman's Wellness

Suffolk Woman's Wellness NHS Midwife Woman's Health Practitioner. Massage, Scar Therapy, Core Pelvic Floor Recovery, Exercise My drive has always been to care. Nina x
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Hello and welcome to my page, a place where I aim to keep you informed about what is happening and how I can help you in your health and wellness. I feel that women are exceptional in what they achieve and how they can make a positive difference to everyone around them, when they are feeling empowered and in control of their lives. I feel that the groundwork of happiness is health, and that is why I am committed to supporting women physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually through the feminine life’s cycles. My philosophy for caring for women during pre-conception, pregnancy, postnatally and through the menopause is that:
I care about the mental and emotional health of women. I hold the space for the women I support. I show kindness and compassion to women in my health community. I transform live using simple solutions that create powerful change. I create nurturing environments in which women feel safe to share and express themselves freely. I love to learn and grow from each other through constructive peer support. I embrace a supportive and collaborative community. I offer a wide range of massage therapies, fitness courses, classes, and workshops. Check out the website to find out more. www.swwcuk.com I hope to meet you soon.

I had a conversation recently in clinic that made me think about something we don't talk about nearly enough. Every mont...
12/09/2026

I had a conversation recently in clinic that made me think about something we don't talk about nearly enough. Every month, around menstruation, some women describe feeling almost flu-like:

✨ overwhelming fatigue
✨ feeling hot or feverish
✨ aching or generally unwell
✨ headaches
✨ digestive changes
✨ itchy throat, skin or other allergy-type symptoms
✨ a feeling that their immune system has suddenly gone into overdrive

And then, as that part of their cycle passes, it settles again. So could hormones be involved? Potentially, yes.

Oestrogen and progesterone fluctuate considerably across the menstrual cycle, while inflammatory chemicals such as prostaglandins increase around menstruation. There is also an interesting relationship between reproductive hormones, histamine and mast cells, the immune cells involved in allergic and inflammatory responses.

For some women, the issue may therefore not be that they are genuinely “catching something” every month, but that hormonal changes are triggering or amplifying an inflammatory or histamine-type response. You might hear the informal term period flu, although it isn't a medical diagnosis.

What's fascinating is that we don't actually have a reliable figure for how many women experience this particular pattern. PMS and menstrual symptoms themselves are incredibly common, but cycle-related histamine-type symptoms haven't been studied well enough.

Women can spend years being told that seemingly unrelated symptoms , fatigue, headaches, digestive issues, feeling feverish, itching or just feeling dreadful are separate problems, without anyone asking Does this happen at the same point in your menstrual cycle every month? Keeping a symptom and cycle diary for 2–3 months can be incredibly useful.

And importantly, recurrent symptoms shouldn't automatically be blamed on hormones. Persistent fever, significant throat swelling, breathing difficulties, severe pain or feeling genuinely medically unwell always deserve proper assessment.

Our hormones don't work in isolation, they communicate with our nervous system, immune system, gut and the rest of our body. Sometimes joining those dots changes everything. love, Nina x

Can supplements really “balance your hormones”?“Hormone balancing” is everywhere now. Powders, gummies, herbs, menopause...
08/09/2026

Can supplements really “balance your hormones”?

“Hormone balancing” is everywhere now. Powders, gummies, herbs, menopause blends, fertility supplements and “adrenal support” products all promising to bring the body back into balance.

But hormones do not really work like that.

Some supplements can genuinely influence hormone pathways, which is why “natural” does not automatically mean harmless.

Ashwagandha is often used for stress and cortisol support, but it may also affect thyroid hormones in some people.

Iodine and kelp can support thyroid hormone production, but too much can actually disrupt thyroid function.

DHEA is even more interesting because it is not simply a vitamin. It is a hormone precursor that can be converted into androgens and oestrogens in the body.

Red clover and concentrated soy isoflavones contain phytoestrogens, which can interact with oestrogen receptors, while Vitex, or chasteberry, may influence dopamine and prolactin pathways and therefore affect menstrual cycles.

