Articles
Guides & explainers
Plain-English answers to the questions behind FODMAP, IBS, perimenopause, menopause, and health data privacy.
What is FODMAP? A plain-English guide
FODMAP stands for a group of fermentable carbohydrates that trigger gut symptoms in some people. Here's what the acronym means, why these carbohydrates cause problems, and who the low-FODMAP diet is actually for.
What is IBS? Understanding irritable bowel syndrome
IBS is a functional gut disorder — real symptoms, no structural cause. What that means, how it's diagnosed, and why tracking symptoms matters more than most people realise.
What is the FODMAP elimination and reintroduction diet?
The low-FODMAP diet isn't a permanent way of eating — it's a three-phase diagnostic protocol. What each phase involves, how long it takes, and why you can't skip the reintroduction.
What is perimenopause?
Perimenopause is the hormonal transition before menopause — and it can start years earlier than most people expect. What's happening in your body, what symptoms to expect, and when to see a doctor.
What is a hot flash?
Hot flashes are the most commonly reported menopause symptom — but what's actually happening physiologically, why they vary so much between people, and what makes them worse.
What is menopause brain fog?
Difficulty concentrating, forgetting words mid-sentence, struggling to think clearly — menopause-related cognitive symptoms are real and common. What causes them and how to track them for a clinical conversation.
What are the stages of menopause?
Perimenopause, menopause, postmenopause — three distinct stages that many people use interchangeably. What each one means, how long each typically lasts, and what changes at each transition.
What is HRT? What to know before your appointment
Hormone replacement therapy is the most effective treatment for menopause symptoms — but appointments are short and the subject is complex. A plain-English primer on what HRT is, what questions to ask, and how to prepare.
What is a health data broker?
Health data brokers buy, compile, and sell personal health information — often sourced from apps you use every day. What they are, how they get your data, and what the consequences are.
What does 'your data stays on your device' actually mean?
It's used as a selling point by privacy-focused apps — but what does it mean technically, what guarantees does it actually provide, and what are its limits?
Why your health tracking app shouldn't need your email address
Most health apps ask for an account before you can log a single symptom. Here's why that's a problem — and what private-by-design tracking looks like.
FODMAP tracking: what to log and why it matters
Understanding which foods trigger your IBS symptoms takes time and careful observation. A guide to what data is worth capturing and how to spot patterns.
How tracking perimenopause symptoms helps you get better care
GP appointments are short. Coming in with a month of logged data changes the conversation. What to track, when to start, and how to present it.
Local-first health data: what it means and why it matters
Your health data is among the most sensitive information you generate. Local-first apps store everything on your device — here's how that works and what you give up.