Maryon Stewart

Stewart was born in Clapton, London and grew up in Clayhall. Her father was of Russian and Polish descent, her mother of English and Romanian descent. She took an interest in charity and fundraising work from a young age.[8] In a 2012 interview in The Jewish Chronicle, she told Lynne Franks, "I always wanted to help people. That was my thing – change things for people, make it better somehow."[8]

Stewart studied preventive dentistry and nutrition at Royal Dental Hospital in London and worked as a counsellor with nutritional doctors in England for four years.[5]

In 1984, she set up the PMT Advisory Service – the first non-drug advisory for premenstrual tension in the world.[9] In 1987, she launched the Women’s Nutritional Advisory Service and in 2003, the Natural Health Advisory Service. Research by the service claimed to have identified a link between low levels of important nutrients and female brain chemistry and hormone function.[10] Using this data, Stewart and her team of medical professionals devised a non-drug method that they believed redressed nutritional and hormonal imbalances in women and helped them overcome PMT[11][12] and restore wellbeing.[13] Her first book Beat PMT Through Diet (later known as No More PMS!) was first published in 1987.[14]

In 1990, Stewart adopted the same non-drug method she'd used in her PMT work to focus on perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause.[15][16][17] Stewart is currently partnered with Virgin Care to deliver menopause services in the workplace. She has just finished writing her 28th book (her first US book) entitled Manage your Menopause Naturally. It will be published on 27 October 2020 by New World Library. [18]

Since the 1990s, Stewart has been a regular contributor to the mainstream UK media. In 2001, she became the resident nutritionist on Channel 4's Model Behaviour and launched her own series, The Really Useful Health Show, on the Body in Balance channel on Sky TV.[11]

Stewart has written a series of self-help books, including:The Vitality Diet,[19]Maryon Stewart's Zest for Life Plan,[20]Beat Sugar Craving:The Revolutionary 4-Week Diet,[21] The Model Plan: Eating Well, Looking Good, Feeling Great,[22] Healthy Parents, Healthy Baby,[23]The Real Life Diet,[24]No More IBS!,[25]No More PMS!,[26]Beat PMT Through Diet,[27]Cruising Through The Menopause: Managing Your Menopause Successfully Without HRT,[28]The Natural Menopause Plan,[29]The Natural Menopause Kit,[30]Beat Menopause Naturally[31] and The Phyto Factor.[32]

She has also co-authored the following publications: Every Woman's Health Guide: The Woman's Nutritional Advisory Service Handbook for Drug-free Health,[33] The Natural Health Bible: An A-Z guide to drug-free health[34] with Alan Stewart and Beat PMS Cookbook[35] with Sarah Tooley.

In 2009, Stewart's daughter Hester – a medical student at the University of Sussex – died after taking the 'legal high' gamma butyrolactone (GBL). She was 21 years old.[36]

Stewart placed her women’s health work on hold to focus on fighting for a ban on the production, sale and supply of legal highs in the UK.[37][38] In memory of her daughter, she established the Angelus Foundation.[39] In 2012, the Angelus Foundation partnered with the Amy Winehouse Foundation to front a national campaign to make drug and alcohol education compulsory as part of the national curriculum.[40] In 2016, the Angelus Foundation merged with Mentor UK.[41] In 2018, Maryon was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to drug education.

In November 1999, Maryon was voted by Good Housekeeping Magazine as the 51st most influential woman in Great Britain.[42]

In December 2009, she was voted one of the five most inspirational women in the UK by Fabulous Magazine,[42] and in 2010, she won the Addidi Inspirational Award.[43]

• Angelusfoundation.com
• Whynotfindout.org
• New film prize to curb use of 'club drugs' | Society | The Guardian
• One year on, why I want young people to learn from my daughter's death | Society | The Observer