Perimenopause - Part 3
How to eat (and love) Food!
This is the most important thing to remember:
Eating well during perimenopause isn’t just about symptom management—it’s about feeling good and enjoying your meals.
How you feel before, during, and after eating matters A LOT. Your body is your best ally and best friend in your health. It wants you to feel healthy, balanced, and vibrant. How you feel around meals can help you learn what your body wants. Let me break this down:
Before Eating: If you feel hangry, shaky, or starving, this could mean that your blood sugar crashed. You may have waited too long between meals (longer than 5 hours) or your last meal spiked your blood sugar. Breakfast is key for blood sugar balancing, so spending time getting a killer breakfast you love makes a huge difference.
During Your Meal: It’s important that you enjoy the food you eat! Diet culture has taught us to eat a certain way, no matter how much or little you enjoy it. That’s wrong, and your body will not put up with that idea anymore during perimenopause.
Are you excited about most of your meals? Do you know what you like and don’t like? This is something to dive into if you’ve followed diets in the past.
After Eating: Do you feel happy, satisfied, and full? Do you have energy? Or, do you still feel hungry? Craving something else? Or feel really tired?
Pay attention to the types of food that keep you feeling happy and satisfied and the ones that make you feel unsatisfied and craving—this will guide you to the foods your body wants.
Things to Keep in Mind
Keep in mind:
Your body is more insulin sensitive than it was before. This is from low estrogen (read: not your fault) and can shift month to month, year to year.
Your body requires a regular intake of starchy carbs to keep your cortisol level in check. Low carb = high cortisol.
Carbohydrates Are Your Friend
Despite what many diets say, you need carbs for energy. You need carbs in your diet now more than ever. They help your body make hormones (like precious progesterone), and they reduce cortisol.
And—your body is more insulin resistant right now. It will overreact to a glucose spike. So, include carbs, but focus on complex carbohydrates that provide sustained energy without spiking your blood sugar. Think whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, and oats, as well as fruits and vegetables (especially starchy veggies).
Whole Grains: Choose whole grains over refined grains. Whole grains contain more fiber and nutrients, which help keep you full and stabilize blood sugar levels. Examples include brown rice, quinoa, barley, and whole-wheat products.
Fruits and Vegetables: These are excellent sources of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Aim to fill half your plate with a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables. Think berries, apples, leafy greens, bell peppers, and carrots.
Starchy Vegetables: Include starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, squash, and corn, which provide energy and are packed with nutrients.
Focusing on Protein
Protein is essential for building and maintaining muscle mass, which, as we discussed, is crucial for keeping your metabolism active. Aim to include a source of protein with every meal and snack. This could be lean meats, fish, eggs, dairy, legumes, or plant-based proteins like tofu and tempeh.
Lean Meats and Poultry: Opt for lean cuts of meat and poultry to reduce saturated fat intake. Examples include chicken breast, turkey, and lean cuts of beef or pork.
Fish: Fish, especially fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines, are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory properties and support heart health.
Plant-Based Proteins: Legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas), tofu, tempeh, and edamame are excellent plant-based protein sources that also provide fiber.
Dairy or Dairy Alternatives: Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and cheese can be good protein sources. If you’re lactose intolerant or prefer non-dairy options, consider fortified plant-based milk like almond, soy, or oat milk.
If your brain needs numbers as a guide—aim for 80g to 100g of protein each day.
Fiber for the Win
Fiber helps keep you full and supports healthy digestion. High-fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes can help you stay satisfied longer, making it easier to avoid unnecessary snacking. Plus, fiber helps stabilize blood sugar levels, which can reduce cravings and energy dips.
Soluble Fiber: This is gooey fiber found in foods like oats, barley, beans, lentils, and fruits. Soluble fiber helps control blood sugar levels and lowers cholesterol.
Insoluble Fiber: Found in whole grains, nuts, seeds, and the skins of fruits and vegetables, insoluble fiber aids digestion and prevents constipation.
Tips for Increasing Fiber Intake: Gradually increase your fiber intake to avoid digestive discomfort, and drink plenty of water to help fiber move through your digestive system.
