Simple Nutrition Insights

Navigating Perimenopause: Your Nutrition Roadmap

• Leonila • Season 2 • Episode 35

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Perimenopause affects every woman at some point in life but often doesn't get the attention it deserves, with symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, and sleep issues starting as early as our late 30s. As women, we need to advocate for ourselves during this transition and find providers who listen to our concerns rather than dismissing them as normal aging.

• Perimenopause usually begins in early to mid-40s, though some women notice changes in their late 30s
• Hispanic women reach menopause around age 49 on average, slightly earlier than the general US population at 51
• High sugar and refined carbs can worsen insulin resistance and hot flashes
• Alcohol and caffeine often trigger hot flashes and disrupt sleep
• Protein and fiber become especially important during this transition to maintain muscle mass and metabolism
• Phytoestrogens in foods like flaxseed, soy, and legumes may help reduce hot flashes
• Track your symptoms to identify patterns and bring these notes to doctor appointments
• Don't hesitate to get a second opinion if your provider doesn't take your concerns seriously
• Balance your plate with protein, colorful vegetables, and whole grains at each meal
• Strength training at least three times weekly helps protect bone density and muscle mass

If today's episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to share it with a friend, subscribe to the podcast, and connect with me for more resources.


Listen to Dr. Makhija's podcast on Peri and menopause here 

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Speaker 1:

Hey, hey everybody, I'm excited to be here. I feel like I haven't recorded in a month, it's probably been two or three weeks so I'm excited to record today and excited to share some thoughts on this topic, just because you know, I've been thinking about it more and more and I spoke to a great and amazing endocrinologist Shout out to Dr Makija. She is a local doctor and so we had really good conversations and I've been listening to her podcast, which I love the name to Hormones and Hope, I think it's called, so check it out. But we talked about perimenopause, right. More so because you know she's seen clients that come to her because of those reasons. I'm seeing clients, too, on my end that ask more about that and, I think, because there's a lot more information about perimenopause, right, I think it's definitely. It's a term that's been there for years, decades maybe but there has been more focus on it, which I'm so thankful and grateful that more people, more providers, are talking about it, because essentially, we all, as women, are going to go through it. However, we do feel that there is more research that needs to be done, more advocacy right, and, as women too right, advocating for ourselves and if something doesn't feel right that we find the answers that we want right. So, anyway, welcome back to Simple Nutrition Insights.

Speaker 1:

I'm your host, leonila Campos, registered dietitian, and today we are diving into the topic that impacts every woman at some point in her life but often doesn't get the attention it deserves perimenopause. Perimenopause to start with the definition is the transition before menopause, when our hormones start to shift and change. This stage can last several years and brings with it symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, sleep problems and changes in body composition. My goal today, as a dietitian, is to break these down in a way that feels clear, supportive and practical, so that you can walk away with tools to take care of your health during this stage of life. So when does perimenopause actually start?

Speaker 1:

For most women, it begins in the early to mid-40s, though some may notice changes in their late 30s. On average, perimenopause lasts anywhere from 4 to 10 years before menopause, which is officially defined as going 12 months or a year without a menstrual cycle. For Hispanic women, the average age of menopause is about 49 years old, which is slightly younger than the overall US average population of women of age 51. That means that many Hispanic women may begin experiencing perimenopause symptoms in their early 40s, sometimes even late 30s, and, while every woman's journey is different, knowing this range can help you better understand what might be happening in your body. Now I'm not going to go over and to induce, you know, premenopause or menopause that happens because of hysterectomy or other hormonal changes that, essentially, are induced for some kind of reason. I think it's important to understand that, if that is the case, right, noticing the symptoms and not just saying, oh, you know, it's nothing. Right, if you had, you know, a hysterectomy or anything that has changed your hormones at an early age, that this essentially symptoms perimenopause can start at a younger age. Now, I think about this in terms of, like, my ethnicity and race. Right, as a Hispanic woman that you know when I read these numbers, you know, late 30s, I'm pretty close to that age and so, yes, I'm definitely more passionate about, okay, what are we doing to help just women in general, women that are going to start going through these premenopause, getting into menopause? Right, because we do see and I'm seeing more changes, more drastic changes in hormones and just the effect that it has in our bodies and our nutrition and our well-being and our mental health. So it affects us in so many ways right, it's entirely. Our entire life essentially can change. So, yes, I'm definitely getting more passionate about it because I do feel for my patients right, and I'm sure as I go into it myself, I am going to have even more of a deeper understanding as to what it is right.

Speaker 1:

But nutrition plays a huge role in how we experience perimenopause. Some foods and drinks can actually make symptoms worse, while others can help the transition. So we're going to talk about these. Let's start with what can make things a bit harder. Let's start with what can make things a bit harder. Diets, you know, foods that are higher in sugar and refined carbohydrates can worsen insulin resistance, leading to energy crashes, weight gain and more intense hot flashes. Alcohol and caffeine can also trigger hot flashes, night sweats and disrupt your sleep, and so if your meals and most of your foods are coming higher in these foods, that's where we can start right, start implementing some of these healthier changes that we're going to talk about. And if the diet is low in calcium, vitamin D and omega-3s, there's definitely more of a higher risk, more vulnerability to bone loss, more of a higher risk, more vulnerability to bone loss, osteoporosis and heart health changes that often come with this stage.

Speaker 1:

Now let's focus on what helps right, and I think this is the area where we can really pay attention and focus on right, because this is where we can make the most impact. Protein and fiber are your best friends and I think there's definitely a higher emphasis on it, not to say that the other macronutrients and minerals and vitamins are not important Absolutely, and I always talk about balancing the meals, making sure that you're getting a variety of the different five food groups just to maximize your nutrition, to make sure that you're getting a lot of nutrients that your body needs. But, as we are going into this phase, right, this stage also making sure that you're getting enough protein and enough fiber, because they support your metabolism. They help you feel satiated and protect your muscle mass. Omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium and B vitamins help with mood inflammation and brain health, and phytoestrogens, which are natural plant compounds found in foods like flaxseed, soy and legumes, can provide mild estrogen-like effects and may reduce hot flashes for some women. Not to say that we should fear soy right and I think I've done an episode on it. It's completely different right and so, no, don't worry about, don't fear soy right, unless you know if there are specific reasons why you should avoid it, but soy can actually help right with some of these symptoms, as well as flaxseed and legumes like lentils. So those are some of the things to keep in mind Oftentimes when I have clients or patients coming to see me. These nutrients are lacking, right. We don't add enough omega-3s right, coming from either fatty fish or from our plant sources like ground flaxseed or hemp seeds. We don't add enough walnuts. Right for our selenium or magnesium. We are not adding enough calcium-rich foods or vitamin D-rich foods or enough plant sources to help with inflammation, right. So that alone right, making some changes there can really impact and help our overall health as we are going through this stage.

Speaker 1:

One of the most important things I want you to hear today is this advocate for yourself, and I mentioned this at the beginning. You know your body more than anyone else in this world, right, and so if something doesn't feel right, or if something you know, if something has changed and you don't know why, right. I think it's important to either investigate more, find the root cause or find a team that listens to you. So many women are dismissed when they bring up perimenopause symptoms. It's not all in your head and you don't just have to tough it out, right? That is just insane how this is not helping us, right? So, if someone tells you that you definitely need to find more support somewhere else because this is not helping you, right? So here are a few ways you can advocate for your health.

Speaker 1:

Start tracking your symptoms. I think this is the best way to find trends to figure out. Okay, is this just temporary? Is this only happening at certain times or certain weeks? Temporary? Is this only happening at certain times or certain weeks? Tracking your symptoms is going to help you figure out a pattern. If there is any, whether that's hot flashes, mood changes, sleep patterns or cycle changes right, that can give you a lot of information and insights. So, definitely start tracking your symptoms.

Speaker 1:

Bring those notes to your doctor's appointment Also, because, you know, sometimes we think, oh, I'm going to remember, I'll try to ask this question when I go see my doctor. Oftentimes the appointment goes really fast and we have a million of other things that we're thinking about, that what we wanted to ask, we actually forgot to ask. So bring those notes, bring some questions that you're thinking about, that you want to ask your doctor, just so that we have them in front of you and you can talk to your doctor about them, ask questions about both hormone and non-hormone treatment options. If you have a chance, head over to listen to Dr Makija and I'll make sure to add it in the show notes podcast because she has interviewed several experts on hormones, on perimenopause and menopause and I think it's important to understand the science and understand what options you have and not to fear or I should not be on hormone replacement therapy or whatever the treatment is, if we don't have actual information that shows what essentially we need.

Speaker 1:

If your provider doesn't take your concerns seriously, it's completely okay to get a second opinion. You have the absolute right and I tell this to my clients all the time. If you're not getting the treatment and the response that you are wanting or you're not getting your concerns answered right, but you're not getting listen you know your provider is not listening to you it's totally okay to find a new provider. Same thing with my patients, right, like if. If you feel that we're not a good fit and you feel that you know you do better working with someone else, please let me know. Right, I have a ton of colleagues of mine that I can refer you to. If you find your own that works best for you, that's okay too. Essentially, I'm here to support you, right? So you have to feel that support and that rapport with your providers to the point where you feel like I can tell you anything right, without judgment. Remember, you know your body best. You deserve a healthcare provider who listens and supports you.

Speaker 1:

So we are going through this episode quite quickly, right, and at one point I am going to ask Dr Makija to come to the podcast and we can talk more about these. But I really wanted to talk about you know, this stage of our lives Again, because the more I see myself going through it right, and knowing that we need more resources, we need more support, and knowing that it's not only in our head or it's not because we're just aging and getting older, then we should have to struggle with these things. Right, there is help and there are solutions and interventions that we can test and try to make sure that we are not feeling horrible all the time. I talked to some patients that say you know, the hot flashes are horrible, or I'm not sleeping anymore, I'm having aches and pains that I wasn't having before. So, figuring out what the plan is going to be at least gives us some hope, essentially Okay. So before we wrap up, I want to leave you with some practical, easy-to-use tips you can start applying right now. If you're driving, if you're multitasking, don't worry, come back to the episode, come back to the show notes and you can write them down and you can practice them or listen to the episode however many times you want to.

