Peri Menopause/Menopause Nutrition

It can be a very confusing and tough time going through the midlife stage of your life, especially women because your bodies go through drastic changes that can have significant impacts on your life. 

But you may be asking, what does a young male know about what I am going through. Well a lot of my clients are going through what you are going through right now and I work with them to make some simple changes that produce great results. 

What happens during menopause? 

During menopause your body goes through many changes such as estrogen levels falling which can lead to changes in cholesterol, weight gain, increase risk of osteoporosis and many other symptoms that can cause discomfort.

What can you do? 

A range of lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of the many complications associated with menopause and make the other symptoms more bearable. 

Complications and how to prevent them

Weight gain 

It is common for women to gain weight when they go through perimenopause/menopause, this is mainly due to the hormonal changes that occur in the body that can affect the bodies ability to regulate hunger and can cause a loss of lean mass which can reduce energy expenditure. 

Some easy thing s to focus on to prevent weight gain is to eat regularly throughout the day that means having at least 3 meals NO SKIPPING!!! With snacks inbetween. These meals should be high in protein and fibre to help keep you fuller for longer which will help regulate appetite and the protein will also help you maintain your muscle mass. 

Osteoporosis 

Once your estrogen level starts to drop this can increase the rate of calcium that is pulled from the bones therefore weakening them and increasing the risk of fractures and breaks. 

To prevent this it is important to ensure that you maintain a high intake of calcium everyday. This means focusing on including foods like dairy, fortified plant-based alternatives and having a wide variety of fruit and vegetables everyday. 

Vitamin D is another nutrient to consider as it aids in calcium absorption in the body. We get most of our vitamin D from the sun but can be taken in supplement form too.

Cardiovascular Disease

It is common for women going through menopause to see an increase in cholesterol or blood pressure even though it has never been a problem in the past. High cholesterol/blood pressure can cause many complications down the track.

Some easy tips to ensure optimal heart health is;

• Switch from saturated fat to unsaturated fats this means switching fatty meats for leaner cuts or switching out butter, coconut oil for extra virgin olive oil or avocado oils.

• Include lots of fibrous foods such as nuts, seeds, legumes, fruit, vegetables, wholegrains and oats into your everyday diet

• Reduce your intake of processed foods such as pastries, processed meats, potato chips

• Replacing salt with herbs and spices

• Aiming to include 2 serves of fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackeral, cod) these are high in omega 3 fatty acids. Fish oil tablets are also a option if you don't like fish

It may seem like a daunting time in your life but it doesn’t have to be. Yes there are many things that change but if you follow a relatively healthy diet and have an active lifestyle you will put yourself in a great place to avoid/reduce the complications that come with menopause.