What should I be eating?, Is there a special diet?
The answer is, its really individual for each of us!
There are some general guidelines which we can all follow but as individuals we all have different requirements depending on our own health, whether we have existing medical conditions, taking certain medications, food intolerances or sensitivities etc.
Just because your friend eats a certain way, yes it may work fantastic for her but may not be right for you. What works for one might not work for another, we are all different, we come in different shapes and sizes, that’s why Personalised Nutrition is key.
In clinic I look at you in a holistic way and take a full medical history, all of your past/present health concerns and goals, any symptoms you are experiencing and into account and put together a tailored approach to help you to thrive through this period. Your input here is essential, I work with you to put together a plan that is individually tailored to you and your lifestyle so that its sustainable for the long term.
Education is key, there is so much misinformation out there, a lot of it has no evidence behind it, and so many quick fixes being touted as the answer to all your prayers that it can be so confusing. Cards on the table here, there are no quick fixes, the latest menopause detox tea, the magic powder to lose the Meno belly in a week, the expensive supplement to eliminate all your symptoms and have you feeling like a 25yrs old is just rubbish. Its companies targeting the market, hopping on the bandwagon and encouraging us to waste our money, it’s a billion-euro industry, don’t be fooled. Keep your cash and buy that new pair of shoes!
The bad news- No you can’t eat like you did when you were 25, where you survived on processed food and little sleep or you ate “super healthy” for a week and dropped ½ stone, nowadays even a sniff of a guilty pleasure and it can seem like the scales are increasing! And NO you can’t drink like you did when you were in your 30s, remember when a night out didn’t take the whole week to recover from????? I know!!
Our bodies are changing, and our hormones are playing the staring Role, but we can learn to understand these hormones and work with them to achieve our health goals.
The transition through menopause is complex and it will require changes to be made. However, the changes are necessary, and for the benefit of our health. If you are taking HRT or have chosen not to go down that route, there is still so much that you need to be doing in order to be thriving, and yes, it is possible to be thriving through this. Yes there is a lot of self-care and commitment to ourselves required, which means putting ourselves first, and yes for some that can be a huge shift in mindset, At this point in life you may have a busy career, house of teenagers/ young adults still living at home/ elderly parents you are caring for, so I do appreciate it can seem overwhelming. Talking all these responsibilities onboard and then I’m asking you to prioritise YOU!!! but you and your loved ones will reap the benefits in time.
So, what should I be eating?
A nutritious diet is essential, this means that YES you will have to incorporate planning, preparing and cooking real food. Unfortunately the majority of ready made meals/foods are full of additives and preservatives so these are a no no. Low Calorie pre prepared meals are out the window, again full of preservatives and most will have very little nutrients left in them by the time you eat them. The Mediterranean Diet is well studied for its benefits and is a good framework to use for meal planning. Rich in colours and variety it will provide a diverse array of nutrients and polyphenols to support your health. I focus on real wholefoods, quality protein, healthy fats and yes you can still have carbs, if you are anything like me, I couldn’t live without my carbs, yes of course in moderation. Yes of course, you can still enjoy your favourite takeaway but save this for once or twice a month, you can still go out to socialise but make the healthier choices from the menu. And yes you can still enjoy alcohol in moderation if you choose to, but not every night!! Life is about balance and once you educate yourself, you can feel empowered that you are in control of this, you’ve got this!!