Creating Balanced Meals
Creating balanced meals that include these components can help stabilize your blood sugar, reduce cravings, and keep your energy levels steady throughout the day. Here’s how to build a balanced plate:
Half the Plate: Fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables. Think leafy greens, bell peppers, broccoli, and carrots. These are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Quarter of the Plate: Allocate a quarter of your plate to lean proteins. This could be chicken, fish, tofu, or legumes.
Quarter of the Plate: Use the remaining quarter for whole grains or starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, quinoa, or brown rice.
Healthy Fats: Don’t forget healthy fats! Add a bit of avocado, nuts, seeds, or olive oil to your meals for a nutrient boost and satiety.
Sample Meals
Breakfast: 5% M.F. yogurt parfait with mixed berries, a sprinkle of granola, and a drizzle of honey.
Lunch: Quinoa salad with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, and a lemon-tahini dressing.
Dinner: Grilled salmon with roasted Brussels sprouts and a side of sweet potato wedges.
Snacks: Apple slices with almond butter, or a small handful of mixed nuts.
Supplements to Help Reduce Symptoms
Supplements can play a supportive role in managing perimenopausal symptoms. Here are some key ones to consider:
Magnesium
Magnesium is a powerhouse mineral that can help with sleep, muscle relaxation, and reducing anxiety. It’s found in foods like leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, but many people find they need a supplement to meet their needs.
Benefits: Supports muscle relaxation, improves sleep quality, reduces anxiety, and supports bone health.
Dosage: The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for magnesium is 320 mg for women. You might need more depending on your symptoms and lifestyle. Often, 500mg–700mg feels really good at this time of life.
Sources: Dark leafy greens (spinach, kale), nuts (almonds, cashews), seeds (pumpkin, chia), whole grains, and legumes.
Supplement Tips: Consider taking magnesium glycinate or citrate, which are more easily absorbed by the body. Start with a lower dose and gradually increase to avoid digestive discomfort. Citrate will make you poop! This is great for constipation, but not great if you have loose BMs.
B Vitamins
B vitamins are crucial for energy production and mood regulation. They’re found in whole grains, meat, eggs, dairy, and leafy greens. A B-complex supplement can be helpful if you have low energy, low mood, or a lot of stress in your life.
Benefits: Supports energy production, brain function, and mood regulation.
Sources: Whole grains, meat, eggs, dairy products, leafy greens, and legumes.
Supplement Tips: Choose a high-quality B-complex supplement that includes all eight B vitamins.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory and support heart health. This is a great time to add omega-3s because this hormone shift can cause inflammation to spike. They’re found in fatty fish like salmon, walnuts, and flaxseeds. If you don’t eat fish regularly, an omega-3 supplement can be beneficial.
Benefits: Reduces inflammation, supports heart health, improves brain function, and may help alleviate depressive symptoms.
Dosage: The American Heart Association recommends eating two servings of fatty fish per week or taking a supplement that provides at least 250–500 mg of EPA and DHA combined. Be sure to cook your fish at 350°F or less so you don’t destroy the omega-3s.
Sources: Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines), walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds, and hemp seeds.
Supplement Tips: Choose a fish oil supplement that provides EPA and DHA. If you’re vegan or prefer plant-based options, look for algae oil supplements, which are rich in DHA.
Herbal Supplements
Herbal supplements like black cohosh or evening primrose oil may help alleviate hot flashes and night sweats. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplements, especially herbs, as they can interact with medications.
Black Cohosh: Commonly used to reduce hot flashes and night sweats. Typical dosage is 20–40 mg twice daily.
Evening Primrose Oil: Contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which may help with breast pain and menopausal symptoms. Typical dosage is 500–1000 mg twice daily.
Red Clover: Contains phytoestrogens that may help balance hormones and reduce hot flashes. Typical dosage is 40–80 mg twice daily.
There are tons of helpful supplements nowadays…some may be helpful for you and others, not so much. Keep trying until you find something that helps, and reach out if you’d like some help :)
Got any questions or comments? Comment below, jump to our private Facebook Group, or the Ask Lisa page :).