Dr Louise Newson [00:00:02] Hello. I'm Dr Louise Newson, and welcome to my podcast. I'm a GP menopause specialist and founder of the free balance app. My mission: to break the taboos around women's health and hormones, shining a light on the issues we've been too afraid to talk about, from contraception, sex and testosterone to menopause related addictions and beyond. We're covering it all. I'll also be joined by experts and inspiring guests, sharing insights and real stories, as well as answering your questions and tackling the topics that matter to you the most.  

Dr Louise Newson [00:00:43] Today on the podcast I’m talking to Ferne McCann, she’s a TV personality and a co-founder of the app, Shoora. We talk a lot about hormones, pregnancy, but we also talk about breath work, something I’m really passionate about doing. We talk about how to deal with challenging times, even when they’re more challenging than we want. It’s a great listen, so I hope you enjoy it.

Dr Louise Newson [00:01:10] So Ferne, welcome. Thanks so much for coming today.

Ferne McCann [00:01:13] Thank you for having me!  

Dr Louise Newson [00:01:14] Oh, it's great. Like, what you're doing, how you are, like, so much has been happening, hasn't it, really for you? I’m just really keen to hear first about what you've been doing with Dancing on Ice, how you got so fit with it all. And you know, it's so easy for us to sit at home and watch people do it, but it's physically very demanding, isn't it? 

Ferne McCann [00:01:35] Exactly that! I think that watching the show pre-embarking on my Dancing on Ice experience. I think I really took for granted how much work goes into it, you know, yeah, turn on the TV. You tune into the show, you're voting for your favourite couple, even, like when I used to watch it, I'm like, nah they could have done better, but honestly I was, I was in shock. I know this sounds really silly, but I obviously knew that I was going to have to learn how to ice skate, but I didn't appreciate how difficult it was going to be. It was such a challenge, which I love. I love a physical challenge. It ticked so many boxes for me, but it was so hard, and I consider myself to be quite competitive, and I really struggled with learning that new skill, and I was really frustrated because I just felt so rubbish.  

Dr Louise Newson [00:02:35] So, have you never ice skated before?  

Ferne McCann [00:02:37] I have done like parties, and things like that. 

Dr Louise Newson [00:01:39] Yeah 

Ferne McCann [00:02:40] Actually, I had an ice skating injury when I was like eight. Some boy was kicking the ice, and he's ice skate ended up in my leg, and it was my first experience of A&E, first experience of having stitches. It was all quite traumatic, but it didn’t put me off eventually going to do Dancing on Ice. But anyways, fast forward so many years, the odd Christmas and Winter Wonderland that sort of thing, taking the children. But no, I couldn't ice skate.  

Dr Louise Newson [00:03:03] Wow.  

Ferne McCann [00:03:04] Yeah, it was, it was hard, but it was such a fantastic experience. Because, like I said, I really like to have a focus, especially when it's TV. I love making TV, and I love anything's sporty, so combining the two, and then it was, it was perfect timing, because I just made the huge decision to finish my reality show after 7 years after, last year and it was just so wonderful to walk into such an incredible production. 

Dr Louise Newson [00:03:37] Wow, amazing. And I think it, I don't know whether it's a female thing, but so much in life, we get set up to fail. It's almost like we can't be successful as women. And if there's something that's a barrier or something that's difficult to do, it can be really difficult, but then when we do it, it's even better, almost. 

Ferne McCann [00:03:56] So rewarding, so rewarding. And I think, like thinking about the successes that I've had with stuff that's been difficult, like giving birth or SAS, I know they're like two completely different things, but both I had to do some sort of work, and you know, leading up to it, it was, yeah, they were challenging, but I really step up to that challenge. And I feel like, I don’t know if it's because I've come from this reality star… Well, yeah, being a reality star, reality background that I've almost got, like, a point to prove, I just really just get focused and just get on with it. I mean, I didn't do very well on Dancing on Ice but that alone, it was still four months of training,  

Dr Louise Newson [00:04:45] Yeah, but you enjoyed it...  