That does not mean these supplements are “bad”. It means they are biologically active.

The problem comes when we start taking several products because we feel our hormones must be “out of balance”, without really knowing what we are trying to treat.

Fatigue, poor sleep, anxiety, weight changes, irregular periods, hair loss, low libido and mood changes can all have many different causes.

Supplements absolutely have a place, particularly where there is a genuine deficiency or clear clinical reason for using them.

But before buying something that promises to “balance cortisol”, “boost progesterone” or “detox oestrogen”, it is worth asking:

What am I actually trying to change, and do I know that this is really the problem?

Because hormones are a complex communication system, not something we can simply “rebalance” with a supplement. Love, Nina xx

How TRE can heal unconscious patterns of stress, tension and trauma.Sometimes the body is protecting us before we even r...
08/09/2026

How TRE can heal unconscious patterns of stress, tension and trauma.

Sometimes the body is protecting us before we even realise it.

I was reminded of this recently while working with a woman who had scar sensitivity. She could touch her own scar with very little discomfort, but when I touched the same area, using a very similar pressure, her body responded differently.

Pain and sensitivity are not always just about the tissue itself. Of course scar tissue, fascial restriction, pelvic floor tension, hormonal changes and local sensitivity can all play a part, but sometimes the nervous system has also learned to become protective.

And when the nervous system anticipates threat, the body can respond incredibly quickly.

The breath can become shallow.
The abdomen can brace.
The pelvic floor can tighten.
Touch can feel more intense.
S*x can feel uncomfortable or painful.
The body may seem to “close down” even when mentally you feel safe and want to relax.

This does not mean the pain is imagined. Quite the opposite. It means the body is doing exactly what it believes it needs to do to protect you.

For some women, this protective pattern can develop after surgery, birth trauma, painful examinations, difficult sexual experiences, ongoing pelvic pain or simply after months or years of expecting something to hurt.

This is one of the reasons I find nervous system work so valuable alongside hands-on treatment.

TRE® is one tool I use that may help some women gently release held tension through the body’s natural tremoring response. The aim is not to force the body to relax or push through discomfort, but to give the nervous system repeated experiences of safety, choice and control.

Sometimes healing is not only about changing the scar or relaxing the muscles.

Sometimes it is also about helping the body slowly learn:

I am safe here now.
I can soften.
I can let go.
I can trust my body again.

And that can be such an important part of recovery. Dates to follow for my next workshop.

Love Nina xx

We’re back!After the summer break, classes resume from Saturday 5th September and I’m really looking forward to seeing e...
06/09/2026

We’re back!

After the summer break, classes resume from Saturday 5th September and I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone again.

Whether you’ve been coming for years, you’ve had a little break, or you’re thinking about joining for the first time, you are so welcome. These classes are about so much more than exercise, they’re a chance to move your body, build strength, improve mobility, switch off from everything else for a while and enjoy being part of a friendly group of women.

Our September to December timetable is:

Saturday
Body Conditioning 8.00–8.45am
Stretch & Relax 8.45–9.45am

Monday
Barre 6.45–7.30pm
Pilates 7.30–8.30pm

Tuesday
Pregnancy Pilates 6.30–7.30pm

All classes are suitable for different abilities, and beginners are always welcome. You don’t need to be “fit enough” before you come, you just come as you are and build from there.

Classes are held at Sproughton Church Hall, Lower Road, IP8 3AS.

Booking is online at www.ninaparnham.com

I can’t wait to get moving with you again
Nina xx

One thing we need to talk about more when investigating women’s hormones is what supplements we are taking.We often thin...
04/09/2026

One thing we need to talk about more when investigating women’s hormones is what supplements we are taking.

We often think of vitamins and herbal remedies as completely separate from medication, but “natural” does not mean biologically inactive. Some supplements can genuinely influence hormone function, while others can interfere with the blood test itself, making results look abnormal when the hormone level may actually be different.

Biotin is a really important example.

