Let's talk about hydration and menopause

Let's talk about hydration and menopause

What Every Midlife Woman Needs to Know with Emma Ellice Flint

When it comes to managing our health and wellbeing in midlife, there’s a simple but often underestimated hero at the heart of it all. Hydration. That’s right. Something as seemingly ordinary as water can play an extraordinary role in how we feel every day. It’s not just about quenching your thirst on a hot day. It’s about skin health, hormone absorption, digestion, energy and even mood. And when you're using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) patches, like so many women are today, hydration matters even more.

Recently, Emma Ellice Flint, nutritionist and founder of her own supplement brand, sat down for a conversation with Lisa, one of the co-founders of Nudi Spray, the adhesive remover designed for women using HRT patches. Their chat was packed with insights, laughter, and the kind of down-to-earth expert advice that makes you sit up and think, “Why didn’t I know this sooner?”

Emma’s voice in the wellness space is warm, knowledgeable and reassuring. She’s walked the walk — from her days as a chef, to gaining a degree in nutrition, and on to working alongside menopause doctors. Now, she’s focused on creating practical, supportive supplements for women navigating perimenopause and beyond. And when it comes to hydration, she has plenty of wisdom to share.


It’s More Than Just Water

Emma started by getting to the root of it. Dehydration isn’t just about not drinking enough. It’s also about how well your body retains and uses the water you do drink. As she explained, sipping water steadily through the day is far more beneficial than downing a pint all at once. Your body doesn’t work like a sponge. It needs time, and a little help, to absorb and use that hydration effectively.

And that help comes in the form of what you eat. Emma explained how your food—especially fruits and vegetables—play a major role in keeping you hydrated. Your body draws water from the food you eat, and foods like cucumber, strawberries, apples and leafy greens are packed with fluid. You’re not just drinking your water. You’re eating it too. Which is a good thing, especially if plain water isn’t your favourite.

Then there’s the matter of the minerals. You could be sipping away at your water bottle all day and still feel parched. That dry skin? The cracked lips? The constant need to moisturise? It might not be about how much water you’re drinking, but whether your body has the right balance of vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats to hold on to that water and use it where it counts.

Emma pointed to things like magnesium, zinc, and vitamin E—especially from whole foods like nuts and seeds—as essential allies in the skin hydration equation. These nutrients support the elasticity, softness and health of your skin. And vitamin C, found in fresh fruits and colourful veg, plays its own role in collagen production and overall skin vitality. It’s not just about beauty, either. It’s about function. Skin is our body’s largest organ. It needs nourishing from the inside out.

Why Hydration Matters Even More When You’re Using HRT Patches

One of the most eye-opening parts of Emma’s conversation with Lisa was the effect of hydration, or lack of it, on HRT patch users.

Lisa explained how she and her co-founder Amy created Nudi Spray because they were both fed up with stubborn glue marks left behind after removing their patches. But as their brand grew and they began hearing more from customers, a pattern emerged. Women were reporting that the patches were sticking more aggressively in the summer, or during times when they were less hydrated.

It turns out, there’s a reason for that. As Emma and Lisa discussed, when the skin is dry and dehydrated, the glue from HRT patches can cling more firmly. It almost seems to “bake” into the skin, especially in warm weather. This makes removing it harder and more irritating, often leaving red marks, patches of residue, and a lot of frustration.

But there’s more. Hydration doesn’t just affect the glue. It can also affect how well the patch delivers oestrogen into your system. That’s huge. If your skin is dry and undernourished, the absorption of hormones can be compromised. That might mean your HRT isn’t working as effectively as it should be, even if you’re applying it exactly as directed.

Emma explained that skin health isn’t just about what you put on the outside. Moisturising the area where you apply your patch can help, but real hydration starts from within. A well-hydrated body, supported by good nutrition, helps the patch deliver the oestrogen more effectively. And it helps you remove the patch more gently too. Less scrubbing. Less glue. Less irritation.

The Signs You Might Be Dehydrated Without Realising It

Emma’s expertise really shone when she talked about the signs of hidden dehydration. Often, we don’t even know we’re running low on fluids until our body shouts at us. That mid-afternoon slump? It might not be about your hormones. It could be that you’ve simply not drunk enough. Feeling fuzzy-headed, sluggish, or craving something sweet? Those can all be subtle signs that your body’s asking for more water.