Ferne McCann [00:04:46] I really, I think I really enjoyed it. I was out at week three, and I was devastated. You know, I even said on live TV, I was so gutted, because it was the first show that my daughter, who's seven, my oldest daughter, it’s such a family, show. So, everyone could come and watch. I really poured my heart and soul. So yeah, it ended prematurely for me. However, it was amazing. 

Dr Louise Newson [00:05:11] But you don't regret it, surely, no. 

Ferne McCann [00:05:13] No, no, no I don’t regret it. However, a few weeks after leaving the show, I went to a rollerblading, children's rollerblading party my daughter and she was like, come on, I don't want to go on by myself. And I was like, I quite fancy myself at this, I’ve just done four months ice skating. I'm going to absolutely boss it. It was like slapstick comedy. I fully stacked it. In this public rollerblading disco, went down and fractured my wrist.  

Dr Louise Newson [00:05:41] Oh no! 

Ferne McCann [00:05:42] Yeah. It's like, it's like, training for a marathon and stepping outside the front door and tripping up. So yeah. And then I wasn't able to, then ice skate on the final of Dancing On Ice. And for me, right? That was just a real, it was, it felt like I had closure to my Dancing on Ice experience, because I was like, Oh, why did I leave so early? I was enjoying it so much. And then when that injury happened, it was like a sign to say, maybe you're not meant to be ice skating, and we're just like saving you from… 

Dr Louise Newson [00:06:15] Isn't that interesting. Yeah, yeah 

Ferne McCann [00:06:16] It was a silver lining.  

Dr Louise Newson [00:06:21] But you probably learnt quite a lot about yourself. I think when you push yourself out to things that are uncomfortable or things that you don't expect that you're going to be good at, it doesn't matter that you didn't win to actually just get out there and learn so much so quickly in four months.  

Ferne McCann [00:06:34] Yeah 

Dr Louise Newson [00:06:35]  It's phenomenal, isn't it? And I think so often, I think especially as a mother with children, it's so easy to almost hide behind the children, or think I can't do this and make excuses, or I'm too old, I'm too unfit, I'm too whatever, whatever we do. Yeah, so actually, for you to just have that message that actually, you can do it, and you can do it for yourself as well.  

Ferne McCann [00:06:56] Exactly, it’s powerful. And I think that we are so frequently saying to our children, encouraging them to try new things, you should do it! Like I'm always saying to Sunday, my daughter, like, try this. I mean, that's she does so many clubs it’s actually a joke. She's only in year two. She does karate. She does sewing clubs. She does swimming, you know, everything, tennis, gymnastics. And I'm like, try it, try it, and she's reluctant, oh, but I feel nervous. And I'm like, you're going to enjoy it but when we become adults, it almost stops. 

Dr Louise Newson [00:07:28] Yeah, you’re absolutely right. 

Ferne McCann [00:07:29] And what I’ve taken from Dancing On Ice is exactly that, to try and to lean into that uncomfortable state to, like, really push yourself. And because I was out week three and had time to spare, so to speak, I was like, right? I've always wanted to play tennis. I've always been quite sporty, but that was one that I wasn't I didn't actually really play now, Sunday plays, and she's really good. My dream is just to you know, whether we're on holiday or whatever, it's a nice, sunny days to play tennis with her. So I was like, right now, this is my time to just do it. Because when do we think let's just book the lesson or say, if you want to learn how to sing or whatever it is like, and especially being a mother, we prioritise our children and we don't get those opportunities. So it’s definitely taught me to just if you've got a hobby or you've always dreamt of doing something, just rip the band aid off and text the tennis coach the book in the lesson. 

Dr Louise Newson [00:08:26] It's so important. Actually, but I think when you're you've got the children, clearly, they're a real priority, but somehow the focus gets taken away from us as individuals like no one has ever said to my husband, How do you cope working full time with three children like no one, but the number of people that have said to me, and it's like, hang on. Actually, have I not got an identity? Is it not okay for me to work? Is it not okay for me to be a role model for my children? And actually, my time is very limited, because you have to take them to places or organise whatever or cook for them and do everything else. If I've got spare 10 minutes, I will be really hyper focused and send 1000 emails  

Ferne McCann [00:09:06] More productive

Dr Louise Newson [00:09:07] And I've certainly, I know that I'm a better multitasker because I've got children, if you see what I mean. 