Biotin, or vitamin B7, is commonly found in hair, skin and nail supplements, fertility products, pregnancy vitamins and multivitamins. Some laboratory hormone tests use biotin-based technology, and higher amounts circulating in the blood can interfere with the result.

This is particularly recognised with thyroid testing. Biotin can make TSH appear falsely low and T4 or T3 appear falsely high, creating a blood picture that can look like an overactive thyroid. It can also interfere with some prolactin tests.

Pregnancy and fertility vitamins, including products such as Pregnacare, may contain biotin alongside iodine and other nutrients. The amounts are usually far lower than dedicated high-dose biotin products, so this does not mean Pregnacare automatically causes abnormal results, but it shows why your clinician needs to know exactly what you are taking.

Other supplements can affect hormone physiology more directly too. Iodine and kelp can influence thyroid function, while some herbal products marketed for fertility, menopause, thyroid or “adrenal support” contain biologically active ingredients.

So when hormone results do not quite fit the woman sitting in front of us, it is worth looking beyond the numbers and asking what else she may be taking.

Supplements can absolutely have a place, but they are still part of the clinical picture. When we are trying to understand women’s hormones, everything going into the body matters. Love, Nina xx

A little business update for 2027 💛As we head towards a new year, I’m making a few changes to the way appointments are b...
02/09/2026

A little business update for 2027 💛

As we head towards a new year, I’m making a few changes to the way appointments are booked, partly to make things a little more manageable behind the scenes and partly to make it easier for you to plan your treatments and sessions with me.

From January 2027, I’ll be changing my booking system so that appointments are released one month at a time.

Each new month will open approximately four weeks beforehand, giving existing and new clients the opportunity to book the appointments that suit them rather than me opening several months of availability at once.

I know many of you like to plan ahead, so I’ll always give plenty of notice when the next month is about to open and remind you here and through my usual channels.

I’m also looking at introducing something new… Postnatal Pilates 🤍

This would be a class specifically designed for women after having a baby, with a much gentler and more considered approach than simply returning to a general Pilates class.

We would focus on rebuilding connection with the breath, core and pelvic floor, improving posture and mobility, gradually restoring strength and confidence and supporting the changes your body has been through during pregnancy and birth.

I’m currently gauging interest before deciding exactly how and when this would run, so if Postnatal Pilates is something you would be interested in, please comment below, message me, or simply leave me a ❤️ so I can get an idea of numbers.

Babies would of course be very welcome too!

There are lots of exciting ideas bubbling away for 2027, while still keeping the heart of the business exactly where it has always been, supporting women through the different stages and changes of their lives.

Love Nina xx

Have you ever looked back and thought, “If only I had done that sooner,” “Why didn’t I listen to myself?” or “Maybe thin...
31/08/2026

Have you ever looked back and thought, “If only I had done that sooner,” “Why didn’t I listen to myself?” or “Maybe things would be different if I had made another choice.”

This is called counterfactual thinking. It is when the brain imagines an alternative version of the past and compares it with what actually happened.

Sometimes this helps us learn. But when we are grieving, recovering from illness, processing trauma, navigating fertility struggles, pregnancy loss, relationship changes, menopause or diagnosis, it can become incredibly painful.

The problem is that hindsight gives us something we did not have then: information.

We look back knowing how things turned out and judge the woman we were then using knowledge that belongs to the woman we are now.

That is where thoughts like “I wasted all that time,” “I should have known,” or “I should have put myself first” can begin to take hold.

But she did not know what you know today. She was making decisions from the circumstances she was in, the information she had, the hopes she carried and what she believed might still be possible.

Sometimes self-blame can also create a sense of control. If we believe we made the “wrong” choice, we can convince ourselves there must have been a “right” one that would have protected us from the pain.

Sometimes there simply wasn’t.

Two things can be true at once: I wish I had made some different choices, and I made the best decision I could with what I knew at the time.

So perhaps instead of asking, “Why did I do that?” we could ask, “What was I hoping for, needing or trying to protect?”

And then, “Knowing what I know now, what do I need to choose for myself next?”

