Nourished & Found

by Frances Norgate, CertION, mFHT, MA
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Practical insights on blood sugar, metabolic health, and digestive wellbeing — for people who haven't found answers in the usual places. francesnorgate.substack.com

  1. 4d ago

    The real reason you crash at 3pm

    Why do you crash at 3pm? If you get an afternoon energy slump — foggy, tired, reaching for something sweet — the usual explanation is willpower. It isn't. This episode explains the blood sugar rollercoaster behind the afternoon crash: why a carb-heavy lunch sets up a mid-afternoon dip, why that dip triggers cravings and brain fog, and the simple, no-deprivation changes that can steady it. Practical, biology-led, and blame-free. Three takeaways ●      Your 3pm crash usually starts at lunch — a carb-heavy meal sends blood sugar up fast, insulin overshoots, and the dip that follows is what leaves you foggy, wired and craving something sweet. That craving is biochemistry, not weakness. ●      The early-afternoon slump is partly your natural body clock — but the blood sugar crash you pile on top of it is the part you can change, and that's where the leverage is. ●      The three things that help most cost almost nothing: pair carbs with protein, fat and fibre so they rise gently; put real protein in your breakfast; and take a short walk soon after eating — even a few minutes measurably blunts the rise. Free guides ●      Is Your Blood Sugar Working Against You? Ten Signs Most People Completely Miss — francesnorgate.com/#bloodsugarguide ●      Pre-Diabetes: What Your GP Didn't Have Time to Tell You — francesnorgate.com/prediabetes-guide Work with Frances ●      Free 30-minute Blood Sugar Audit — book at francesnorgate.com ●      Free Discovery Call — francesnorgate.com Follow Nourished & Found ●      Substack — francesnorgate.substack.com ●      Apple Podcasts ●      Spotify Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The information shared is general and may not apply to your individual circumstances. Always consult your GP or qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance, and never make changes to prescribed medication without medical supervision. Frances Norgate is a Qualified Nutrition and Lifestyle Advisor (mFHT, CertION, MA) and works alongside, not in place of, your existing medical care. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit francesnorgate.substack.com

  2. Jul 13

    Why coming off GLP-1s feels so hard

    Coming off GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic, Mounjaro or Wegovy and finding your hunger and cravings have returned with a vengeance? You're not imagining it, and it isn't a willpower problem. In this episode, I explain what's actually happening in your body when you stop a GLP-1 medication — why hunger rebounds, what the research shows about weight regain and muscle loss after stopping, and what genuinely helps during this transition. Three takeaways: Stopping a GLP-1 medication doesn't just switch appetite back on — it's a full physiological handover, as ghrelin rebounds, stomach emptying returns to normal speed, and your own hunger regulation takes back a job the medication had been doing for months. Research following people after they stop these medications shows weight tends to return faster than it does after diet-led weight loss, and that a meaningful share of what's lost while on the medication is muscle rather than fat — which matters for energy, strength, and blood sugar stability afterwards. Protein at every meal, some regular strength or resistance work, steady blood-sugar-friendly eating, and proper support during the transition make a real, practical difference — this is a phase with its own plan, not something to just wait out. Free guides: Is Your Blood Sugar Working Against You? Ten Signs Most People Completely Miss — francesnorgate.com/#bloodsugarguide Pre-Diabetes: What Your GP Didn't Have Time to Tell You — francesnorgate.com/prediabetes-guide Work with Frances: Free 30-minute Blood Sugar Audit — a real conversation about what's going on for you, no obligation. Book at francesnorgate.com Free Discovery Call — to talk about what a personalised 12-week programme could look like. Book at francesnorgate.com Follow Nourished & Found: Substack: francesnorgate.substack.com Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/nourished-found/id1868788812 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4xlG5vBrC0tKadVPfsBUus Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The information shared is general and may not apply to your individual circumstances. Always consult your GP or qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance, and never make changes to prescribed medication without medical supervision. Frances Norgate is a Qualified Nutrition and Lifestyle Advisor (mFHT, CertION, MA) and works alongside, not in place of, your existing medical care. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit francesnorgate.substack.com

