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The best foods to help manage stress and weight during menopause

WRITTEN BY: LISA M. | EDITED BY: KRISTEEN WARD

Part of aging is transitioning into menopause when your hormones start to decrease rapidly and your period begins to slow down or stop completely. You might begin to experience some other not-so-enjoyable symptoms that go along with it—say hello to hot flashes, insomnia, and mood swings. With all of these bodily changes, it's easy to feel like you're not in control of what's going on because there isn't a way to stop your body from going through it.

Even though you may feel like you're not in the driver's seat of your own body, many women experience a renewed sense of self as they go through these adjustments. With the addition of healthy eating and movement, they find joy in knowing they're past the days of menses.

Although menopause is a natural process, there are several ways to minimize the negative symptoms and ensure a healthy postmenopausal life. During menopause, combatting life stress in addition to the stress that comes with the changes can feel super overwhelming. One of the best things to do is to incorporate certain foods and have a nutritious diet that can benefit you when going through this transition.

Stress during menopause

Fluctuating hormones during menopause can be life-changing, specifically causing body weight changes, fat distribution changes, and a slower metabolism. "Several studies have shown that perimenopause, independent of age, is associated with increased fat in the abdomen as well as decreased lean body mass," explains The North American Menopause Society. Menopause can feel like it hit us by surprise and with the new life development comes additional stress. But stress during menopause looks and feels much different than it did premenopause—the body begins to process stress, food, and movement very differently. You may find that what worked before is not working now.

Menopause causes a drop in estrogen, and this can lead to panic attacks, anxiety, and depression. Additionally, mid-life changes like taking over as a caretaker for aging parents, increasingly demanding jobs, facing retirement, and the deaths of loved ones can each be a major stressor alone, let alone the dramatic physiological changes the body is going through, according to a 2017 research study.

Also—our bodies have always made cortisol—the primary stress hormone. Think of it as your own mini alarm system to alert your brain. Cortisol's job is to help balance blood sugar, reduce inflammation, and moderate stress, and it's released when your body experiences acute or chronic inflammation or you're facing an emotionally stressful situation. When cortisol is continually released for too long, a couple of things happen. The body stops releasing cortisol because it senses you're establishing a new pattern, so it stops trying to compensate. When your body reaches low levels of cortisol, it begins to conserve in order to keep you alive, just as if you were going to go into shock from experiencing physical trauma. When the body is in this "conservation mode," or it becomes accustomed to this level of cortisol it considers the new "normal," we can experience weight gain in addition to many other symptoms.

Managing stress during menopause

During menopause, the adrenal glands that produce hormones—like cortisol—that help regulate your metabolism, immune system, blood pressure, and stress response begin to take over some of the work of the diminishing ovaries. They begin producing small amounts of progesterone and estrogen. Regardless of how great our bodies adapt, the adrenal glands can't make these female hormones efficiently when they are constantly pumping out stress hormones.

When we experience stress, the body goes into fight-or-flight mode, and the adrenal glands choose to produce cortisol and adrenaline over the production of estrogen and progesterone. This is concerning for menopausal women who need these hormones for health.

Because of this, it's essential to help manage external stressors at this time in your life. Here are some helpful ways to help reduce stress in addition to eating healthy:

Talk things out. Speak to family, friends, or a therapist about what's going on. Also, there are wonderful menopausal support groups online and in-person to help you find others who may be suffering the same symptoms.
Create a relaxation routine. A 5-minute meditation and focus on breathing can guide you back to your centered self. A few other ideas are reading, journaling (writing down how you're feeling can help you decompress), stretching, and soaking in the bath.
Focus on self-care. Remind yourself that this is a life-changing event that can give you a fresh outlook on many parts of your life. Get together with friends, do your favorite activity, get a massage, or just relax.
Laugh! They say laughter is the best medicine—whether it's watching your favorite show or going to see a comedian—try to focus on the positive.
Get plenty of sleep. Your body needs lots of rest during this time so try to get as much sleep as possible and nap if you need to. Listen to how your body feels and respect that it may need extra rest during this time.
Movement. Our bodies tend to slow down as we enter mid-life and adjust to calories differently. Taking short walks or practicing yoga can help as we change.

6 Types of foods to focus on during menopause

Nourishing your body is especially important during menopause because of all the hormonal shifts. Try incorporating these foods to support good health during this transition.

Dairy Foods like milk, cheese, and yogurt contain calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins D and K, nutrients that are essential for bone health. Menopause causes a drop in estrogen, which can decrease bone density and lead to osteoporosis.

Healthy fats Increasing omega-3 intake can decrease symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats, a 2011 study showed. Foods that are high in those omega-3 fatty acids are:

Fatty fish - mackerel, salmon, anchovies
Seeds - flax, chia, hemp
Avocados

Whole grains These are in the "good carb" category and are an excellent source of soluble fiber, plant protein, and some B vitamins that control energy supply and metabolism regulation. These whole grains all contribute to reducing the risk of heart disease and diabetes after menopause:

Brown rice
Wheat berries, whole-wheat bread
Quinoa
Barley

Fruits and vegetables Vegetables, especially cruciferous veggies, provide otherwise hard-to-obtain nutrients like calcium, magnesium, potassium, B vitamins, and fiber. All of these nutrients are crucial in bone health. They also support muscle strength and help control weight gain as your hormones continue to shift. In addition, fruit, especially dark berries, provide antioxidants and are a much healthier snacking choice that can help control weight gain and improve the frequency of hot flashes.

Quality proteins Because menopause is linked to decreased muscle mass and bone strength, quality protein is crucial. Pick up these protein-rich options:

Eggs
Organic meat and chicken
Fish—fresh or frozen fish is preferred, but canned can be a great option if it's low in sodium.
Clean protein powder that's low in added sugar to add to smoothies. Trader Joe's has a great inexpensive option.

Phytoestrogen-containing foods This one may look too complicated to even tackle, but these foods should be pretty easy to find. Phytoestrogens are compounds in foods that increase estrogen in your body and are proven to decrease incidences of hot flashes. These foods include:

Soybeans
Chickpeas
Peanuts
Flax seeds
Grapes
Berries
Plums
Green and black tea

Foods to avoid during menopause

These foods have a wide range of negative effects, causing high blood sugar, insulin resistance, low bone mineral density, and mood swings, which all worsen the symptoms associated with menopause.

Processed carbs and sugars
Alcohol
Drinks with caffeine
Spicy foods
Super salty foods

Take some time to log your meals, movement, and other dailies in the app to track your progress. It gives you time to reflect, and science shows it supports your success.

Originally written by Lisa Murray; revised and updated by Kristeen Ward

About Lisa M.

Lisa M. is a clinical nutritionist who studied at San Diego State University and has a Master of Science in Nutrition from American University. She is also a certified yoga instructor.