Menopause is a natural transition for women where the reproductive system starts to wind down. Our oestrogen levels that once played a key role in releasing a mature egg each month, start to fluctuate then decline. Other hormones, such as progesterone and testosterone that are produced by the ovaries, also start to trend downwards, preparing the body for the next phase of life.
During this transition the body can struggle with some of these changing hormones, often resulting in symptoms such as mood swings, weight gain, hot flushes, night sweats and trouble sleeping. These hormones also appear to provide women with some protection, especially for bone health, weight maintenance and cardiovascular health, so as they decrease, so can those protective factors leading to weaker bones, higher levels of bad cholesterol, elevated blood sugar levels and fat gain around the belly.
The good news is that there are several changes we can make to minimise the impact these shifting hormones can have on our body. In this month’s blog our resident dietitian Nicole Saliba goes through her top tips to help navigate this life stage.
Defining Menopause
Let’s start off with first defining menopause! Menopause is ONE day in your life and is defined as your final period and occurs around 51 years of age. You know you have reached menopause if you have not had your period for 12 months.
Perimenopause generally occurs around 45-50yrs but can occur earlier and this is when the body is transitioning towards menopause and symptoms can first occur. Hormone levels start to decline and periods MAY become more irregular.
Post menopause is when you have not had a period for 12 months. Hormone levels start to subside and symptoms usually settle.
Our top nutrition tips for perimenopause & menopause:
Prevent osteoporosis in perimenopause & menopause:
To keep your bones healthy: Incorporate resistance and weight bearing exercises at least 2x/week.
Osteoporosis and osteopenia are largely undiagnosed and preventable and more women need to be doing resistance exercise in their 20s and 30s to prevent it!
Include 3-4 serves of calcium rich foods per day. One serve is equivalent to 250mL milk, 200g yoghurt, 40g cheese, ½ cup canned salmon with the bones or 60g sardines. Make sure your vitamin D levels are good too.
A Mediterranean diet appears to be protective too.
Prevent muscle loss caused by perimenopause & menopause
To build & maintain muscle mass: Resistance exercise, such as weights, circuit classes or pilates, is known to promote the maintenance of our muscle mass that normally declines over the years. This is important for maintaining function, reducing injuries and also increasing our metabolic rate – the amount of calories our bodies burn in a day.
Incorporate resistance and weight bearing exercises at least 2x/week and match this up with at least 1-1.5g of protein per kilo of your body weight per day
Heart health in perimenopause & menopause
Look after your heart: In order to keep your blood pressure and cholesterol levels healthy as well as lower your risk of heart disease
- Include oily fish 2-3x/wk
- Include ½ to 1 cup of cooked legumes 2-3x/wk
- Swap processed foods like white bread for wholegrains like soy and linseed bread
- Cook with EVOO
- Reduce your salt intake
- Include more beta-glucan, a type of fibre found in oats and barley
- Include 2-3g of plant sterols daily from a supplement or 2 x cholesterol lowering weetbix
- Aim for 2 serves of fruit and 5 serve of vegetables per day
- Reduce your intake of saturated fat from deep-fried foods, cakes, biscuits, pastries, deli meat, sausages and fatty cuts of meat
Maintain a health weight during perimenopause & menopause
To reduce fat gain especially around your waist and organs (visceral fat): Weight gain during perimenopause and menopause is due to a range of factors including sleep disturbances, being more sedentary, oestrogen levels dropping, insulin resistance and even changes to our gut. To reduce fat gain try these tips
- Eat inside a 12hr window and aim for 3 regular meals and 1-2 snacks, if hungry
- Start the day with a protein and fibre-rich breakfast to help keep you full. Think 2 x scrambled eggs on a slice of seeded bread, a protein smoothie, cottage cheese and avocado on toast, high protein yoghurt and muesli
- Aim for 50% of main meals to be salad or non-starchy vegetables
- Don’t make dinner your most calorie heavy meal
- Swap high GI foods like jasmine rice for low GI foods like brown rice
- Aim for 20-30g of protein at main meals this is equivalent to around 100-150g of cooked chicken, lean meat, fish or tofu
If you would like some guidance during this stage of life, please book in with Eatsense dietitians.