Ferne McCann [00:09:14] 100 Percent. Definitely, I think when you become a mum, like, if that's what you want to be, and it's just being a mum, that's yeah, fine, like that is, that's great. And if you feel that that's your purpose, like, how wonderful. For me, I wasn't overly maternal before I had Sunday, and I really had to learn how to become a mum. But the same time, I don't have any qualms in saying this. But I don't want to just be a mum. I want to….I love the juggle like, I really thrive on that. You know, I always used to say, oh, I'm spending so many plates, and I will smash one, but I like that

Dr Louise Newson [00:09:56] Only one?! That’s quite good (laugh)

Ferne McCann [00:09:58] About 10 in my life, but no, it's like, I love, I love that juggle like, that's how I feel valued, and that's how I really thrive. And I love that. Like, that's how I feel like, if I'm, if I'm not working, then I feel like I'm not being a good, good mum. If I'm, if I'm not, I like having the balance of both. 

Dr Louise Newson [00:10:18] Yeah, it totally keeps your mind really sharp and focused. And even people who are stay at home, mums, it's not stay at home. Put your feet up. It's hard  

Ferne McCann [00:10:27]  No! I hate that term actually

Dr Louise Newson [00:10:29] Yeah, so do I. It's awful. 

Ferne McCann [00:10:30] I Really do, because I think, I think all mothers, whatever you choose to do. I just think they're superheroes. You know, It’s a tough gig! 

Dr Louise Newson [00:10:38] Yes, absolutely, yeah, yeah, totally.  

Ferne McCann [00:10:41] So, I hate that term, stay at home, mum. 

Dr Louise Newson [00:10:44] Yeah, precisely. So why does anyone have to stay at home anyway, whether they're mum or not, but, yeah, totally and, and, you know? But I see a lot of women who in the clinic. Obviously, I see a lot of more women who are perimenopausal and menopausal. So, the hormone levels are fluctuating. They're reducing. But increasingly, I'm seeing younger people who have hormonal changes. But so many women say to me, do you know what? I felt amazing when I was pregnant like the best ever. If I could bottle up that feeling, I would do it again. And I saw someone recently at my clinic who's had really bad depression, low mood because of her low hormones. She's 56 and she said my husband's even talking about me going to fertility clinic abroad, because I just want to get pregnant. I can't carry on living like this, which is awful. And I was like, well, actually, I can give you hormones. You don't have to get pregnant for that. But when I was pregnant three times, I was very lucky. I had lots of help in the NHS. I still had a midwife, I had a health visitor. I saw a gynaecologist or an obstetrician, like everyone was just really lovely educating me. And it was only nine months, but no one really prepared me for like, afterwards, like, what happens when the hormones go off a cliff, when you have the baby and prepare you for the future? I know you've had two pregnancies. Well, were you taught much about hormones and how they work in our bodies?  

Ferne McCann [00:12:00] You know, my first pregnancy was quite unique, because I had experiences in my personal life that potentially might have overshadowed any sort of hormone change or imbalance. And I think after Sunday was born as well, like I really was in a state of fight or flight, and she was the light at the end of the tunnel. She was such a wonderful, wonderful focus. I experienced a really good pregnancy with both of my girls. But, yeah, I think talking about hormones, I'm fascinated by them. And with Finty and what I went through with Sunday, I'm really interested in I believe that the first nine months of our lives in the womb play a massive part of who we are and how our life begins. And I don't think we talk about it enough. I don't know enough about it. I feel it, and I sense it with my girls. And you know what I went through and pregnancy and everything like that, and I'm just really interested in it. And when I then found out that I was pregnant with Finty, I really wanted to dedicate time to learn about what my body was going to go through with birth. I was really set on having a home birth and really interested in how I can get myself in that calm, meditative state to have the most positive birth I know. Birth, you can't, you can only plan so much. Birth can be unpredictable, but to put myself in a place that is at my optimal, so I did Hypnobirthing and learnt about oxytocin and what blocks oxytocin, which is adrenaline, and what happens to our bodies when we're stressed, we tense, and then we're tense, we don't relax, which opens our cervix, and the dilates and everything like that, and breath work. And then I was exploring how we can boost our oxytocin. I had an amazing and I have to say this only because I've, I spoke about my birth publicly before, and I really, really understand, by the way, that it can be a really sensitive subject for a lot of mothers. And I really just want to say, this isn't me boasting at all. Like I don't want people to think, oh, I you had a lucky, it was lucky for you and everything, but the same time, I feel like it's important that I share this experience to let expectant mothers know that it is possible to have, like,  

