TreatmentsNutrition and Lifestyle

Nutrition and lifestyle for menopause symptoms

Q: How long does it take before I notice an effect?

Supplements generally don't have an immediate effect. It can often take several weeks to months before you notice any benefits.

During menopause, a great deal changes in your body. Fluctuating hormones can affect your energy levels, your weight, your mood, and your sleep. By paying the right attention to your diet and lifestyle, you can better support your body during this phase.

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The fundamentals: diet, exercise and relaxation

A healthy diet, plenty of exercise and daily relaxation are the cornerstones of a healthy body. A body that allows you to do the things you want, without discomfort or ailments. This is even more important during menopause: your body is going through a transitional phase and needs enough fuel and nutrients to cope with fluctuating and declining hormone levels.

Studies show that both a healthy diet and a balanced lifestyle influence how you experience menopause. There is a great deal of confusion about what is and isn't healthy during this phase. We're here to help you understand what you can do to best support your body during menopause. The adjustments that will help you depend on your personal situation. Every woman experiences menopause differently and every body reacts in its own way. These evidence-based tips serve as a starting point for every woman in menopause.

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Suzanne RouhardHormone therapist

Nutrition and lifestyle often make a bigger difference during menopause than women realise. Small, targeted adjustments can already help reduce symptoms and bring more balance.

Lifestyle during menopause: the basics

How nutrition and lifestyle can support you

Nutrition and lifestyle play a crucial role during menopause. Your body changes, which means your metabolism and energy levels may respond differently to food and exercise. By gradually adjusting your habits, you can better maintain your energy and alleviate symptoms.

Additionally, a healthy diet and lifestyle support the absorption of nutrients and the processing of medications and supplements. This allows other treatment options to work more effectively.

Below, you’ll find detailed, practical advice that you can apply straight away.

Nutrition

Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits (at least 500 grams per day): These are rich in fibre, vitamins, and minerals that contribute to a healthy oestrogen balance. You can also find fibre in legumes, nuts, seeds, and kernels.
Consume enough protein: Proteins support your muscles and help you feel fuller for longer. Good sources include yoghurt, eggs, legumes, tofu, chicken, and fish.
Opt for foods rich in proteins and healthy fats: Fats (cholesterol) are essential for the production of cells and hormones. However, avoid trans fats found in processed foods, biscuits, pastries, and snacks, as these negatively affect your cholesterol levels.
Reduce or avoid sugars and fast carbohydrates: Your hormonal balance benefits from stable blood sugar levels, but sugars and fast carbohydrates cause spikes. Focus on slow carbohydrates (such as wholegrain products, brown rice, oats, quinoa, or legumes). These are absorbed more slowly into your bloodstream and have less impact on blood sugar levels.
Do you suffer from (night-time) hot flushes? Avoid coffee, alcohol, sugar, spicy foods, stress, and smoking. These factors can disrupt your body temperature. Additionally, drink plenty of water (1.5 to 2 litres per day), as hot flushes cause you to lose extra fluids.
Pay attention to vitamin D and calcium: These are important for strong bones and muscle strength. Aim for a vitamin D level between 75 and 95 nmol/L, as many women feel their best within this range. You can get vitamin D through sunlight, food, and possibly supplements.
Dairy and gluten: Some women also notice positive results by avoiding dairy and/or gluten.

Lifestyle

Exercise for at least 30 minutes daily: Walking, cycling, or swimming can boost your metabolism and support your energy levels. Regular exercise can also help maintain a stable weight.
Do strength-training exercises 2–3 times per week: Muscle mass decreases more rapidly during menopause. Strength training helps preserve your muscles and supports your bones.
Schedule moments of rest during your day: Stress can worsen menopause symptoms. Short breaks, calm breathing, or stepping outside can help reduce tension.
Maintain a consistent sleep routine: Go to bed and wake up at the same times as much as possible. A calming evening routine helps your body wind down and improves sleep quality.
Limit screen time in the evening: Bright light can disrupt your biological clock. Relaxing without screens before bedtime often makes it easier to fall asleep.
Choose activities that help you relax: Consider yoga, walking, meditation, or reading. Relaxation helps your body recover and can alleviate symptoms.

