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Daily WellnessJun 25, 2024
How to Prioritize Nutrition in Menopause
A new season in life often calls for some adjustments. As you transition from youth to young adulthood during puberty, from maiden to mother during pregnancy, or into menopause as you age, your body will require you to shift focus in many areas. Your requirements for sleep and activity may change. Your experiences in, and with, your body may shift and change. Good nutrition provides an important foundation for these changes.
The Nutrition & Menopause Connection
During pregnancy, it’s easy to understand that nutritional needs change. Prenatal vitamins, jokes about food cravings, and even the phrase “eating for two” are big parts of our culture. When you reach menarche, it’s commonly understood that your needs for iron may increase to support menstruation. But when you reach menopause, there is less discussion about how your needs may change (other than an emphasis on consuming enough calcium for bone health!).1
Menopause can be a time of wisdom, reflection, and deepening respect for the power of our bodies to weather time and transition. However, the loss of ovarian hormones can put one at higher risk for certain health complications.2 Along with exercise, nutrition can be one of the most profound tools to help you transition into a period of health and well-being.
Eating Well During Menopause
It can be easy to overthink “optimal nutrition” and allow it to be a significant source of concern. “Am I eating ok?” can be a stressful thought! But following a healthy eating pattern can also be a source of joy and satisfaction.
Imagine a bountiful table laden with fresh greens, Beans, Artichokes, Tomatoes, roasted red peppers, Olives, fruit, nuts, and fresh fish served with a delicious pesto made with Olive oil and fresh Basil. This is one of the best-researched and most commonly recommended healthy eating patterns, based upon traditional Mediterranean meals. Not only can eating these foods reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes, they have also been associated with relief of some of the discomfort associated with menopause.3,4
Ideas for Eating Well During Menopause
To follow a Mediterranean eating pattern, focus on the following delicious foods5:
Eat Mostly
Vegetables
Artichokes, Arugula, Dandelion greens, Spinach, Fennel, Bell Peppers, Squash
Whole Grains
Whole Wheat, Buckwheat, Oats, Rye, Farro, polenta
Fruit
Cherries, Raspberries, Oranges, Apples, Melon, Pomegranate
Legumes
Fava Beans, Black Beans, Lentils, Garbanzo Beans
Herbs & Spices
Turmeric, Garlic, Cumin, Oregano, za’atar, Thyme
Eat Mostly
Vegetables
Artichokes, Arugula, Dandelion greens, Spinach, Fennel, Bell Peppers, Squash
Whole Grains
Whole Wheat, Buckwheat, Oats, Rye, Farro, polenta
Fruit
Cherries, Raspberries, Oranges, Apples, Melon, Pomegranate
Legumes
Fava Beans, Black Beans, Lentils, Garbanzo Beans
Herbs & Spices
Turmeric, Garlic, Cumin, Oregano, za’atar, Thyme
Eat Moderately
Fish & Seafood
Poultry & Eggs
Dairy
Yogurt, feta, kefir
Eat Sparingly
Sweets
Red Meat
Beef, lamb
Choosing Mediterranean Options
Most Mediterranean plans also focus on extra-virgin Olive oil as the most common added dietary fat, as Olive oil contains healthy polyphenols that can benefit your health.6
As you transition, these traditional foods can nourish you and make it easy, simple, and rewarding to make satisfying choices that will feed your body and soul for the decades to come. Here are a few quick meal ideas that follow a Mediterranean eating pattern and are healthful, delicious, and easy.
Ideas for Meals & Snacks
Dress hummus with chopped Parsley, Onion, Greek Olives, and fresh Tomato. Dip into it with Celery sticks, whole Wheat pita, Carrot, or Jicama sticks.
For a cool treat, try a yogurt parfait: Layer frozen sweet Cherries or fresh Raspberries with plain yogurt mixed with chopped Mint. Top with a spoonful of chopped Pistachio nuts or whole-grain granola right before serving, or a mix of the two.
Whole-Wheat pasta dressed with a simple sauce of cherry Tomatoes, Spinach, cooked or canned Chickpeas, and Garlic sauteed in Olive oil. Top with torn fresh Basil and a sprinkle of freshly grated pecorino romano or parmesan cheese.
Chopped Arugula, Cucumber, Shallots, and Cannellini Beans with feta in a simple dressing of Dijon mustard, Lemon juice, and Olive oil—serve with warm whole grain bread for a quick and delicious dinner.
Canned tuna or salmon dressed with chopped Dill, Scallions, Olive oil, roasted red pepper, and Capers, served on a bed of Romaine Lettuce with warm couscous or Farro as a side.
Embracing the Next Chapter
Going through menopause isn’t easy, but hopefully these nutrition tips will help you enter the next chapter of your life with grace, ease, and even a little excitement. Growing into wisdom with age can be challenging, but take time to delight in your transformation, and of course, take time to enjoy every meal.
References
- [1] Calcium. Linus Pauling Institute. Published April 22, 2014. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/calcium#RDA
- [2] Santoro N, Epperson CN, Mathews SB. Menopausal Symptoms and Their Management. Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinics of North America. 2020;44(3):497-515. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4890704
- [3] Luigi Barrea, Gabriella Pugliese, Daniela Laudisio, Silvia Savastano, Annamaria Colao, Giovanna Muscogiuri. Does Mediterranean diet could have a role on age at menopause and in the management of vasomotor menopausal symptoms? The viewpoint of the endocrinological nutritionist. Current Opinion in Food Science, Volume 39, 2021, Pages 171-181, ISSN 2214-7993, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cofs.2021.02.018. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214799321000400)
- [4] Vetrani C, Barrea L, Rispoli R, et al. Mediterranean Diet: What Are the Consequences for Menopause? Frontiers in Endocrinology. 2022;13. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2022.886824
- [5] Adapted from Oldways Mediterranean Pantry, Mediterranean Pantry | Oldway (oldwayspt.org)
- [6] Ly TTG, Yun J, Lee DH, Chung JS, Kwon SM. Protective Effects and Benefits of Olive Oil and Its Extracts on Women’s Health. Nutrients. 2021;13(12):4279. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34959830/