Dr Louise Newson [00:14:48] A really positive experience.  

Ferne McCann [00:14:48] Yeah, a beautiful, positive experience, and I think that we hear a lot about the negative experiences, and you don't want to take that away from those that want to share that. I also think it's equally important that you hear like the positive ones too so you’re not super scared

Dr Louise Newson [00:15:00] Something positive, totally for sure, yeah. 

Ferne McCann [00:15:02] Because when we're scared again, we freeze, and we tense, and it leads to intervention. So, I just simply understood the hormones. What I needed to do to boost the oxytocin, and that was being at home. That was, I even had my little Cockapoo there. If that's not oxytocin levels, like boosting, stroking my Cockapoo like she was there at the birth. And it was very calm and a really amazing experience, and, like I said, euphoric and sort of out of this world, although, like the midwife, she wasn't going to make it on time, it happened so quickly, and we had to have an ambulance

Dr Louise Newson [00:15:47] So it was a bit of adrenaline going on. 

Ferne McCann [00:15:50] There always has to be something that did go to plan soon as the paramedics walked in, I just like, I've done this big breath and Finty arrived. So, yes, it was really interesting for me to, like, find out, okay, we have control over, or do we? I don’t…

Dr Louise Newson [00:16:10] Well, no, I think it's very interesting because oxytocin is, is a, is the sort of love hormone, if you like, it's the hormone that we've secrete when we have a nice hug where we feel happy. It's that sort of warmth happy feeling. And it's a hormone that's so under researched. You know, I was asking my husband the other day, what do you know about oxytocin? He's a doctor. He said, Oh, it's just associated milk production. It's when the milk comes in for the woman. It's like, right? You're so simplistic. It's more than that, actually, but we don't so much about hormones has been stripped away because everyone's scared of hormones. You say hormones, and everyone thinks, oh, it's HRT. It's something terrible. It's breast cancer. We don't realise we produce hundreds of hormones in our body. They all work very closely together, and oxytocin is just another hormone, but it's a really important hormone. Like, how do we get more naturally in our body? Why do some people have more than others? Like, why aren't we researching this? Because I think it's so important. Because there's nothing wrong with feeling calm, loved, warm. You know, even if we're just loving ourselves, that's a really good place to be. And so, and then what you're describing with the adrenaline, the cortisol, the noradrenaline, that balance of hormones. So all our hormones work together. They don't work in isolation, which some people think. You know, they all work very closely together. But also, you know, we can control some of them ourselves. So what you're describing, whether it's birth or a stressful experience controlling your vagus nerve with your calm breathing is really crucially important. Anything that's going to switch off the cortisol, adrenaline, boost any calming, natural hormone, you know what I mean? And so I know I do quite a lot of yoga, and when I'm feeling a bit nervous, I just focus on my breathing, and it's something we can control ourselves. You know, there's so much externally we can't control, but the breathing, getting that vagus nerve going, our autonomic system, is really important.  

Ferne McCann [00:18:01] I think that's so cool, because breath, the power of breath, is accessible to everyone.

Dr Louise Newson [00:18:08] Of course it is yeah

Ferne McCann [00:18:09] It's like something that isn't taught. 

Dr Louise Newson [00:18:12] It's not taught, and it's really undervalued, actually.  

Ferne McCann [00:18:14] Exactly that’s what makes it so powerful! 

