When I hit 50, I kept telling myself that it didn't matter; age is just a number; 50 is the new 30... but it didn't help. What followed were hot flashes, moodiness and night sweats combined with a feeling of loss – loss of youth, loss of energy, loss of vitality. I imagined myself slipping into middle age with everything shrinking except my waistline.

But then I found Primal living – a completely new way of approaching health and wellness based on the natural lifestyles of hunter-gatherer communities, both ancient and modern. That doesn't mean I live in a cave and go out hunting wild animals for dinner, but it does mean I live more in harmony with my body, my mind and, more importantly, my life.

At 50, I was working in a stressful job, trying hard to ´do the right thing`- eating low-fat, trying to do 30 minutes moderate exercise 4 or 5 times a week (and mostly failing because I was too tired), slathering on sun-cream every time I went out of the door and eating plenty of wholegrains and carbohydrates because they´re ´healthy`; I even went vegan for a few months. But nothing helped.

Then, in 2012, I ´went Primal`. It was a real wake up for me. Suddenly here was a lifestyle that made sense. Eat delicious food, do exercise that is energising, not exhausting, enjoy the sun, play, embrace new challenges, sleep, relax. These days I live in Spain and love my life:  I enjoy swimming, walking, paddle-boarding and kayaking; I eat Primal food which is tasty and nutritious, I love the sun, I am fitter and healthier than I have ever been and I weigh less now than I did in my 30´s, and I am NEVER hungry.

My mission is to share this lifestyle with as many people as possible because reaching mid-life isn't the end – in fact, it´s chance of a new beginning.