Q & A -"I've started to experience symptoms of the menopause. I think I already eat well but are there additional changes I can make to my diet that may help alleviate these annoying symptoms?"

JB, Surrey

The peri-menopause is the stage leading up to the menopause and may last up to 10 years. During this time fluctuations in hormones may lead to symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings and irritability. Supporting the body's management of steroid hormones may help alleviate the severity of your symptoms. The liver is key to this process and certain dietary changes will help optimise how it functions.

Increase sulphurous foods such as onions and garlic, cruciferous vegetables (such as cauliflower / broccoli) and eggs, all of which support the liver's detoxification process.

Certain herbs benefit liver function especially when combined with a reduction in caffeine and alcohol which place an additional load on liver capacity. Aim to replace 1-2 of your regular cups of coffee with a herbal tea. Select herbs such as fennel, licorice and ashwagandha which may also support hormonal balance. Ideal choices include Pukka Herb's Detox and Relax teas.

Make sure you include plenty of whole-grain foods which are rich in B vitamins. Ideal options include oats, rice, nuts and seeds.

Minimise red meat and saturated fats and emphasise whole grains, oily fish, nuts and seeds.

A useful dietary strategy includes plant sources of phyto-oestrogens. These include soya, linseeds or flaxseeds, lentils, chickpeas and beans. You should aim for 3-4 portions of these phyto-oestrogens each day.

One of the most powerful of these foods for their ability to manage hormonal fluctuations are flaxseeds. Adding a spoonful of flaxseed, preferably ground, to cereals, smoothies or simply to yogurt is an ideal strategy. For example, add a spoonful of ground flaxseed to a bowl of Lizi's Granola and serve with a portion of soya milk or yogurt.

As oestrogen levels start to drop serotonin, an important brain chemical may also fall. This impacts our mood, sleep and appetite as well as our memory. Aim to include foods rich in the protein tryptophan which is an important building block for serotonin.  These foods include chicken and turkey, soy, nuts and seeds as well as bananas and even chocolate.

And finally, balancing blood sugar is important. Aim to eat little and often following a low sugar /GL diet and don't forget to include a mid morning and mid afternoon snack. Lizi's Pink Apple and Cinnamon Granola Crunch is ideal. It's just the right size to pop in your bag, supplies slow releasing energy as well as cinnamon, a spice which helps balance blood sugar.

In the evening opt for low GL accompaniments to lean meat or fish, Maharani's low GI rice makes the perfect solution.