Food Basics at Menopause
Have you got the food basics right to support you through your menopause journey?
Many of us don’t really think about the foods we eat other than fuel to keep us going and something yummy to eat as a treat.
For years your body can adjust to yoyo dieting, restrictive eating and being depleted of key nutrients but at menopause I always think that all those bad habits that you have gotten away with in your 20’s, 30’s and into our 40’s all of a sudden bite you on the ar**.
Time for a check in to make sure that what you are eating is supporting this phase of life.
How would you know?
Your body will give you subtle or sometimes not so subtle clues that you are not getting all the nutrition it needs.
Your menopause symptoms, declining health, poor energy, sleepless nights, weight gain, mood disturbances, bloating, skin aging, the list can go on BUT these are all clues that something is out of balance and something needs to change.
OK you are not going to reverse the aging process BUT you can slow down the process and make yourself as healthy as you can.
Do you know what the basics are or have you lost your way with all the information out there?
There are certain things that your body needs to maintain all the processes within it and to give you energy to get on with your day. Things that need to be included in your diet everyday.
Food types that your body needs to create every single part of your body from the smallest cell to the biggest hormone reaction and everything in between.
The basics are just that .. the cornerstone of what you should be eating before you add in anything fancy to rebalance the damage your body has been through.
But what are the basics?
There are three food basics:
protein
carbohydrates
Fats
These need to be included in varying amounts in every meal that you eat.
Once the basics are in place you can then use this as a platform to make up for the deficiencies you may have by adding more specific and targeted nutrition BUT the basics need to be there first.
Do you know how much of these food groups you should be eating? Or even what is within them?
For instance carbs get a bad wrap BUT all your veggies and fruits are carbs and come with a range of vitamins and minerals that are need all aspects of health.
Fats are often demonised but your brain is around 70% fat, fats surround every cell in your body and fats are needed in hormone production.
It is about making sure you are eating the right things and enough of them.
This will vary slightly depending on your ethics or religious beliefs. For example if you are a vegetarian or vegan your carbs will be higher because your protein sources come with a higher level of carbs than someone who gets their protein from meat or fish.
Flip flopping from different diets
Flip flopping from different diets might give you short term wins, especially if weight loss is your short term goal BUT it will leave you with:
Nutrient deficiencies
Changes in digestion
Imbalances in gut bacteria
Increased stress hormones
Hormones out of sync
All of this will contribute towards those menopause symptoms you are suffering from.
If this is you then you have NOT got the basics right!
Getting the basics in place - what does that look like?
Not jumping from one new fad to the next
Not thinking about what you should and shouldn’t be eating all the time because that stuff is just instinctive for you now
Your body is thriving
Giving it time and letting your body find it’s balance
Sometimes your expectation is off - you can’t expect a week of doing the right thing by your body to make up for 30+ years of neglect.
You need to put the basics into place and then allow your body the time to bring everything back into balance.
Supporting you to get the best out of your food by:
Your body might need so extra support to make the most of the foods that you are eating.
Supporting your digestion
Getting a good night’s sleep
Making time to rest
Getting moving every day
GETTING MOVING EVERY DAY
Your body is an amazing thing and it will try it’s hardest to create balance from the foods your are eating.
If you have any symptoms it is your bodies way of giving you a clue that it needs something.
With good nutritional - the basics in place and then targeted support you can reduce your menopause symptoms and improve your health.
What to find out more?
Food basics online self study course (coming soon)
Work with me 1-2-1 - contact me to find out more.
Food basics shouldn’t be boring and it defiantly shouldn’t be chore. There are so many different foods that can be include in your basics that their is enough variety and choice for everyone.
Lesley x