Tips

Tip: Keep a nutrition and lifestyle diary for a week. This will give you better insight into what you eat, how much you exercise, and where you can make improvements. Many women discover patterns such as:

Large portions and a lack of structure in their meals
Unconscious snacking and frequent eating throughout the day
Regular alcohol consumption
Sitting for long periods, especially when working from home
Eating too quickly or while multitasking
Unbalanced meals that don’t provide lasting satiety

Discover how it works

Personalised product advice for your symptoms

80% of women experience symptoms during menopause. Luckily, there’s something you can do about it. Start the assessment and receive personalised product advice from a doctor.

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1
Complete a medical questionnaire
Take your time to fill in our comprehensive medical questionnaire to outline your situation and treatment preference. Afterwards, you can make the payment of 43 pond for the product recommendation.
2
Receive a product recommendation via chat
Within 48 hours, a doctor will prepare a product recommendation for the first 3 months, tailored to your symptoms, medical situation and treatment preference. You then decide which products you wish to order, complete the ID-Check and make the payment.
Any questions? Just ask the doctor in the chat. We will save your recommendation for 30 days, giving you plenty of time to think it over.
3
Start your treatment
Your products will be delivered to your home from the pharmacy within 3 days, so you can start your treatment without delay. During the treatment, the doctor will check in with you. You can also ask any questions you may have via the chat.

Intake: your personalised treatment advice from a doctor

Not sure which treatment is right for you? The intake consists of a medical questionnaire about your symptoms, medical history, and treatment preferences. Your answers provide the doctor with a complete picture of your situation and treatment preferences. Within 48 hours, you’ll receive personalised product advice.

Why an intake helps:

The intake costs 43 pond
You receive personalised advice from one of our doctors tailored to your symptoms and health situation
You can indicate whether you have a treatment preference or leave the choice to the doctor
You start with a treatment that matches your symptoms, avoiding unnecessary medication or supplements
You can ask your treating doctor questions about the advice via chat, both before starting and during the treatment

Receive your product advice

On a scale of 1 to 10, how good do you feel, and what score would you give your health and nutrition at this moment? What can you do to feel better?

Key differences between treatment options

Below, you’ll see at a glance how nutrition and lifestyle compare to other treatment options, such as hormone therapy, hormone-free medication, and supplements.

This comparison helps you understand when nutrition and lifestyle provide sufficient support and when additional treatments, such as supplements or medication, may be appropriate.

Treatments for menopause symptoms

Many women experience symptoms during menopause. Fortunately, there are things you can do. Various treatments are available, depending on your personal preferences and medical history. If you have several symptoms, a combination of treatments is often the best approach. Below are the options and how they compare:

Hormone therapy

A single treatment for multiple menopause symptoms

Effectiveness

Extensive scientific evidence
Risk of side effects
Safe to use
Very fast-acting
Prescription-only

Hormone-free

Treatment for individual symptoms, alternative to hormone therapy

Effectiveness

Extensive scientific evidence
Risk of side effects
Very safe to use
Fast-acting
Prescription-only

Supplements

Natural and hormone-free

Effectiveness

Growing scientific evidence
Very low risk of side effects
Very safe to use
Takes weeks to months to take effect
Available over the counter

Diet & Lifestyle

The foundation for a healthy body

Effectiveness

Scientific evidence
No side effects
Very safe
Supports overall health and the effectiveness of medication
Takes weeks to months to see results

FAQ

What foods should you avoid during menopause?

The changes you can make will depend on your personal situation and symptoms. Are you low on energy or suffering from hot flushes? Avoid sugar, alcohol, and caffeinated products (like coffee). Spicy food can also affect your body temperature, so it's best to avoid it. It also helps to avoid refined carbohydrates and sugars, and to limit yourself to three or four meals a day. This will help to prevent spikes in your blood sugar level. Quitting smoking can also help.  

How long does it take before I notice an effect?