Getting started

How to use Vytal Menopause

Everything you need to get set up and make the most of Vytal — from adding it to your home screen to understanding every feature in the app.

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Add Vytal to your phone

Vytal Menopause is a web app — which means it works on any phone, any device, without needing to download anything from an app store. You can add it to your home screen so it feels and behaves exactly like a normal app.

📱 iPhone (Safari)

iOS 14 and above
  1. Open Safari and go to myvytals.co.uk
  2. Tap the Share button at the bottom of the screen — it's the box with an arrow pointing up
  3. Scroll down in the share menu and tap "Add to Home Screen"
  4. Change the name to Vytal Menopause if you like
  5. Tap Add in the top right corner
  6. Vytal now appears on your home screen like any other app — tap it to open

🤖 Android (Chrome)

Android 8 and above
  1. Open Chrome and go to myvytals.co.uk
  2. Tap the three dots menu in the top right corner
  3. Tap "Add to Home screen"
  4. Name it Vytal Menopause
  5. Tap Add
  6. Vytal now appears on your home screen — tap it to open full screen

Tip: Once added to your home screen, Vytal opens full screen without the browser address bar — it looks and feels exactly like a native app. You can also use it in your browser at any time at myvytals.co.uk.

Setting up your profile

When you first open Vytal you'll go through a short setup process. This is the most important part — the more Vytal knows about you, the more personalised every response will be. It takes about 5 minutes and shapes everything from that point on.

1

Create your account

Enter your email address and choose a password. Your account keeps your data safe and synced across devices.

2

Tell Vytal your name and age

Vytal uses your name throughout the app and your age range shapes nutritional priorities — needs differ significantly between your 40s, 50s, and 60s.

3

Choose your menopause stage

Select where you are in your journey — perimenopause, menopause, post-menopause, surgical menopause, or not sure yet. If you've had a hysterectomy, select surgical menopause.

💡 You can update this any time in your profile as your journey progresses
4

HRT status

Tell Vytal whether you're on HRT, considering it, or unable to take it. This shapes the nutritional guidance — women who can't take HRT have different nutritional priorities to those who are on it.

5

Select your symptoms

Tick everything you're currently experiencing — hot flushes, night sweats, brain fog, sleep problems, joint pain, mood, weight gain, fatigue, hair and skin changes, digestion, palpitations, or low libido. Vytal uses this to prioritise relevant guidance.

💡 The more symptoms you tick, the more targeted Vytal's guidance becomes
6

Dietary preference and anything else

Tell Vytal how you eat and add any allergies, intolerances, or other health conditions. This ensures recipes and guidance always account for what you can and can't eat.

7

The onboarding conversation

After setup, Vytal will have a short conversation with you to learn more — about your symptoms, your typical eating patterns, and what you're hoping to get from the app. Answer as fully as you can. This conversation builds the foundation of everything Vytal knows about you.

💡 Please complete this in one go — if you close the app mid-conversation you'll need to start again

🥗 The Food Log

The food log is the heart of Vytal. Every time you log a meal, Vytal reacts instantly with evidence-based insight tied to your specific symptoms and health profile. This is not calorie counting — it's understanding what your food actually means for how you feel.

1

Select a meal type

Choose Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snack, Drink, or Treat — then describe what you ate in plain English. No special format needed.

💡 Examples: "porridge with ground flaxseed and blueberries" or "grilled salmon with roasted veg and sweet potato"
2

Add the time (optional)

You can log the time you ate — this helps Vytal spot patterns like afternoon energy crashes linked to what you had for lunch.

3

Tap "Add to log"

Vytal immediately analyses what you logged and gives you a personalised reaction — connecting your food to your specific symptoms, citing sources like NICE guidelines or the British Menopause Society where relevant.

4

Log water too

Tap the + button on the water tracker on your home screen each time you have a glass of water. Staying hydrated is especially important during menopause — even mild dehydration worsens brain fog and fatigue.

How often should I log? Ideally every meal — but even logging 2-3 times a day gives Vytal enough to spot patterns and give meaningful guidance. The more consistent you are, the better the insights become over time.

Important: Vytal never counts calories and never judges what you eat. Log everything honestly — including treats, alcohol, and things you're not proud of. Vytal can only help you if she can see the full picture.

💬 Ask Vytal

The Ask Vytal tab is your direct line to evidence-based menopause nutrition guidance. Ask anything — Vytal gives you answers grounded in clinical research and tailored to your personal health profile.

🌡️

Hot flushes & symptoms

Ask about specific foods that may help reduce hot flushes, night sweats, or other symptoms you're experiencing.

🦴

Bone & heart health

Ask about calcium, vitamin D, omega-3, and what you should be eating to protect your bones and cardiovascular health post-menopause.

🧠

Brain fog & energy

Ask why you're struggling with concentration or afternoon crashes and what nutritional changes might help.

💊

Supplements & vitamins

Ask whether a specific supplement is worth taking, what the evidence says, and how to get nutrients from food first.

🛒

Supermarket & labels

Ask Vytal to help you read food labels, choose between products, or understand what ingredients to look for or avoid.

