How does your diet impact your health and hormones during menopause (and what is good for you)?

Hormones are your body’s chemical messengers. They help control numerous processes in your body. Hormonal balance is vital to proper body functioning. Small changes in your hormones can positively or negatively impact the way it functions. Your diet plays an important role in this respect. Your body needs vitamins, minerals and trace elements for processes in the body to function properly, including the production and secretion of hormones. Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet is essential, especially if you’re going through menopause. 

In the years leading up to menopause, oestrogen and progesterone levels fluctuate and fall. This can cause a host of uncomfortable symptoms. A well-balanced diet can impact hormones fluctuations and help keep the body in balance. How does this work exactly, and how can you adjust your diet to support your body? 

The importance of diet during menopause

Foods supply the raw materials (nutrients) your body needs to produce hormones and energy to function properly. Cholesterol, or fat, is a starting material for hormones. Therefore, the intake of (healthy) fats is essential for hormone production and proper hormone function. 

Research shows that poor nutrition can have a negative impact on hormonal balance and hormone-producing organs, whereas a nutritious diet has many benefits, including boosting energy and mood, improving sleep quality and maintaining or achieving a healthy weight. In addition, following a healthy diet reduces the risk of various chronic diseases, lowers the risk of heart disease and protects against osteoporosis. Eating certain foods may also help to reduce menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes. 

All systems in your body are working together towards one goal: keeping you healthy. Your body needs fuel from the right foods to achieve this goal.

What works for you?

As trite as this may sound, a healthy and balanced diet – just like sufficient exercise and relaxation – has a huge impact on your hormones and health, which in turn can have a significant impact on your menopausal symptoms. We should not underestimate this. 

However, the body is a complex system. Each woman's body is different and no woman's journey through menopause is the same. You can find any information you want on the Internet, but how do you know what works for you? This article takes a brief look at three factors that play a crucial role in menopausal health: 

1. Stable blood sugar levels 
2. Healthy intestinal flora (bacteria in the gut) 
3. Healthy liver function 

Would you like to learn more about one, or all, of these factors? Read the blogs on these topics. 

1. Stable blood sugar levels

Your pancreas makes hormones that help control the levels of sugar in your bloodstream. When your blood sugar level rises (after eating foods high in sugar or carbohydrates like sandwiches or cookies), the pancreas secretes insulin to lower blood sugar. Insulin is a hormone that moves glucose (sugar) from your diet out of the blood and into cells. Cells obtain energy, among other things, from glucose. So, the body has a pretty good system in place! 

The more carbohydrates you eat (which is easy to do because the standard Western diet is high carb), the higher the levels of sugar released into your body and the more insulin is produced. Too much insulin circulating in the bloodstream can cause cells to become less responsive or resistant to its effects (insulin resistance). This causes glucose to accumulate in the blood, leading to higher blood sugar levels. In addition to obtaining energy from glucose, cells can also convert it to fat for long-term storage. The more excess glucose, the more fat cells you create, and the more oestrogen you produce. Ultimately, this can lead to hormonal imbalances. 

👉 Read on: How your blood sugar levels impact hormonal balance during menopause ➤ 

2. Healthy intestinal flora

Also known as gut microbiome, your intestinal flora consists of bacteria and micro-organisms that live inside your intestines (gut). In a healthy gut, the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ bacteria are in balance. Specific foods and dietary patterns can all influence the abundance of different types of bacteria and micro-organisms in your gut. When the so-called ‘bad’ bacteria get the upper hand, you may experience a variety of problems. 

The gut microbiome plays a very important role in your health. It not only helps control digestion, but also benefits your immune system, metabolism and brain health. Scientific research shows that the gut plays a crucial role in the conversion of hormones in the body. Specifically, it aids the breakdown and removal of used oestrogens out of the body. If your gut microbiome is disrupted, too much oestrogen can accumulate which in turn can have a negative impact on hormonal balance during menopause.  

👉 Read on: How your gut impacts hormonal balance during menopause (and how to keep your gut healthy) ➤ 

3. Healthy liver function

Once hormones have been used by the body, they are processed by the liver and then permanently eliminated from the body. You can think of the liver as a waste treatment plant, an organ that detoxifies toxic substances that we take in. The liver plays a key role in cholesterol metabolism, breaking down fats and proteins, and purifying the blood. So, a healthy liver is crucial for hormone balance.  

Research shows that the drop in oestrogen levels brought on by menopause increases the risk of a fatty, malfunctioning liver. Postmenopausal women, in particular, are prone to a fatty liver. Factors such as stress and insulin resistance can increase this risk.  

What's more, the liver performs so many important functions for the body that it can get overworked. Think about it: every day, it detoxifies the body of substances such as alcohol, medication and chemicals in our food and other products. All these processes need to be done before it can focus on breaking down oestrogen and removing it from your body. When your liver has too much to handle and a lot of oestrogen is circulating in the blood instead of being eliminated, this can have a negative impact on your hormones.  

👉 Read on: How your liver impacts hormonal balance (and how to keep your liver healthy) ➤ 

How to work on your diet during menopause

It's possible to naturally balance your hormones and reduce menopausal symptoms by taking a good look at your diet. This doesn't mean you have to correct all your habits in one go. Small steps can lead to big changes.  

Read the tips in the blog and pick one to focus on. Give yourself a few weeks and listen to what your body is telling you. Keep track of how your body and mind respond to the intervention. Once the adjustment has become a habit, find another area that you can work on.  

Tips and advice