Dr Louise Newson [00:18:15] Yeah, yeah. So that skill, it's, you know, that's where you talking about your birthing story. It doesn't really matter that it was you being pregnant. It could be any other situation. And the more we think about our breathing, it's so important. It's been ignored for so long, because in medicine, we always want, like a new drug to prescribe, and we forget the fundamentals that we can do without medication that's going to help us mentally and physically and breathing doesn't sound very exciting, does it? But as you probably learn, it's so powerful and so important.  

Ferne McCann [00:18:50] Yeah. So powerful. I learned about breath work through hypnobirthing and how it changes to, you know, your deep breath in and out, and then to the panting, because I was like, adamant. I didn’t want to tear, with Sunday I had to have stitches. And then with Finty, I was like… the panting, when, when the head is crowning, and then you change to the and then [huffing sounds] I then [more huffing and breathing] didn't, and then I so vividly remember this, like big felt like a big crescendo that I just then, and then fully surrendered and let go, like in one big breath, And she was here. And then the difference with Sunday, I, fully fully pushed, it was like so much force and  

Dr Louise Newson [00:19:38] Probably all in your throat. 

Ferne McCann [00:19:39] Yeah exactly. So super into breath work, and the power of it! 

Dr Louise Newson [00:19:42] Yeah, yeah. And I hope you carry it on, yes, 

Ferne McCann [00:19:45] Yeah for sure. Like, I feel anxious and and stressed at times. And yeah, like, always tune into my breath and begin to meditation. 

Dr Louise Newson [00:19:56 ] Yeah, it's so important. My oldest daughter is a trombonist and spends a lot of time talking about breath work.  

Ferne McCann [00: 20:01] Oh wow, oh okay.

Dr Louise Newson [00:20:01] And the more she learns, the more we talk about it. And you know, it's just fascinating, but we just don't we do too much mouth breathing. We shallow breathe, and we're worried, like you say, our breathing becomes faster and faster, which switches on more of our stress and then, you know, the way our other hormones. So, when we have low progesterone, we have more cortisol as well. So, we have more stress hormone when people don't have the right hormones. So, with in perimenopause, also postnatally, you know, we have really high levels of oestradiol, progesterone, and even our testosterone increases, and then it falls off a cliff when we when we have a baby. 

Ferne McCann [00:20:39] So, Doctor Louise, tell me...right I feel I don't want to use this as like a GP session. But perimenopause, I’m 35 this year. I don't know a lot about it. Yeah, I hear about.. It’s such a buzzword isn’t it. 

Dr Louise Newson [00:20:55] Of course it is, yeah, yeah.  

Ferne McCann [00:22:58] So, what, am I going to experience it? Or does everybody experience  

Dr Louise Newson [00:21:00] Well, most people do, yes.  

Ferne McCann [00:21:01] Or It's just straight into menopause.  

Dr Louise Newson [00:21:02] No, most people are perimenopausal, but don't realise it. So it's, it's the whole thing is ridiculous, because menopause, if you look it up, it means a year since your last period.

Ferne McCann [00:21:14] Is that what it means?  

Dr Louise Newson [00:21:15] That's what it means, yeah, which is absolutely ridiculous. Like, why do we wait a whole year after our period to go and talk to someone and it, you know it? I don't quite know who decided that, but menopause is really what happens, is our own hormones that are produced in our ovaries decline because we get older and we only have so many hormones, so many eggs in our in our ovaries, but these hormones are also produced in our brain, in our adrenal glands and other tissues as well. But they don't usually just decide to switch off overnight. The only reason they do that is if someone has their ovaries removed and then they have a surgical menopause. But for most of us, as we get older, our hormone levels are just declining, but they go in a very chaotic decline. So they don't just go down in a nice smooth line. They're up down, up down, up down.  