😴

Sleep & mood

Ask what to eat in the evening to support better sleep, or which foods support mood and reduce anxiety.

You get 10 messages per day with your subscription. Make them count — ask specific questions rather than general ones. "What should I eat for bone health given I'm post-menopause and not on HRT?" will get a better answer than "what's good for bones?"

📋 Recipes

The Recipes tab shows you meals chosen specifically for your symptoms, dietary preferences, and what you've been eating recently. Every recipe comes with a "Why this works for you" explanation from Vytal.

1

Filter by meal type

Choose Breakfast, Mains, Snacks, or the ⚡ Quick filter for recipes under 15 minutes. Recipes update daily.

2

Tap a recipe to expand it

Each recipe card shows the name, time, difficulty, and benefit category. Tap to expand the full ingredients list, step-by-step instructions, and Vytal's personal explanation of why this recipe suits you.

3

Log it to your food diary

Made the recipe? Tap "Log this meal" at the bottom of the expanded recipe to add it straight to your food log — Vytal will react to it in the context of the rest of your day.

Recipes are personalised — if you've told Vytal you're vegetarian, you won't see meat recipes. If you have a nut allergy, nuts are excluded. Update your dietary preferences in your Profile at any time and recipes will adjust immediately.

🏠 Your Home Screen

The home screen gives you a daily snapshot of everything Vytal is tracking. Here's what you'll see:

🌅

Morning insight

A short personalised message each morning reflecting on yesterday's eating and setting you up for today. Shown between 6am and noon.

💧

Water tracker

Track your daily water intake. Tap the + button each time you have a glass. Target is 8 glasses. Dehydration significantly worsens menopause symptoms.

🍷

Alcohol unit tracker

Vytal automatically detects alcohol in your food log and tracks your weekly units against the NHS 14-unit guideline. Updated each time you log a drink.

📅

Weekly streak

See which days this week you've logged food. Consistency is what builds the picture — even logging once a day makes a difference.

🎯

Weekly goal check-in

Every Monday morning Vytal asks how you felt you did against your goals last week on a 1-10 scale. She responds with personalised feedback.

💬

Daily check-in

Tap "How's your eating today?" to open a chat with Vytal about your day — she reviews your food log and gives you specific, personalised feedback.

👤 Your Profile

Your profile is the brain behind everything Vytal tells you. Keep it up to date and your guidance improves. Tap any field to edit it.

1

Menopause journey

Update your stage and HRT status as your journey changes. If you start HRT, change it here — Vytal will immediately adjust her guidance to account for what changes nutritionally when you're on HRT.

2

Symptoms ticklist

Your symptom ticklist in the profile is the most important thing to keep current. As symptoms improve, untick them. As new ones appear, tick them. This directly shapes what Vytal prioritises in every response.

💡 Update your symptoms at least once a month — menopause is not static
3

Vitamins and supplements

Add any vitamins or mineral levels you know about (e.g. low B12, vitamin D deficient) and any supplements you're already taking. Vytal will factor these into her guidance and won't recommend things you're already taking.

4

Other health conditions

Add any other diagnosed conditions — IBS, coeliac, hypothyroidism, type 2 diabetes etc. Menopause is already covered by the app — only add conditions beyond menopause here.

5

Goals and lifestyle

Keep your goals updated. If your priority shifts from hot flush management to bone protection, update your goals — Vytal's daily check-ins and weekly summaries will reflect the change.

Frequently asked questions

Is Vytal a medical service?
No. Vytal Menopause is a nutrition companion and educational tool. It is not a medical service and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All guidance is grounded in published clinical guidelines but should not replace advice from your GP or healthcare provider.
How is my data kept private?
Your health data is stored securely and encrypted. We do not sell your data to third parties and we do not use it for advertising. You can delete your account and all associated data at any time via Profile → Delete my account. Read our full Privacy Policy for details.
What if I have a hysterectomy?
Vytal fully supports surgical menopause. Select "Surgical menopause" as your stage during setup or in your profile. Vytal understands that surgical menopause is different to natural menopause — it brings specific nutritional urgency around bone protection, cardiovascular health, and brain nutrition that Vytal will factor into all guidance.
I'm on HRT — do I still need to think about nutrition?
Yes. HRT addresses vasomotor symptoms and some bone protection, but nutritional gaps including vitamin D, calcium, omega-3, and gut health remain important regardless of HRT use. Vytal adjusts her guidance based on your HRT status but continues to provide relevant nutritional support.
How many messages do I get per day?
Your subscription includes 10 messages per day in the Ask Vytal chat. This resets at midnight. The food log reactions and daily check-in do not count toward this limit.
Can I use Vytal on multiple devices?
Yes. Because Vytal is a web app your account and all your data are stored in the cloud. Log in on any device — phone, tablet, or computer — and everything is synced.
How do I cancel my subscription?
Go to Profile → Manage subscription → Cancel. Your access continues until the end of the current billing period. You will not be charged again after cancellation.
The app isn't working — what should I do?
First try refreshing the page or closing and reopening the app. If problems persist, email us at contact@myvytals.co.uk and we'll get back to you within 24 hours.

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