  3. Jul 6

    When ‘normal' bloods still feel wrong

    In our first-ever listener Q&A, I answer the blood sugar questions you sent in — the ones that came up again and again. We cover whether you can be slim and still have a blood sugar problem, whether you really have to give up fruit, and what a “normal” HbA1c does and doesn't tell you. We also get into what actually helps after coming off Ozempic, Mounjaro or Wegovy, whether stress moves your blood sugar with no food involved, and how quickly changes really show. If you've been told everything's normal but you don't feel normal, this episode is for you — and there's a deeper, fully-referenced write-up in this week's newsletter below. Three takeaways – A “normal” blood sugar result is a snapshot — the direction it's moved over the years is usually the more honest story, and it's the conversation worth having. – Fruit rarely needs removing; pairing it with a little protein or fat gives a much gentler rise than eating it on its own. Adding beats subtracting. – The early, drifting stage is one of the most responsive moments there is — changes made now tend to go further than the same changes made years later. Free guides: Is Your Blood Sugar Working Against You? Ten Signs Most People Completely Miss → francesnorgate.com/#bloodsugarguide Pre-Diabetes: What Your GP Didn't Have Time to Tell You → francesnorgate.com/prediabetes-guide Work with Frances: Free 30-minute Blood Sugar Audit → francesnorgate.com/blood-sugar-audit Free discovery call → francesnorgate.com/work-with-me Follow Nourished & Found: Substack → francesnorgate.substack.com Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/nourished-found/id1868788812 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/4xlG5vBrC0tKadVPfsBUus Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The information shared is general and may not apply to your individual circumstances. Always consult your GP or qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance, and never make changes to prescribed medication without medical supervision. Frances Norgate is a Qualified Nutrition and Lifestyle Advisor (mFHT, CertION, MA) and works alongside, not in place of, your existing medical care. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit francesnorgate.substack.com

  4. Jun 29

    The Meal Order That Changes Everything

    The order you eat your food in changes how your blood sugar responds to it — same meal, same amount, gentler rise. This episode breaks down food sequencing: why eating vegetables and protein before carbohydrates supports steadier blood sugar, what's happening in your gut when you do it, and exactly how to apply it at your next meal. A simple, no-restriction change with an immediate, measurable effect — and one of the best effort-to-result levers there is for anyone watching their blood sugar, energy or afternoon crashes. Three takeaways: The same meal eaten in a different order produces a different blood sugar response — vegetables and protein first, starchy and sweet foods last, gives a gentler rise. It works because fibre slows how quickly later carbs are absorbed, while protein and fat slow stomach emptying and prompt your body's own steadying signals. This is about sequence, not subtraction — nothing is banned, it just changes where in the meal it lands. Free guides: Is Your Blood Sugar Working Against You? Ten Signs Most People Completely Miss → francesnorgate.com/#bloodsugarguide Pre-Diabetes: What Your GP Didn't Have Time to Tell You → francesnorgate.com/prediabetes-guide Work with Frances: Free 30-minute Blood Sugar Audit → francesnorgate.com/blood-sugar-audit Free discovery call → francesnorgate.com/work-with-me Follow Nourished & Found: Substack → francesnorgate.substack.com Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/nourished-found/id1868788812 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/4xlG5vBrC0tKadVPfsBUus Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The information shared is general and may not apply to your individual circumstances. Always consult your GP or qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance, and never make changes to prescribed medication without medical supervision. Frances Norgate is a Qualified Nutrition and Lifestyle Advisor (mFHT, CertION, MA) and works alongside, not in place of, your existing medical care. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit francesnorgate.substack.com

  5. Jun 22

    Will I Definitely Get Type 2 Diabetes?

