How to Talk About Women’s Health Without Fuelling Diet Culture

💬 Why Does the Way We Talk About Women’s Health Matter?

The words we use when talking about women’s health shape how women feel about their bodies.

In recent years, more workplaces and brands have started conversations around hormones, menopause, and menstrual health — which is a huge step forward.But too often, the language used still echoes diet culture — promoting “balance,” “detox,” or “fixing your hormones.”

As a women’s health nutritionist and corporate wellbeing speaker, I see this all the time. The intention is good, but the message can still leave women feeling like their bodies are problems to solve, rather than systems to understand.

⚖️ What Does Diet Culture Look Like in Modern Wellbeing?

Diet culture doesn’t always look like dieting. It can hide behind wellness language that sounds empowering but still carries judgement or moral value.

You might have seen phrases like:

• “Avoid these foods to balance your hormones.”

• “Clean eating for better energy.”

• “Get your pre-baby body back.”

Even when the goal is health, this type of language implies that health is something women have to earn through restriction or control.At work, in media, or on brand platforms, that can reinforce guilt and shame — the very opposite of wellbeing.

🧠 How Can We Talk About Women’s Health Without Reinforcing Shame?

The answer lies in reframing the conversation. Instead of focusing on restriction or elimination, focus on education, context, and compassion.

Here’s how I encourage brands and workplaces to adjust their messaging:

• Swap “Avoid sugar to balance hormones” for “Here’s how to build meals that keep energy steady throughout the day.”

• Swap “Eat clean for better skin” for “Adding colour and variety supports skin and gut health.”

• Swap “Lose weight to improve symptoms” for “Let’s explore what helps your body feel energised and supported day to day.”

These shifts might seem small, but they change how women receive the message. It becomes inclusive, not prescriptive. Supportive, not shame-based.

💼 Why Do Corporate Wellbeing Programmes Need to Rethink Their Messaging?

Many workplace wellbeing programmes are built with good intentions — step challenges, calorie-tracking apps, or general “healthy eating” talks. But when we view health through a performance or appearance lens, we risk excluding women who are managing hormonal conditions, fertility treatments, or perimenopause.

A more inclusive approach looks at wellbeing through the lens of education and empowerment.That means moving away from “eat better” messages and instead asking, “How can we help women feel more supported and understood in their health?”

When employees feel safe in these conversations, participation increases and the workplace culture becomes genuinely healthier.

🗣️ How Can Businesses and Brands Talk About Women’s Health Responsibly?

If you want to create meaningful impact in your workplace or brand campaigns, here are five evidence-based ways to talk about women’s health responsibly:

1. Lead with education, not fear. Share evidence and nuance — avoid extremes or quick fixes.

2. Show diversity. Women’s health varies across life stages, cultures, and experiences.

3. Avoid moral language. Words like good/bad or clean/dirty reinforce guilt.

4. Include emotional health. Nutrition and hormones affect mood, sleep, and stress — not just appearance.

5. Work with experts. Collaborate with a women’s health nutritionist or speaker to ensure your content is accurate and inclusive.

By focusing on facts and empathy, brands and workplaces can build trust — and help women engage with health in a positive way.

💬 Why Am I Passionate About Changing This Conversation?

Because I see, every day, the impact that language has on women.

When I run women’s health workshops and wellbeing talks, women often say, “This is the first time I’ve heard someone talk about nutrition without guilt.”That tells me everything.

The goal isn’t to make women eat perfectly — it’s to help them feel empowered and in control of their own wellbeing.

When we talk about women’s health with understanding instead of pressure, we create lasting change — in the workplace, in families, and in how women see themselves.

📍 Where Do I Offer Women’s Health Talks and Training?

I offer in-person and online sessions for workplaces, events, and brand campaigns in:Portsmouth • Southampton • Winchester • Hampshire • Surrey • London and virtually across the UK.

🤔 FAQs

Q: How can we make our corporate wellbeing talks more inclusive?

A: Focus on education and empowerment. Avoid diet language and bring in experts who understand hormonal health and women’s lived experiences.

Q: Do you offer support for mixed-gender workplaces?

A: Yes — I deliver talks that help everyone understand how nutrition and hormones affect energy, focus, and wellbeing, in a way that feels relevant for all.

Q: Can you help us review our wellbeing messaging?

A: Absolutely. I work with companies and brands to refine their language and approach to women’s health campaigns so they’re evidence-based, inclusive, and supportive.

✨ Key Takeaway

When we talk about women’s health, the words we use matter.By choosing language that’s inclusive, evidence-based, and compassionate, we move beyond diet culture — and start creating spaces where women feel informed, valued, and truly supported.