Navigating menopause: Evidence-based nutrition and lifestyle strategies to support your hormonal health
Menopause, or The Change, as you have likely heard it called (ugh!), is an inevitable transition in a woman’s life, one that marks the end of her reproductive years.
For some, it’s a change to look forward to; for others, it’s a source of anxiety, confusion, and even grief.
However you feel about it, it’s important to know that menopause can signal many physical and emotional changes.
This comprehensive guide will cover what to expect during menopause and how you can support yourself with food and lifestyle changes.
With the right knowledge and support, menopause can be a time of self-care and nourishment rather than deprivation.
Understanding menopause
Menopause is usually defined as the point when a woman has not had a menstrual period for 12 consecutive months.
It most commonly occurs between the ages of 45 and 55. However, some women will experience symptoms many years earlier than this, during what’s known as perimenopause.
The reason your body experiences so many changes during menopause is down to fluctuations and overall reductions in the hormones estrogen, progesterone and testosterone.
These reproductive hormones play many roles in the body and can impact everything from metabolism and bone density to mood and cognitive function.
(In fact, you might be surprised to learn there are 34 recognised symptoms of menopause.)
Lower levels of these hormones can contribute to some of the most well-known menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes, disrupted sleep, mood shifts, memory lapses and weight gain.
These hormonal shifts can also impact insulin sensitivity, lipid metabolism, and neurotransmitter regulation. (More on this to come!)
This means paying attention to how you nourish your body is especially important during this time.
Menopause, blood sugar, and metabolism
The decline of oestrogen that occurs during menopause has a direct impact on how your body manages glucose.
Oestrogen enhances insulin sensitivity, so as levels of this hormone fall, you may experience increased insulin resistance.
This is when the body’s cells become less responsive to insulin, making it more difficult to regulate your blood sugars.
As well as making blood sugar harder to control, increased insulin resistance can promote the accumulation of visceral fat, particularly around the abdomen.
Additionally, disrupted sleep (another common menopause symptom) can further impair glucose metabolism.
The decline of oestrogen also affects many other processes in the body, including:
- Cholesterol metabolism (potentially increasing LDL and lowering HDL)
- Bone turnover (increasing risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis)
- Neurotransmitter activity (impacting mood and cognitive function, AKA brain fog)
- Gallbladder function (increasing reflux, digestive issues, and even sinus problems)
Nutrition and menopause
Many women report weight gain during menopause.
As estrogen levels drop, you may find that your body is more prone to storing fat in the abdominal area, which can increase the risk of metabolic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
Nourishing your body and understanding how different nutrients can support it through this change is key.
Let’s look at how specific nutrients can support you through menopause…
Carbohydrates and blood sugar control
Carbohydrates are not the enemy, but as you enter menopause, managing their quality and quantity becomes more important.
Choosing low-glycemic index carbohydrates such as leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and lentils and pairing them with protein or fat helps reduce blood sugar fluctuations.
A randomised controlled trial published in 2024 found that a low-glycemic index diet led to significant weight loss and reduced waist circumference in postmenopausal women.
Protein for muscle and metabolic support
Sarcopenia, declining muscle mass, naturally occurs as we age and is common in weight loss attempts too. However, menopause can accelerate muscle loss due to declining estrogen levels.
This, in turn, reduces your metabolic rate and may make it harder to maintain or achieve a healthy weight.
Adequate protein intake can counter some of this loss and support your metabolic health as it helps repair and rebuild muscle tissue.
Combining protein intake with resistance training can be especially effective for maintaining muscle mass as you age.
Fat intake and hormone production
Fat often gets a bad rap. But including healthy fats in your diet is essential, especially during menopause.
Fatty acids, like omega-3s, are critical not just for brain health and inflammation but also for synthesising hormones.
Prioritising fats from sources like oily fish, flaxseeds, and nuts can support mood, cognition, and cardiovascular health during menopause.
A study published in 2005 found that higher fat intake was associated with increased serum levels of estrone (one of the three types of estrogen) in postmenopausal women.
However, this can be challenging if you have a poorly functioning gallbladder or no gallbladder at all.
Processed foods and menopause
Processed foods (i.e. those high in refined sugars, unhealthy fats, and sodium) can disrupt insulin sensitivity.
As your oestrogen levels decline during menopause, you are at an increased risk of insulin resistance.
This impairs your body’s ability to regulate blood sugar levels, leading to higher circulating glucose and increased fat storage, particularly around the abdomen.
Add to that, trans fats and saturated fats found in many processed foods can negatively influence lipid metabolism.
These changes in lipid metabolism increase the risk of plaque buildup in arteries, which, in turn, can increase your risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Lifestyle considerations during menopause
It’s not just about nutrition. Lifestyle factors and external stressors can significantly impact how you experience menopause.
Sleep and hormone health
Sleep issues are a common symptom of menopause, and they can have a knock-on effect on your energy levels, mood, and dietary choices.
As levels of estrogen decline, the body undergoes several changes that can interfere with a restful night’s sleep, including hot flashes, night sweats, and increased anxiety.
It’s not just oestrogen. Progesterone levels also drop during menopause. This is important because progesterone helps stimulate GABA, a calming neurotransmitter that supports deeper, more restful sleep.
It can be a vicious circle, as good sleep is essential for hormone balance. It helps regulate cortisol production and insulin sensitivity.
If you aren’t getting the rest you need, your body may produce more stress hormones (like cortisol) that can further disrupt your hormonal balance.
Aside from establishing a regular sleep routine, there are several dietary habits that may support a better night’s sleep during menopause.
For example, avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bed, incorporating magnesium-rich foods, and including foods rich in phytoestrogens.
Foods rich in phytoestrogens, like flaxseeds, chia seeds, and soy, may mimic the effects of oestrogen and may lessen menopause symptoms for some women (but not all, we’re all unique).
A 2014 meta-analysis found that phytoestrogens can reduce the frequency of hot flashes in menopausal women, though more research is needed.
The role of exercise during menopause
Exercise is a great way to support both the body and mind during menopause.
A 2024 review concluded that regular exercise can alleviate common menopausal symptoms, and improve overall health-related quality of life.
As you’ve just learned, resistance training can protect against sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss) and improve weight management and metabolic health.
Strength training exercises, such as resistance training, bodyweight exercises, or weightlifting, can prevent and even reverse sarcopenia by promoting muscle growth and preserving lean tissue.
Add to that, exercise helps to improve bone density, which can be a concern during menopause due to the loss of oestrogen.
In fact, a 2022 study found that regular exercise is associated with a reduced risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.
Managing stress
Stress can be difficult to avoid, and we’re not unrealistic to think you can have a stress-free life (wouldn’t that be nice!). However, unmanaged stress can significantly impact how you experience menopause.
In a 2022 study, higher levels of perceived stress were associated with more severe menopausal symptoms.
Women who reported elevated stress levels experienced intensified symptoms, including hot flashes and psychological issues.
Mindfulness activities, like meditation, deep breathing exercises, and yoga, can keep your stress levels in check.
Research shows that mindfulness practices like these can significantly improve anxiety, depression, stress, and mindfulness scores in menopausal women.
1-1 nutrition support for menopause
Ready to make menopause more manageable? You need our 1-1 nutrition support.
Over 3 or 6 months (you decide!), you’ll get nutrition education and coaching, food diary analysis, a personalised nutrition plan, and loads more to bring your body back into balance.
Book a complimentary call with one of our nutritionists and let’s make menopause manageable (not miserable!)
Menopause Success Stories
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