08/06/2026
🥗 MENOPAUSE MINI SERIES - WEEK 6: Nutrition Foundations for Menopause
With so much conflicting advice online, it's easy to think you need a complicated diet or expensive supplements to support menopause. In reality, the foundations matter most.
During perimenopause and menopause, hormonal changes can affect blood sugar balance, muscle mass, bone health, gut health, mood, and sleep. This means nutrition becomes even more important.
✨ Focus on these key areas:
🥚 Protein
Protein helps stabilise blood sugar, reduce cravings, support hormone production, and maintain muscle mass. Women naturally begin to lose muscle mass from their 30s, with this accelerating during menopause, making adequate protein intake more important than ever.
Think eggs, fish, poultry, Greek yoghurt, tofu, lentils and beans.
🌿 Fibre & Plant Diversity
Fibre supports gut health, blood sugar balance, and healthy oestrogen metabolism.
Aim for around 30g of fibre daily and work towards 30 different plant foods each week.
🥑 Healthy Fats
Healthy fats support hormone production, brain health, and help manage inflammation. Think olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds and oily fish.
🌱 Phytoestrogens
Foods such as flaxseeds, lentils, chickpeas and soy contain natural plant compounds that may help support hormone balance.
💧 Hydration
Even mild dehydration can affect energy, concentration, mood and temperature regulation.
✨ Menopause is a natural transition, but the way we support the body through it makes a huge difference.
Start with the basics:
✔ Protein with every meal
✔ Plenty of fibre and plant diversity
✔ Healthy fats
✔ Good hydration
Small daily habits often create the biggest long-term changes.
📚 References: Panay & Fenton (2017); Gaskins & Chavarro (2018)