    Being told you're pre-diabetic can feel like a countdown has quietly started — but does a raised blood sugar reading actually mean type 2 diabetes is on its way? In this episode of Nourished & Found, Frances Norgate answers the question most people are too frightened to ask their GP, and gives the honest version rather than the reassuring one. We look at what a pre-diabetes result really tells you, why it isn't a fixed outcome, what the largest prevention study actually found about food and movement, and a few small, doable places to start — all alongside your existing medical care, never instead of it. In this episode: Why a raised reading is an early flag rather than a forecast — and why a good number of people never progress at all, while others see their numbers ease back over time What the largest prevention study found: structured changes to how you eat and move cut the rate of progression by more than half, and did better than the medication arm of the same trial The smallest places to start — meal order, a short walk after eating, sleep and stress — framed around adding and rearranging rather than stripping away Free guides: Is Your Blood Sugar Working Against You? Ten Signs Most People Completely Miss → francesnorgate.com/#bloodsugarguide Pre-Diabetes: What Your GP Didn't Have Time to Tell You → francesnorgate.com/prediabetes-guide Work with Frances: Free 30-minute Blood Sugar Audit → francesnorgate.com/blood-sugar-audit Free discovery call → francesnorgate.com/work-with-me Follow Nourished & Found: Substack → francesnorgate.substack.com Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/nourished-found/id1868788812 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/4xlG5vBrC0tKadVPfsBUus Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The information shared is general and may not apply to your individual circumstances. Always consult your GP or qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance, and never make changes to prescribed medication without medical supervision. Frances Norgate is a Qualified Nutrition and Lifestyle Advisor (mFHT, CertION, MA) and works alongside, not in place of, your existing medical care. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit francesnorgate.substack.com

  6. Jun 15

    What to do in the week after a pre-diabetes text from your GP

    Most people in the UK don't find out they're pre-diabetic in a conversation with their GP. They find out by text message, a few days after a blood test that was done for something else. There's no appointment with the practice nurse. There's no real explanation of what HbA1c is or what the numbers mean. There's often just a text, a link to a leaflet, and a feeling of being slightly stunned in the kitchen. In this episode of Nourished & Found, Frances Norgate walks through what a pre-diabetes diagnosis actually means in plain language, why it so often comes as a surprise even to people who have been eating sensibly for years, and what to take from it if you've recently been told. This is the episode for anyone in the week after that text — newly diagnosed, slightly panicked, and not sure what they're supposed to do next. Three takeaways: 1. Pre-diabetes is the body's warning shot, not a verdict. Insulin resistance has often been quietly developing for years before the blood test finally notices it, and the diagnosis is the moment a measurement caught up with a reality that was already there 2. The next three to six months are one of the most responsive windows in the whole metabolic continuum. The pancreas is still working, the cells haven't given up on insulin signalling, and what you do now does more than what you'll be able to do later 3. The NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme is heavily oversubscribed in most areas, with long waiting lists, so the moment a person is most ready to act is often the moment they receive the least structured support. You don't have to figure it out alone Free guides: Is Your Blood Sugar Working Against You? Ten Signs Most People Completely Miss → francesnorgate.com/#bloodsugarguide Pre-Diabetes: What Your GP Didn't Have Time to Tell You → francesnorgate.com/prediabetes-guide Work with Frances: Free 30-minute Blood Sugar Audit → francesnorgate.com/blood-sugar-audit Free discovery call → francesnorgate.com/work-with-me Follow Nourished & Found: Substack → francesnorgate.substack.com Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/nourished-found/id1868788812 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/4xlG5vBrC0tKadVPfsBUus Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The information shared is general and may not apply to your individual circumstances. Always consult your GP or qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance, and never make changes to prescribed medication without medical supervision. Frances Norgate is a Qualified Nutrition and Lifestyle Advisor (mFHT, CertION, MA) and works alongside, not in place of, your existing medical care. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit francesnorgate.substack.com

