Women in their 40s

If you are a woman in your 40s, you may have started to notice changes to your mind and body. The menopause may be several years away (the average is 51), but fluctuations and eventual decline in hormones, mostly notably oestrogen and progesterone, start from as early as our late 30s.

This natural transition period is referred to as the perimenopause and women are often surprised to learn that symptoms such as mood swings, increased anxiety, irritability, night sweats, hot flushes, insomnia, weight gain, irregular and or heavier periods and dry skin are being driven by the change in their horomones. While it is inevitable that all women will reach menopause, many women don’t realise that it is possible to have some control over how we experience the journey (HRT aside).

Making diet and lifestyle changes

Diet and lifestyle changes can help not only to minimise symptoms, but also to ensure we are best prepared for our later years – think bone, cardiovascular and brain helath. What we eat during this phase of our life matters more than ever, alongside managing sleep, exercise and stress levels. Everyone’s experience will be different as we are all unique and what helps some, won’t help others, which is why personalised nutrition is important. 

However there is one key foundation that can help support all women, and that is balancing blood sugar levels. Eating foods that cause spikes and dips in blood sugar wreaks havoc with our horomones (and can lead to weight gain, increased anxiety, feeling tired and irritable, problems with sleep, heavier periods etc) therefore exacerbating many symptoms of the peri-menopause.

3 things you can do to achieve more stable blood sugar levels

• Eat quality protein with each meal to slow down digestion preventing blood sugar spikes (lean meat, fish, eggs, lentils, beans, nuts, seeds).

• Minimise your intake of refined carbohydrates as they spike blood sugar levels (sugar, white flour/bread/juice, alcohol). Replace with complex carbs that are high in fibre (wholegrains, brown rice/pasta, vegetables, pulses, small amounts of whole fruit)

• Include some health fats with meals (olive oil, oily fish, avocado, nuts, seeds 

All the above are also incredibly nourishing foods which support health horomone production and overall health

This article was original written by Sophie Lett for the Winchester Resident Magazine. If you want to feel better in your 40s and want to speak to a nutritionist can do then please contact Sophie on +447928291656 or email her on sophie@sophielettnutrition.com