5 diet and lifestyle areas that you may need to focus on to manage your menopausal symptoms
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1. What you eat (and drink) – nourishing your body and making sure that you are getting all the essential nutrients from a balance of proteins, healthy fats and fibre, mostly from vegetables, is so important for managing symptoms and health. Limiting caffeine and alcohol during this life stage may be beneficial too
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2. How you manage stress – find something that you enjoy, makes you feel relaxed and do it often; yoga, meditation, humming/singing, painting, dancing, walking in nature, whatever works for you
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3. The quality of your sleep – Sleep disturbances are commonly reported among menopausal women and this can further increase symptoms and hormone imbalances. There are many ways to support good sleep including; going to bed at a similar time most nights, ideally before 1030/11pm, getting outside in the morning light and eating adequate protein with each meal to support blood sugar balance
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4. How you exercise – Muscle mass starts to decline around age 35 and will continue to do so with age and menopause. Regular exercise such as resistance or strength training could help to maintain your muscle mass and manage your health and hormones in perimenopause. Exercise can also help to improve mood, manage weight, and support bone and heart health.
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5. Your exposure to chemicals and toxins – some chemicals used in pesticides on foods, personal hygiene and cleaning products have the ability to disrupt your hormones and further contribute to imbalances and symptoms. Use natural products where possible and avoid the most heavily treated fruits and vegetables unless organic or washed thoroughly. The environmental working group have some helpful lists on their website.
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