  7. Jun 8

    A normal blood test isn't the same as a well body

    The HbA1c blood test is one of the most commonly used measures of blood sugar health, and one of the least well-explained. It's the test your GP uses to decide whether you're pre-diabetic, diabetic, or "fine." But what it actually measures, what it can't see, and how to interpret your own results — these are conversations that almost never happen in a ten-minute appointment. In this episode of Nourished & Found, Frances Norgate explains what HbA1c is actually telling you, the three real limitations of the test that almost nobody is told about, and what to ask for instead if you've been told your numbers are fine but you don't feel fine. This is the episode for anyone living in the gap between a normal blood test and a body that's clearly trying to say something. Three takeaways: HbA1c is an average across three months — meaning two people having completely different days can produce the same result. A "normal" number doesn't always mean a well body The clinical thresholds are conservative. People sitting at 39, 40, 41 are often dismissed as fine when the more important question is which direction their numbers have been moving year on year A continuous glucose monitor, symptom tracking, and a fasting insulin test (which you usually have to ask for explicitly) give you a much fuller picture than HbA1c on its own Free guides: Is Your Blood Sugar Working Against You? Ten Signs Most People Completely Miss → francesnorgate.com/#bloodsugarguide Pre-Diabetes: What Your GP Didn't Have Time to Tell You → francesnorgate.com/prediabetes-guide Work with Frances: Free 30-minute Blood Sugar Audit → francesnorgate.com/blood-sugar-audit Free discovery call → francesnorgate.com/work-with-me Follow Nourished & Found: Substack → francesnorgate.substack.com Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/nourished-found/id1868788812 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/4xlG5vBrC0tKadVPfsBUus Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The information shared is general and may not apply to your individual circumstances. Always consult your GP or qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance, and never make changes to prescribed medication without medical supervision. Frances Norgate is a Qualified Nutrition and Lifestyle Advisor (mFHT, CertION, MA) and works alongside, not in place of, your existing medical care. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit francesnorgate.substack.com

    A normal blood test isn't the same as a well body

  8. Jun 1

    Your gut and your brain are having a conversation

    If your digestion gets worse during stressful weeks — even when you haven't really changed what you're eating — there's a reason, and it isn't always food. In this episode of Nourished & Found, Frances Norgate explains the gut-brain connection most people have never had properly explained to them, why your nervous system has more to do with your digestion than your diet does, and what actually helps when "just relax" is the worst possible advice. She unpacks the surprising direction of traffic on the vagus nerve, the common patterns she sees in busy weeks — sudden bloating, food reactivity, brain fog after meals, unpredictable bathroom days — and the small, practical changes that shift the nervous system through the body rather than through the mind. This episode is for anyone who's been told it's "probably stress" and left with no useful answer about what to do about it. Three takeaways: Roughly 80% of the information flowing through your vagus nerve travels from gut to brain — not the other way around. Your gut is talking to your brain almost constantly Under chronic stress, digestion is physiologically deprioritised. Stomach acid drops, motility changes, the gut wall becomes more permeable, foods that were fine become reactive You can't think your way out of nervous system stress — it shifts state through the body, not the mind. Breath, sunlight, sitting down to eat and proper evening wind-down do more than meditation apps Free guides: Is Your Blood Sugar Working Against You? Ten Signs Most People Completely Miss → francesnorgate.com/#bloodsugarguide Pre-Diabetes: What Your GP Didn't Have Time to Tell You → francesnorgate.com/prediabetes-guide Work with Frances: Free 30-minute Blood Sugar Audit → francesnorgate.com/blood-sugar-audit Free discovery call → francesnorgate.com/work-with-me Follow Nourished & Found: Substack → francesnorgate.substack.com Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/nourished-found/id1868788812 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/4xlG5vBrC0tKadVPfsBUus Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The information shared is general and may not apply to your individual circumstances. Always consult your GP or qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance, and never make changes to prescribed medication without medical supervision. Frances Norgate is a Qualified Nutrition and Lifestyle Advisor (mFHT, CertION, MA) and works alongside, not in place of, your existing medical care. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit francesnorgate.substack.com

    Your gut and your brain are having a conversation
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About

Practical insights on blood sugar, metabolic health, and digestive wellbeing — for people who haven't found answers in the usual places. francesnorgate.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    by Frances Norgate, CertION, mFHT, MA
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Frances Norgate
  • Show Website
    Nourished & Found