Ferne McCann [00:22:00] God, we don’t get it easy to do we? Females

Dr Louise Newson [00:22:01] No, we don't. It's absolutely awful. So for lots of women, perimenopause, this chaos of hormones can actually trigger a lot more symptoms than menopause, because our body likes everything the same, you know, likes us to go to bed the same time get up, the same time eat regularly, you know, just and so you can imagine hormones in our brain going up and down. A lot of people have low mood, low energy. They feel irritable, they feel angry, they feel low in their mood, reduced self-esteem, brain fog, memory problems, but that's not related to periods. So, a lot of people thinking, well, maybe I'm depressed, maybe I can't cope with life, maybe I'm stressed. And it's not until they have their hormones back that you realise, oh gosh, actually, it was related to my hormones. So, and there isn't a test. You can't just go and do a blood test or a saliva test or a urine test. It's more about the woman knowing her body and knowing these symptoms that are occurring are not normal for me, and they're often associated with some physical symptoms, like palpitations, sometimes people get flush, sweats, but sometimes people get dry skin. They get hair and nail changes. They might get some heartburn or some reflux. And so when you sort of tease it together, you can sort of join the dots and go, I wonder if it's related to my hormones.  

Ferne McCann [00:23:15] And so do some women go, like, is it like, misdiagnosed? 

Dr Louise Newson [00:23:19] Yeah, all the time, often. So, we see people that come to our clinic and they've been seeing cardiologists for their palpitations. They've been seeing psychiatrists for their low mood. They've been seeing bowel specialists for their irritable bowel symptoms. They've been seeing dermatologists for their skin. They've had urinary tract infections, and they've, no one's like, worked out. Oh, maybe it's related to your hormones. And a lot of people, it's that dip that they naturally have before their periods, they can get some symptoms. So that's PMS premenstrual syndrome, or PMDD is the more severe form premenstrual dysphoric disorder, but also postnatally, you've got a massive drop of hormones,  

Ferne McCann [00:23:58] Yeah

Dr Louise Newson [00:23:59] And so that's a little window of how people often feel, but they think it's because they're tired, they're not sleeping, they've got a baby. It's all very stressful, but actually it can be related as well. But the problem is, people don't talk about it enough. They don't share their stories and experiences, and then it's almost like, oh, it's normaliSed. It's just something that will happen to us, but we shouldn't be suffering if there's and we just replace with missing hormones. It's very easy treatment  

Ferne McCann [00:24:25] Post pregnancy... 

Dr Louise Newson [00:24:27] Sometimes in post pregnancy.

Ferne McCann [00:24:30] Cus I agree with you, I feel like it's like after, after giving birth, I experienced that really low mood and really emotional, especially when my milk come in. It wasn't really baby blues as such, but I definitely noticed that sort of like, one minute I was feeling like, super in the baby bubble. And then it was like, Whoa, yeah. Really emotional, really, like, really sad. But I agree. I just thought, Oh, this is part of the process. Yeah. And do people want to sort of like, alter that or change because, you know, I sort of feel like, oh, the same time I don't want added to hormones. Is this just what my body's meant to go through? Yeah, just let nature take its course.  

Dr Louise Newson [00:25:10] Yeah, it depends how bad it is. Sometimes it's only for a few days, fine. But for many women, you know, postnatal depression is very common. It's one of the commonest causes of death, actually, in young women, is suicide from postnatal depression. And those people, when they have very low hormones, take longer to get up, then giving back natural hormones, different to contraception can be really transformational, but a lot of people don't join the dots in medicine. So these people are having antidepressants or whatever. So there's so much we need to do, but the first thing is just talking about it, and allowing women to understand what's going on with their bodies. 

Ferne McCann [00:25:44] I have to admit my community midwife and the health visitor were incredible, yeah, yeah, she's great, yeah, asking all the right questions, and I felt very supported. I feel like they want you to win and they’re there to help.

Dr Louise Newson [00:25:57] Yeah, yeah, yeah. So absolutely. So before we finished, like, you've you told me, beginning, you've got two children, and you're stopping. I said that when I was 35 my 40th birthday, I found out I was pregnant with my third.

Ferne McCann [00:26.11] Oh Wow! Oh my goodness, amazing

Dr Louise Newson [00:26:15] So let's say you're never… Oh, well, yeah. So, what have you got? What's your next focus? What are you up to? 

