Lifestyle changes or medication? 7 tips for a healthy menopause
It’s important to follow a trusted health professional’s recommendations, but the body offers wisdom – so start listening!
Keep it moving! Exercise is important to overall health and is shown to reduce or eliminate common menopausal symptoms.
By eating a nutrient dense, whole foods diet, you’re on your way to beating heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis.
7 TIPS TO EAT BETTER AND START MOVING
1. Hydrate:
Aim for 8-10 glasses of water per day.
Try having a full glass first thing in the morning before you eat or drink anything.
Don’t like plain water? Add in some berries or chopped frozen fruit.
Prefer tea? Steep some sliced lemon and/or ginger or your favorite caffeine-free herbal teabag.
Keep a large bottle or mug beside you and sip all day.
2. Bump up your intake of whole plant foods:
Include vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts and seeds at every meal and most snacks
Plant-based diets are associated with fewer hot flashes. Bonus!
3. Eat high-quality protein:
High quality protein and healthy fats include eggs, fish, meat, nuts and seeds (and their butters).
If you are eating animal foods, choose organic, wild, and/or pasture-raised
4. Things to avoid:
Reducing and/or eliminating alcohol, caffeine and processed foods can have a tremendous impact on balancing hormones naturally without the help of pharmaceutical medications.
5. Move
Aim for 5 hours per week.
Walking (especially outdoors in the sun, if possible) is the easiest method but don’t forget weight and resistance training
6. Get enough sleep
Adults need 7-9 hours per night. Menopause can bring on (or ramp up) sleep problems.
Set a daily routine and shut down electronics a few hours before bed. Electronic devices (computers, tablet, phone, tv) emit strong blue light which can prevent the release of the sleep hormone, melatonin.
Try reading a book or taking a bath. Dim lights in your surroundings to reduce exposure to blue light before bed. Standard indoor lighting is usually blue light. Ideally, try amber or red light, or blue-blocker sunglasses.
7. Stress relieving activities
Do whatever works for you. Shoot for consistency as a preventative measure to avoid accumulated stress.
Have you tried meditating, deep breathing or the newest craze of coloring, especially mandalas?
Here are two, no-excuse mason jar salad ideas to get your veggies when you’re out and about. See recipe here.
written by
LAURA PEISCHL, BA, INHC
Laura is a Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Holistic Menopause Health Specialist and Certified Hormone Health and Wellness Practitioner. She is the founder and owner of Feel Good Menopause.