She recalled a client who had been suffering with headaches, low energy, and constipation. It turned out the woman didn’t drink water at all. She relied on tea, coffee and the occasional soda. Emma encouraged her to try two litres of water a day, spread out in sips, using a reusable bottle to keep track. Within a week, her symptoms had eased significantly.

It’s a simple change, but a powerful one. And Emma is a big believer in making hydration enjoyable. If you don’t love plain water, you can infuse it with sliced strawberries, lemon, or cucumber. You can sip herbal teas or make homemade iced tea. Her tip? Cut up the fruit so the flavour infuses faster. Within 10 minutes, you’ll be sipping strawberry water and wondering why you didn’t do it sooner.

Hydration, Hormones and Summer Challenges

With summer heat comes new challenges for anyone using transdermal HRT patches. Lisa shared how she’s seen first-hand how hot weather and dehydration make glue removal more difficult. Patches become harder to peel off. Skin becomes more prone to irritation. And even the effectiveness of the oestrogen delivery can drop.

Emma highlighted how sweating in the heat can worsen the problem if we’re not replenishing those fluids. And it’s not just about how much you sweat. It’s about whether your body is ready to hold onto hydration and direct it where it’s needed most.

She also touched on the impact of saunas and intense heat. Emma mentioned that her patch would sometimes loosen or puff up after a sauna session, which led to reduced hormone delivery. Lisa wasn’t surprised. While patches are designed to handle day-to-day sweating, the intensity of a sauna is something else entirely. It can flood the skin with moisture, breaking down the adhesive and reducing effectiveness. So yes, even your relaxation rituals might be affecting your HRT.

So, How Much Water Do You Really Need?

Emma kept it realistic. The standard guideline is around two litres of water a day, but it depends on the person and the conditions. If it’s a hot day or you’re moving around a lot, you might need more. If you’re eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, you’re getting more hydration than you think. If you drink plenty of tea, that counts too—as long as it’s not loaded with caffeine or sugar.

And if you’re one of those people who feels like water just goes straight through you, Emma’s advice is to look at what else you’re consuming. You might need more magnesium or other minerals to help your body hold onto hydration. You might need to sip more steadily rather than drink in big gulps. And you might need to pay attention to timing. Drinking water with meals can actually help, not hinder it.

Emma’s Thoughts on Magnesium and Hydration

As the conversation deepened, Lisa asked the question many of us think but rarely say aloud. “Why do I drink water all day and still feel dry?”

Emma explained that hydration is about retention. Minerals like magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium and chloride help your cells actually absorb the water and keep it where it’s needed. Without them, water can pass straight through your system without making much impact. Magnesium in particular helps regulate the movement of fluid across your cell walls. And that’s vital for everything from energy levels to glowing skin.

Whether you get it through food or supplements, Emma suggests looking for that sweet spot—around 250 to 310 milligrams of elemental magnesium daily. And if you’re choosing a supplement, always check that figure. Some will list a much higher number, but it includes the full compound weight, not just the active elemental magnesium. It’s a subtle but important detail.

How hydration effects patches

Hydration isn’t just a wellness buzzword. It has a real impact on how HRT patches perform. It affects how easily the glue comes off. And perhaps most importantly, it affects how well your body absorbs the hormones you need to feel balanced.

At Nudi, Lisa and Amy created their spray to solve a specific frustration—getting sticky glue off skin without damage. But what they’ve discovered through conversations like this is that women need more than just a great product. They need knowledge. They need expert support. And they need to understand how the simple things like drinking water, can change everything.

Emma encouraged Lisa to talk to customers about hydration. To invite them to try sipping more regularly. To ask them to moisturise their skin and eat foods rich in minerals, like nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables. Because when women start taking those small steps, the results can be surprisingly powerful.

 

 

The Round Up !

Hydration is one of the simplest, cheapest and most transformative tools we have for feeling better in our bodies. It affects how we think, how we feel, how we sleep, and how our skin performs. And as Emma reminded us, it also plays a major role in how well our HRT patches work.

So if you’re feeling tired, foggy, sticky, dry or frustrated, don’t underestimate the power of a glass of water. Or a handful of seeds. Or a strawberry-infused sip of iced tea.

Your skin will thank you. Your hormones will thank you. And your patch glue residue might just glide off a little easier too!

 

 

Useful Resources

If you’d like to explore more about hydration, HRT and skin health in midlife, here are some helpful UK-based resources recommended by Emma and trusted experts: