Nutrition for Women in Mid-Life

This week’s post is guest authored by John Muir Health educator and nutrition specialist Kathy Napoli.

Women approaching their middle years, referred to as “perimenopause,” often experience a hormonal imbalance known as “estrogen dominance.” While estrogen levels tend to decrease as women reach menopause, so do their progesterone levels (at an even higher rate), resulting in imbalance of estrogen. This is one of the main causes of common side effects associated with this phase in life, including bloating, headaches and mood swings. Sound familiar? 

My class, Natural Transitions Through Nutrition and Lifestyle, concentrates on teaching women nutrition and lifestyle strategies that help to balance their hormonal changes during mid-life and beyond. The first thing I focus on is having them CLEAN OUT THEIR DIETS! This is key to balancing hormones and the basis for a healthy lifestyle. Cut out alcohol and caffeine as much as possible, as well as processed foods and trans fats. Try to avoid refined carb items and reduce red meat intake. While you don’t need to cut out red meat and carbs completely, I recommend an “alkaline diet”, one that is low in acidic foods (soda, sugars, excessive carbs, red meats) and high in alkaline foods (fruits and vegetables, and foods high in potassium and vitamin K). This will help to alleviate the liver’s load and allow it to process your hormones rather than your food.

I then work with my students to incorporate healthy alternatives back into their diet, such as fish (which contain healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acid), almonds, avocado, broccoli and other high nutrient foods. Women should also be getting about 1200-1500 mgs of calcium per day to maintain healthy bone density. You can achieve this without supplements simply by incorporating calcium rich foods like low-fat milk, lightly steamed broccoli and spinach into your diet. (If you are taking calcium supplements, make sure to also take vitamin D to help assimilate the calcium.)  

Another thing I have my students work on is spreading meals out and eating smaller portions more often, rather than having a few big meals a day. Doing so will help balance blood sugar and keep energy levels steady throughout the day.

I have been asked whether adding soy and vitamin E to your diet can help alleviate “hot flashes”. While studies are not conclusive, there are a few things you can do. First, reduce your exposure to “estrogen disrupters” (found in the lining of cans and plastic water bottles). These are made with substances with a similar chemical structure to estrogen and can block the body’s ability to process the actual hormone. Additionally, you can try incorporating natural estrogen sources such as organic soy (try natural options like edamame) into your diet, just don’t over do it. An increase in vitamin E can also help, found in whole-grain breads, organic corn, cooked cereals, and certain oils like walnut and olive oil.

All of these tips, combined with regular exercise, can help alleviate some of the more problematic symptoms many women face mid-life. To find out more, register for my Natural Transitions through Nutrition and Lifestyle class at www.johnmuirhealth.com/classes.