As part of Menopause Yoga Day on Saturday 13th July 2019 here in Dorset, we created a lunch menu, perfectly balanced for nutrition for the menopause to support us as women, through the menopause years.
Here are some tips on how you can help yourself through this natural change.
- Cut down on stimulants like caffeine and alcohol, eliminating them completely if possible, sugary chocolate and spicy foods can all stimulate hot flushes so avoid especially late at night.
- Sugary foods can create tiredness and lethargy, they cause a rise in blood glucose levels which give us a sharp dip and leaves us feeling drained. Look for alternatives to sugary snacks in health food shops.
- As we age, we tend to need less calories, adjusting to this change can help to limit weight gain as we go through menopause. Try to cut down how much we eat, cut back on fat in foods and switch to higher GI – complex carbs like wholemeal bread, pasta and rice, oats are also great. These foods balance blood sugar and help us stay feeling full for longer.
- Increase the amounts of legumes, nuts, seeds – pumpkin and sunflower, almonds for vitamin E, zinc and calcium to help prevent dry skin and normalise hormone levels.
- To help alleviate depression and irritability increase the amount of protein and amino acid for tryptophan which increases the release of Serotonin, the happy hormone.Serotonin helps moods, sleep, sex drive and appetite. Don’t skip meals to keep glucose levels balanced throughout the day. Oat cakes are a great snack to keep in your handbag or desk drawer to keep you going if you don’t have time for lunch.
- Butternut squash seeds
- Sea vegetables – kelp, spirulina, seaweed
- Soy
- Cucumber
- Walnuts
- Cauliflower
- Mushroom
- Leaf Greens
- You can also supplement your diet with L-Tryptophan or 5-HTP from your health food shop
- Too much Phosporous accelerates the loss of calcium and magnesium into the body so reduce sodium, caffeine and animal products particularly red meat.
- Eat food high in magnesium and boron to help bones and possible osteoporosis. Apples, pears, grapes, dates, raisins, legumes and nuts.
- Consider taking supplements for magnesium, calcium, Vitamin E, D and zinc
- Phyto-oestrogens bind oestrogen receptor sites to body cells increasing oestrogenic effect which may help keep hormones balanced. A high intake of Phyto-oestrogens i thought to be why women in populations eating a largely plant based diet rarely suffer with menopausal symptoms.
- Soya Milk
- Soya Flour
- Tofu
- Tempeh
- Linseed
- Miso
- Pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds
- Celery
- Rhubarb
- Green beans
- Raw Cacao is packed with Magnesium and it gives you great energy, plus tasting delicious! Use it to make chocolates, hot drinks, porridge and more.
Our recipes for the retreat day all made by our caterer, Marcia Hannam:
Plant-Based, Hormone Balancing Lunch Menu
Brown Rice Salad with Silken Tofu, Spinach & Soy-Miso Dressing
Salad: Brown rice, Spinach, Grapes, Raisins
Pumpkin seeds, Sunflower seeds, Linseeds
Almonds, Silken tofu
Dressing: Miso paste, Silken tofu, Rapeseed oil
Soy sauce, Balsamic vinegar, Poppy seeds
Miso Roasted Cauliflower with spring onion & Sesame Seeds
Cauliflower, Miso paste, Rapeseed oil
Spring onion, Salt, Black pepper
Sesame seeds, Sesame oil
Apple, Pear, Celery & Walnuts Salad
Apple, Pear, Celery, Walnuts
Caraway seeds, Lemon juice
Rapeseed oil, Whole grain mustard
Spicy Garlic Cannellini Bean Hummus
Cannellini beans, Lime juice, Garlic
Rapeseed oil, Paprika, Salt, Black pepper
ENJOY! XXX
Our Caterer is Marcia Hannam and she is based in Spetisbury, nr Blandford in Dorset. Marcia runs a farm shop and cafe at Marcias Market Wednesday – Saturday weekly. All produce is locally sourced and wonderful.
For more information about our speaker on Menopausal Health Judy Evans, please see her website progesteronelink.com for lots of info and great alternatives to HRT for women.
