.png){kind=small}
Here is some food advice to make it through perimenopause and menopause.
Don't get dehydrated, drink more water! During menopause, the decrease in estrogen levels can impair the body’s ability to retain water, leading to an increased risk of dehydration. Hydration is therefore even more important to reduce menopause symptoms by helping the body adjust to the constently changing hormone levels, as well as keeping joints lubricated, maintaining skin elasticity, and much more.
Don't go dry either!
Dryness and dehydration may sound similar, but they are two very different things: Dehydratation is due to a lack of water, while dryness results from too little oil. Get plenty of non-saturated fats from foods like oily fish (for those who eat fish), olive oil and rapseed oil (more affordable but just as good), avocados, nuts and seeds. Often called the good fat! This is essential as our oestrogen levels goes down our cholesterol level goes up! Seeds are extremely beneficial, especially Flaxseeds (or linseeds)as they contains a phytoestrogen called lignans, which have antioxidant properties and are linked to a lower risk of developing conditions like osteoporosis, heart disease and, breast cancer.
What about carbs?
Don't avoid carbs; instead, choose the right quantity and the good types. Good carbs help maintain a healthy blood sugar level, and removing them from your diet could contribute to many symptoms such as tiredness, cravings, and low mood. Swap potatoes for sweet potatoes and include quinoa, oat, millet in your meals.
Don't forget the protein!
Protein is another important nutrient to help maintain your blood sugar levels. It also helps prevent muscle loss and maintain muscle mass. For those who don't eat animal products or would like to limit them, mushrooms (especially oyster, portobello, and chanterelle) beans, legumes, tofu, nuts, and seeds are all excellent sources of protein.
More Soy!
As our bodies level of oestrogen decrease, it's a good idea to add more soy to our diet. Isoflavones found in soy products have an oestrogen-like effect and can significantly help with menopausal symptoms. Soya yogurt is an easy way to incorporate soy to your daily diet.
Veggies and Fruits.
The list of benefits is endless! They are rich in minerals (including calcium which decrease from the perimenopause age), antioxidants and fibre (which is a great help with those bloating symptoms), high in vitamins especially green leafy veggies that are hight in Vitamin D which helps absorb calcium, natural sweetener, the list goes on...
Recipe ideas for peri and meno
Breakfast
Overnight oats. Simply layer soya or oat milk, rolled oats, and your chosen ingredients in a jar or glass:
nuts
seeds
berries
fruits
dried fruits
dark chocolate
yoghurt...
The possibilities are endless. Cover, place in the fridge overnight, and it's ready!
You can make them in advance for the week ahead, so it's time saving in the morning, you can even take it away with you.
Main meal
Miso sweet potato mash with steamed kale, fried mushrooms & shallots, topped up with roasted tamari seeds. This dish has it all: good carbs, green veggies, protein, seeds, soy and taste!
Cook (preferably steamed) the kale and sweet potatoes.
Mash up the sweet potatoes, adding a bit of vegetal oil and some miso paste according to your taste.
Cook the shallots gently in a bit of olive or rapeseed oil and cover while cooking, you want them soft and brown.
Fry some mushrooms (of your choice) slighlty, and when almost done, add a sprinkle of tamari sauce (similar to soy sauce but less sweet).
When all is cooked, lay the mash nicely onto a plate and add the kale, followed by the shallots and then mushroom on top.
Top up with some roasted tamari sunflower and pumpkin seeds.
Easy dessert
Mix some soya and coconut Alpro soya yogurt with figs, berries, nuts, and flax seeds.
Add a tablespoon full of pomegranate molasses (available on the salad dressing shelves of shops and supermarkets). That's it!
Snack ideas
Sweet snack
Energy balls are super easy to make, as long as you have a good kitchen machine or blender.
Put some dry fruits in the machine:
dates or apricots
add some seeds & nuts powder mix of your choice
add some chopped nuts if you fancy
Blend together until you can form small balls with the mix. Roll them in desiccated coconut or cocoa and store in the fridge.
Savoury snack
Roasted sunflower & pumpkin seeds flavoured with tamari sauce. This recipe is super simple to make, tasty and way healthier than salted nuts.
Turn your oven on 200 degrees (190 for fan ovens).
Lay a good quantity of pumpkin seeds on a large tray and place them in the pre-heated oven.
After 5 minutes (or before the seeds start going golden) add the sunflower seeds and put it back in the oven.
Leave for another 5 minutes (or until the seeds go brown; be careful not to burn them), remove the tray from the oven and with a wooden spatula mix the seeds with a good amount of tamari sauce, making sure they're all coated in the liquid.
Let them cool down and then keep in an airtight jar.
Et voilà!
Recipes by Veronique from The Mediterranean Table.
If you are a business and would like to have a Spotlight feature written about you and published on Fabulous Frome, please contact Becky on +44 7793 561696 or email her at becky@fabulousfrome.co.uk.
Comments