Ferne McCann [00:26:20] So yeah, my sensible head is like, okay, no more babies. I don't feel done, but I've got my two girlies. And, yeah, yeah. Am I done? I don't know, but lots of really exciting projects. Obviously, I finished the reality show last year to just explore other passions. So, we've got a brand new podcast launching called Every Cloud. Exciting, really exciting. I can't wait, because this is the first time that, I've hosted a podcast alongside brands, but this is mine! 

Dr Louise Newson [00:26:51] This is like yours. That's great.  

Ferne McCann [00:26:52] Any advice, Louise.. 

Dr Louise Newson [00:26:54] Do you know what? I love my podcast, but I love being able to choose guests, be really selective, and you're in control as well, which is really good, yeah, so enjoy it. 

Ferne McCann [00:27:02 ] Super excited about that. It's sharing insights. I've had therapy for seven years and had a real transformation, and been on a journey of healing and just chatting about real life problems and having their silver lining moments, speaking to all sorts from professionals in their field to celebrities and normal people. So really excited for that, and we're about to launch a digital food show, which is really exciting. And just looking forward to this year to. Yeah, like I said, explore different passions. Yeah, it's, I'm not saying that, you know, the reality show. It was a lot. It was about our personal life. And it was time to close the chapter, close the door on that chapter. So just so excited to try new things this year. 

Dr Louise Newson [00:27:55] Exciting. So just before I end I always ask for three take home tips. So I'm going to ask you three things that you think our listeners could do that's easy. If they're thinking, Oh, it all sounds great, but I haven't got the confidence, or I don't know how to do something new if they want to do a new challenge, whether it's a mental challenge, a physical challenge. What are the three tips that you think would be easy for them to think.

Ferne McCann [00:28:21] Okay, my first one is about fitness, and it is to really just try a few things to see what you like, because I think we see so much on social media, and there's this big sort of like everyone seems to be doing reformers on my social feed. You know Reformers Pilates? Obviously, it's having its moment, and it is good, but I think that my sister loves that, whereas me, I need something a bit more fast paced. So, if you want, if you want to get fit and you want to keep active, find something that you love. Yeah, I hate doing spin classes, but I absolutely love going out and getting the steps in so that it doesn't you don't have to go and run a marathon to have success. It's just find something that you really enjoy. Oh, the pressure. I'm on the spot. Okay.  

Dr Louise Newson [00:29:12] Something about eating maybe?

Ferne McCann [00:29:14] Eating…

Dr Louise Newson [00:29:16] Especially when you’ve got children, it can be…

Ferne McCann [00:29:21] I'm a massive, massive foodie, and a big tip would be to not cut out food groups. And again, the things that you love, like I am struggling with this whole, Ozempic, skinny jab thing at the moment, I get that. It works for some people, and that's absolutely fine, but for me, like, if you were to tell me that I would be suppressing my appetite and I can't eat, I'd be like, what that is my joy taken away! So I don't like to cut out any food groups and everything in moderation. So I would say, like, Monday to Friday, I eat healthy and clean, and then the weekend I like to have a treat. It is difficult with the girls, because Sunday is very beige. She loves the chicken nuggets and chips. Finty, I'm like, trying to undo the wrong I've done with Sunday, and she's having like, all her veggies and really, really nutritious, but I would just be trying to give as much, like I like healthy swaps, so if you wanna have, and fakeaway, so if you want to have like a naughty treat, make it yourself, and with the kids meals, the hidden veg sauce and all of this, sprinkle of chia seeds on top of Sunday’s porridge just when I can try and get in the healthy hacks, and then the third one. Breathwork, you know someone told me actually in a yoga class and it was amazing, you know when someone says something once and it just stays with you, she said “have you had a conscious breath today?” And I think breathe is we take it for granted and we can do it now to take that one conscious breath to really just tune into that present movement and centre and ground ourselves because we can go about our busy days and not take that moment to tune into something that is so accessible and pretty life changing, so just take a conscious breath. 

Dr Louise Newson [00:31:28] I love that. Thank you so much Ferne, it been great! 

Ferne McCann [00:31.33] This has been gorgeous thank you.