Meet our new resident doctor, Dr. Anne Alison, ready to answer all your health-related questions. With her extensive knowledge and passion for wellness, Dr. Anne—founder and director of Vale Wellness, a two-time recipient of Style of the City’s Wellness Business of the Year Award, and a dedicated general practitioner—is committed to enhancing your healthcare and wellbeing.
We invited our readers to send in their health and wellness questions, and now, Dr. Anne is here to share her expert advice and helpful tips.
Q: My husband of 20 years fears getting a vasectomy, and I would like to come off birth control. Do you have any advice?
A: After many years of marriage, conversations about contraception are best approached as a shared and thoughtful discussion. It can help to begin by explaining how long-term birth control has affected your own health and why you feel it may be time to consider an alternative.
You may wish to reassure your husband that a vasectomy is a minor surgical procedure and one of the most reliable methods of male contraception available. It is carried out under local anaesthetic, typically takes less than 20 minutes, and patients are able to return home shortly afterwards with minimal discomfort. Most men are able to resume normal daily activities within a few days and return to exercise after around 10 days.
It is important to acknowledge that a vasectomy is intended to be a permanent method of contraception. While reversal may be possible in certain circumstances, it cannot be guaranteed, and any uncertainty about future family plans would be explored fully during a consultation to ensure an informed decision.
Q: My mother is currently amid menopause, how can myself and others, help her during this time? In particular, her periods of depression are debilitating, and myself and my family just want to help.
A: Menopause can be a difficult transition for women experiencing symptoms and for those close to them, and for some women it is associated with periods of low mood or depression. These symptoms are common, real, and treatable, and support is available. Other symptoms can include hot flashes, poor sleep, sweats, brain fog, emotional lability and intolerance, joint pain, vaginal dryness, reduction in libido and itchy skin, although this list is not exhaustive.
Encouraging your mother to seek a medical review is an important first step, as hormonal changes can significantly affect mood and may respond well to appropriate treatment. It is also important to exclude any other cause of these symptoms. Alongside this, psychological support can be extremely helpful, offering a safe space to talk, develop coping strategies, and feel understood. Breathwork and improving sleep quality have also been proven to ease many menopausal symptoms. Good nutrition and exercise can also improve both the physical and psychological symptoms of menopause. At Vale Wellness, this forms part of our integrated approach to care, and we can also provide treatment options and help for those individuals who are unable to take traditional hormone replacement therapy.
Approach the conversation with reassurance and empathy, and let her know she does not need to manage this alone. Offering to attend an appointment together can help make the process feel less overwhelming.
With the right medical and psychological support, many women experience significant improvement and a return to emotional balance and wellbeing.
Q: My birth control (Copper IUD) is detrimentally impacting my libido, and I am unable to take hormonal birth control, do you have any recommendations on how to get it back?
A: It’s understandable to be frustrated if your libido has changed since having a copper coil. While it’s non-hormonal, the copper IUD can still affect wellbeing through heavier periods, discomfort, fatigue, or low iron levels — all of which can quietly dampen sexual desire.
The good news is that this is common and very treatable. A simple review of your symptoms, periods, iron and nutrient levels, sleep, and stress can often reveal clear, fixable contributors.
If hormonal contraception isn’t an option for you, there are still non-hormonal alternatives and supportive strategies to explore, including whether the coil remains the best choice for you.
A low libido isn’t something you have to accept as permanent. With the right support and a personalised plan, many women regain their energy, confidence, and enjoyment of intimacy.
Q:I suffer from seasonal depression, and January is really impacting my mental health. Are there any supplements or things I could be doing to help me?
A: If I could prescribe a winter holiday, I promise I would — January would be a much happier month for everyone. Sadly, sunshine isn’t yet available on the NHS or privately, but I’m working on it!
That said, seasonal low mood is very common at this time of year, and there are practical ways to improve how you feel. I always start with the basics: regular sleep, daily daylight exposure (a short morning walk REALLY helps), gentle exercise, and balanced meals. These simple habits can have a surprisingly powerful effect on mood.
From a medical perspective, it’s often worth checking blood levels. Low vitamin D, iron, B12, or a thyroid imbalance can all contribute to fatigue and low mood in winter. Correcting these can make a real difference.
Targeted supplements, taken appropriately, may also help. Vitamin D is particularly important at this time of year, alongside magnesium or omega-3 where indicated. At Vale Wellness, we use carefully formulated in-house supplements based on individual needs rather than guesswork.
Finally, don’t underestimate the benefit of psychological support. Talking therapies can be especially helpful during the darker months, providing practical tools and reassurance until spring arrives.
January can feel heavy, but it is temporary — and with the right support, most people feel noticeably brighter well before the clocks change.
——————————————————————————————————–
Located in the heart of Cowbridge, Vale Wellness is your destination centre for private healthcare and wellness services. At Vale Wellness, Founder and Medical Director Dr Anne Alison, is supported by a highly experienced multidisciplinary team of in-house GPs, nurses, and healthcare specialists, working collaboratively to deliver evidence-based, personalised care.
Whether you’re looking for rapid access to medical care, specialist consultant support, holistic support for life’s transitions, or fully accredited clinical training, Vale Wellness offers a flexible, convenient service tailored to your needs. To book your consultation, find out more about our training courses or enrol in one of our facial yoga classes, please visit valewellness.co.uk, email enquiries@valewellness.co.uk or call us on 01446 789740 and one of our team will be happy to assist you further.