We cannot go backwards and care for our past self differently, but we can stop punishing her.

Sometimes healing is recognising that the woman you were then was doing her best to find her way through something she could not yet see the ending of.

Love, Nina xx

What if your body is still holding onto things your mind has already moved on from?Have you ever noticed that even when ...
30/08/2026

What if your body is still holding onto things your mind has already moved on from?

Have you ever noticed that even when life is technically “fine”, your body doesn’t always seem to have got the memo?

You might feel tired but struggle to truly relax. Your shoulders stay lifted, your jaw is clenched, your tummy feels tight, you hold your breath without realising, or you wake in the night with your mind already busy.

Sometimes we become so used to living like this that we think it is simply our personality.

“I’m just a worrier.” “I’ve always been tense.” “I’m terrible at switching off.”

But what if some of this is your nervous system doing exactly what it was designed to do?

When we experience stress, pressure, fear, grief, trauma, overwhelm, childbirth, illness, relationship difficulties, hormonal changes or simply years of pushing through, our nervous system responds.

We brace. We tighten. We prepare. We keep going.

And sometimes, long after the stressful experience has passed, the body is still carrying some of that activation.

This is one of the reasons I love **TRE, Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises** so much.

TRE works with the body rather than asking you to analyse everything that has ever happened to you.

Through a series of simple exercises, we invite the body’s natural tremoring response to begin. Shaking and tremoring are instinctive responses seen across the animal world after periods of threat or stress, and TRE gives us a safe and intentional way to explore this natural mechanism.

For many women there is something incredibly powerful about realising: I don’t have to think my way out of everything. sometimes the body needs a way to release too.

Women often describe feeling calmer, lighter, more grounded, more spacious in their body and deeply relaxed after TRE. For some, it feels like finally being able to exhale.

I’ll be running another **women-only TRE workshop** soon, and over the next few weeks I’m going to share more about what TRE is, why we tremor, what happens during a session and how it may support the nervous system. love, Nina x

Do our ovaries retire after menopause?The ovaries have largely been described as reproductive organs, releasing eggs, pr...
27/08/2026

Do our ovaries retire after menopause?

The ovaries have largely been described as reproductive organs, releasing eggs, producing hormones and then, once menopause arrives, becoming far less relevant.

But fascinating new research is beginning to challenge that idea. A 2026 study looking at ageing mouse ovaries found that once reproductive function had ended, the o***y did not simply become inactive. As follicles disappeared, the ovaries developed a much stronger immune and inflammatory profile, with increasing numbers of immune cells including T cells and macrophages. The researchers described the post-reproductive o***y as becoming increasingly immune-like.

Another 2026 study using detailed single-cell analysis also found growing populations of inflammatory immune cells within ageing ovaries and complex communication between immune cells and ovarian cells.

So perhaps rather than viewing the o***y after menopause as a redundant organ, we need to think of it as an organ that changes function as it ages.

This research does NOT yet prove that human ovaries become immune organs after menopause. Much of this work has been carried out in mice, and we need further human research before knowing exactly what this means clinically.

But it raises some fascinating questions.

Could the postmenopausal o***y still communicate with the rest of the body?

Could it continue to influence inflammation, ageing and endocrine signalling?

And could this help us better understand why ovarian conservation may still matter beyond our reproductive years?

We already know that menopause does not mean the ovaries suddenly stop doing everything. Hormonal activity changes dramatically, but ovarian tissue remains biologically active.

Perhaps one of the biggest shifts we need in women’s health is moving away from thinking about female organs purely in terms of reproduction. Our ovaries may have a story that continues long after our periods stop. Once again, women’s bodies are proving to be far more complex than we were taught.

Converse et al., *Molecular Human Reproduction*, 2026; Galligos et al., Communications Biology, 2026.

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Fen View Washbrook
Ipswich
IP83EU

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Monday 9am - 8:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 9:30pm
Wednesday 7pm - 8:30pm
Thursday 9am - 9:45pm
Friday 9am - 9pm
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Sunday 9am - 5pm

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+447985220333

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