Nutrition tips and tricks for menopause
Photo by Louis Hansel
Nutrition and lifestyle changes made during menopause can help decrease risk factors and symptoms while transitioning to menopause. As a reminder, menopause symptoms include hot flashes, night sweats, dry skin, hair loss, and psychological changes. In addition to these symptoms, there is a high risk for metabolic disorders, cardiac disease, osteoporosis, and sarcopenia. Check out our latest blog “Deep dive into menopause” where we take an indepth look at what menopause is and what causes it. Since there are so many diets out there, it can be confusing as to where to start. One simple approach is to aim for balanced meals throughout the day. Other helpful tips include implementing lifestyle factors such as getting a good night's rest, moving your body, taking breaks, and setting time aside for yourself.
What consists of a balanced meal?
A balanced meal can include a variety of foods while staying consistent with enough calories, macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, and fat), and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). During menopause, lower amounts of estrogen causes an increase in visceral fat and decrease in energy expenditure (Erdély, et. al., 2024). That’s a lot of scientific terms, but what does that actually mean? Well, during menopause the body is not using calories the same way it did before menopause. This does not mean it is all about counting or cutting calories to maintain a healthy weight, but actually far from it! Nutrients including both macronutrients and micronutrients are still required and vitally important to maintaining health and wellness during menopause. This is why an individualized balanced diet is so important. We want to promote achieving a healthy weight and managing symptoms, but also ensure adequate intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, lentils, and healthy fats, i.e. a balanced diet. You may also consider eating foods with a low glycemic index, increasing your fiber intake, and incorporating unsaturated fats such as fish, nuts, and seeds to help decrease cardiometabolic risk factors (Erdélyi, et.al., 2024).
What key foods are beneficial for menopausal symptoms?
Fiber is a key nutrient for augmenting menopause symptoms! Fibrous foods help to regulate digestion, make you full longer, lowers cholesterol, and maintains blood sugar. Unfortunately over 90% of all people do not consume enough fiber (Dietary Guidelines for American 2020-2025). Fibers can also be prebiotic which help to feed the good bacteria in your gut. Having a balanced gut bacteria is beneficial for menopause as your gut bacteria help to regulate estrogen levels. Fibrous foods to increase in your diet include:
Whole grains: quinoa, farro, buckwheat, oats, and brown rice fruits
Vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, dark green leafy greens
Fruits: blueberries, raspberries, kiwi, apples
Legumes: chickpeas, pinto beans, red lentils, green lentils
Nuts: walnuts, cashews, peanuts, pecans
Seeds: pumpkin seeds, ground flaxseed, chia seeds, hemp seeds
Probiotics foods are also beneficial for improving the gut in response to menopausal symptoms. Probiotics are live microorganisms that naturally occur within fermented foods. These foods are yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese, sauerkraut, pickles, and even sourdough bread can help prevent dysbiosis. Probiotics can also be found as supplements in capsule form as well. When aiming to identify a good probiotic supplement, one should look for at least 1 billion colony-forming units containing Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, or Saccharomyces boulardii strains (Lindshield 2018, Herman 2020). For more information on probiotics, prebiotics, and everything gut health, check out our blog, “Breaking Down Gut Health.”
Foods rich in calcium and vitamin D will help prevent osteoporosis, which those going through menopause are at an increased risk for (Erdélyi, et.al., 2024). Vitamin D is also essential to aid in calcium absorption. Eating balanced meals high in calcium and obtaining adequate vitamin D will reduce the risk of bone loss. It is important to note that vitamin D can be absorbed through sun exposure, as there are not many food sources high in vitamin D. Supplementation may be necessary for those who spend most of their time indoors or have difficulty consuming adequate amounts through food. Foods rich in calcium and vitamin D include:
Calcium foods:
Dairy: milk, fortified plant-based milk, cheese, and yogurt
Leafy greens: collard greens, spinach and kale
Canned fish: sardines and salmons
Smaller amounts may be also found in seeds, legumes, and nuts.
Vitamin D foods:
Fish: rainbow trout, salmon and tuna
Eggs
Mushrooms
Fortified foods such as milk and orange juice
In addition to eating a balanced meal, it is recommended to avoid certain foods. Highly processed foods, saturated fats, and alcohol have been linked to cardiovascular disease which can also lead to increased menopausal risks and symptoms (Erdélyi, et.al., 2024). It is important to keep these foods at a minimum to help stay consistent with a balanced meal.
Stay tuned for our next blog on recipes for menopause where we will discuss a 1-day sample menu where we will show an example of how to incorporate all of these nutrients into your day. It is important to keep in mind that menopause can affect individuals in different ways. Regardless of how one is affected, it is a difficult time, which is why having support and the right care is necessary. Making nutrition and lifestyle changes as early as possible will help reduce symptoms and reduce the risk of cardio-metabolic disease as well as diseases associated with menopause. Each person is different and there isn’t a one size fits all meal plan. This is why working with a registered dietitian will help to make changes to your lifestyle specific to your needs while your body changes throughout menopause.
Interested in learning more about how to improve menopause through nutrition and lifestyle?
We’d love to work with you! Schedule a complimentary Meet + Greet session. We look forward to finding individualized solutions to fit your needs.
Published: August 26th, 2024
This blog post was written by dietetic intern Lucy Cholakian and edited by Amanda Sikkema, a dietitian at Katie Chapmon Nutrition. Amanda works with clients virtually and is accepting new clients.
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Erdélyi, A., Pálfi, E., Tűű, L., Nas, K., Szűcs, Z., Török, M., Jakab, A., Várbíró, S., The Importance of Nutrition in Menopause and Perimenopause—A Review. Nutrients 2024; 16(1): 27. doi: 10.3390/nu16010027
Gregorio, L,, Brindisi, J., Kleppinger, A., Sullivan, R., Mangano, K.M., Bihuniak, J.D., Kenny, A.M., Kerstetter, J.E., Insogna, K.L. Adequate Dietary Protein is Associated with Better Physical Performance Among Postmenopausal Women 60-90 Years. The Journal of Nutrition, Health, and Aging 2014; 18(2): 155–160. DOI: 10.1007/s12603-013-0391-2
U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. December 2020. Available at DietaryGuidelines.gov
Varady, K.A., Cienfuegos, A., Ezpeleta, M., Gabel, k. Cardiometabolic Benefits of Intermittent Fasting. Annual Review of Nutrition 2021; 41: 333-361. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-nutr-052020-041327