Speaker 1:

First thing, balance your plate. Aim for protein, colorful veggies and healthy whole grain carbs at each meal. Essentially, this is my 3-2-1 method right, let's try to add some protein with each meal and let's try to add some vegetables, or a mix of veggies and fruit. Right, for that fiber, for those antioxidants, for those phytochemicals that are going to help us with inflammation, and our whole grains. Right, to give us some of that energy that our bodies need. We have a balanced meal there, right? So think of it.

Speaker 1:

The way that I explain it to my clients is, when you sit down to eat, ask yourself the question how many food groups do I have on this plate? And if I don't have enough, if it's not a balanced plate, what can I add to this plate? Right? Sometimes I hear you know, I had pizza. I shouldn't have pizza, but maybe that's all there was available, right so? But what if we have a salad mix? What if we have some veggies in the fridge or, you know, some chopped fruit? We can still add that to add nutrients and to add nutrition to our meal, right. So think of your meals not as like I should or should not have something, but more so. How balanced is this meal? And if it's lacking some balance, what can I add? What can I add to this meal to make it more balanced, to get more of those nutrients that my body needs?

Speaker 1:

Stay hydrated Drink water throughout the day. Herbal teas are a great option if you're cutting back on caffeine. Explore other things, other flavorings, infusing your water, freezing some flavor water, agua fresca on, like your ice cube maker, so that way you know, when you use your ice cubes, you have some flavor in your water. Try different tea combinations, right, or different tea infusions that can also help with staying hydrated.

Speaker 1:

Snack smart Choose snacks that are balanced, too, right. Healthy fats, like avocados, nuts and seeds with some protein. Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, aromame or sliced deli meat. If you are eating animal proteins, you can even do the Greek style yogurt, right that is high in protein but it's plant-based. For example, you can do apples with peanut butter, aromame with cucumbers, or baby carrots with hummus, or tzatziki, greek yogurt with some blueberries and ground flaxseed. There's endless combinations that we can have just thinking of, like okay, I want to add a protein or a healthy fat with this snack and a fruit or a vegetable, right. So think of it. Visualize your snacks that way.

Speaker 1:

Move your body. I did an episode on how fast as we age specifically women how fast we lose muscle mass and bone density. And in perimenopause and menopause, this is also one of the reasons why we start to lose that muscle mass and bone density is because of the hormonal changes. Strength training supports our bones and our metabolism and our lean body mass. So anything that is going to use your muscles it could be your body weight, it could be resistance bands, it could be anything essentially that you are going to. You're going to use your muscles. Try to add it right. Aim for at least three times a week. If you're able to do it more often, even better.

Speaker 1:

Don't think of movement as a chore, right, or like another thing on my to-do list, but more so as an opportunity to help your body get stronger, because as you age, you don't want to feel weak and lose your balance. You lose your flexibility, because that's when we get in trouble, right. That's when we start to walk wobbly and we can fall and we can hurt ourselves. And because we are already losing muscle mass and bone density and we can hurt ourselves. And because we are already losing muscle mass and bone density, now we are at a higher risk of breaking something and the recovery is going to be even longer. So think of exercise and movement as an opportunity to make your body stronger and to create more stronger bones and to add more lean body mass.

Speaker 1:

Prioritize sleep yes, totally get it. I know if we're having these hormonal imbalances, we might not get good sleep, trying to figure out why that is. If it's, you know, if we're spending the night on our phones or with technology or you know, just not prioritizing sleep. I think we can start there. Create a calming bedtime routine Don't use your phone, don't answer emails, because if something is going to make you upset now, you're, all you know, worked up and it's harder to go to sleep that way. Limit alcohol and screen time before bedtime, because that actually distorts the quality of your sleep, and so we oftentimes don't get good quality sleep right, because your body is working hard to get rid of it.

Speaker 1:

Try phytoestrogens, add ground flax seeds to your oatmeal or smoothie. Try salt milk or soy, milk-based yogurts or aromame, or enjoy, yeah, aromame as a snack. Those are some other ways to add on these type of phytoestrogens that can help with some of the hot flashes. But remember, small, consistent changes add up. These habits not only support your hormone health, but also your energy, your mood and long-term well-being. It's okay if you feel like, oh my gosh, there's so much that I have to do. Just start small, start with one simple change and then go from there.

Speaker 1:

So, to recap, perimenopause usually begins in our early mid-40s, sometimes earlier, and for Hispanic women it often starts on the younger side. Nutrition, lifestyle and the right healthcare support can make a world of difference in how you experience this stage of life. Remember you do not have to go through this alone. Advocate for yourself. Nourish your body with supportive foods. It makes small, sustainable lifestyle changes that work for you. If today's episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to share it with a friend. Subscribe to the podcast and connect with me for more resources. You are not alone in this journey, and together we can make this stitch one of empowerment and strength. Thank you so much for tuning in, guys, and I'll see you next time on Simple Nutrition Insights. Take care, bye-bye.