The Importance Of Following A Perimenopause Diet

Understanding Perimenopause

Perimenopause is a phase which comes before menopause and can last from months to years before the actual menopause starts where the periods stop for good ⁽¹⁾.  During perimenopause, the levels of estrogen and progesterone in a woman’s body fluctuate a lot mostly by declining. Estrogen levels can increase and decrease before they plateau out and the body settles in menopause. The variations in the hormone levels in perimenopause can commonly cause different symptoms in different women. 

Symptoms of Perimenopause

Some of the common symptoms of perimenopause are: Vaginal dryness, irregular periods, disturbed sleep, mood changes, night sweats, hot flashes to name a few ⁽²⁾.

The Actual Menopause

When a woman has gone a year or 12 consecutive months without having a menstrual period, then she is officially in menopause ^{(1, 3)}.

What can one do?

One cannot stop the nature; however, one can make improvements in lifestyle habits including diet, activity and manage the perimenopause symptoms and live content and healthy life through the period of perimenopause and beyond.

How important are Lifestyle Changes in Perimenopause?

Diet and lifestyle greatly helps in managing the problems occurring in this transitionary phase of perimenopause; however, it cannot cure everything which is troubling you. However, what you choose to eat, how you live makes a great difference in improving the quality of life. Eating the right foods and making the right life choices help in preparing you for better health as you go through this phase and afterwards too ⁽⁴⁾. 

The Perimenopause Diet: What You Should Eat to Alleviate the Symptoms ^{(1, 4)}

Protein: A woman’s body goes through a lot of changes during perimenopause and because of these changes the body needs more of certain nutrients. The muscle mass starts to decline during perimenopause, so one needs to increase the daily intake of protein to help in maintaining muscle mass ⁽⁵⁾. Protein also helps in regulating the blood sugar levels and also hormone levels.

It is advised to spread your protein intake over a snack and three meals. Add peanut butter to your daily breakfast instead of just plain toast. For lunch, addition of baked chicken or salmon to your salad will give you enough protein. Beans are also a great protein addition, which can be used in a number of recipes in dinner. You can also snack on a homemade nut mix with different spices. Lentils, eggs and yogurt are other good sources of protein, which can be easily incorporated in your diet.

Fiber: Fiber is another important addition to the perimenopause diet, as it keeps you feeling full longer time and hence curbs the cravings. This also helps in weight-loss, which can be difficult in perimenopause as the metabolism slows down with age. Fiber is also helpful in reducing risk of certain diseases of aging, such as stroke, heart disease and cancer ⁽⁵⁾.

One should try to take a minimum of 21 g of fiber every day. Vegetables and fruits are great sources of fiber. Beans and whole grains too are a rich source of fiber.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Omega-3 fatty acids to the perimenopause diet are beneficial in reducing the inflammation in the body along with improving moods. Omega-3s are also helpful in decreasing depression, which many women suffer from during perimenopause ⁽⁵⁾.

To get your Omega-3 fatty acids you can take fish oil supplements or consume two 4-ounce servings of fish in a week. Adding flaxseed oil to your perimenopause diet is another option to combat irritability and mood swings occurring during perimenopause.

Calcium: With age, the risk of osteoporosis becomes greater. For optimum bone health, the intake of calcium should be about 1,200 milligrams daily. Similarly Vitamin D is also important in this regard and women need to take this in sufficient  amount especially during perimenopause.

What NOT TO include in the Perimenopause Diet

There are many foods which taste good, but are not good for your health and should be especially avoided during the perimenopause phase. Processed foods, sugary and oily foods, saturated fats from dairy and meat should be avoided as they increase the risk for heart disease. Always go for plant-based fats.

Highly refined carbs, such as pasta, white breads and baked goods contribute to blood sugar spikes and increase cravings. It is advised to substitute these food items for healthier options, such as whole grain brown rice for white rice; wheat bread for white bread; jaggery for sugar etc.

Alcohol, caffeine and sugar are a big no-no in perimenopause diet, as they exacerbate the symptoms of perimenopause and should be avoided as much as possible.

Lifestyle Changes for Perimenopause

When in perimenopause, there are a few lifestyle changes that will help in dealing with the symptoms of perimenopause:

• Exercise regularly.
• Quit smoking.
• Increase protein intake, along with calcium, fiber and omega-3 fatty acids.
• Cut down on alcohol and caffeine intake.
• Cut down on saturated fats, sugar and highly refined carbs.  

Conclusion

Perimenopause is a period of time in a woman’s life where there are many hormonal changes accompanied with symptoms like mood swings and hot flashes. Eating healthy food and staying active greatly helps in making this transition as smooth as possible. It may not seem so, but by making simple changes to the diet go a long way in dealing with the difficulties faced during perimenopause ⁽⁵⁾.

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Also Read:

• How Does Perimenopause Affect your Periods & What You Can Do About It?