Kimberly Oswalt is a registered dietitian, based in Beavercreek. Oswalt, who works in a community outreach capacity, has some tips to empower women and help them understand how food can impact menopause symptoms.
She emphasizes that adapting lifestyle choices — with exercise and food selections — before menopause symptoms begin can help symptoms be less severe.
“Diet culture is always around us, especially for women, so it can be very overwhelming and personal,” she said. “Mediterranean style of eating is helpful to calm down inflammation and promote blood sugar balance.”
Oswalt, who has worked as a dietitian since 2009, said limiting alcohol and caffeine can improve hot flashes and night sweats. She notes that both can also negatively affect bone health.
“Limit caffeine later in day and stop drinking it around noon because it can stay in the system for a while,” she said. “This can also affect sleep disturbances.”
She also recommends avoiding high glycemic foods and refined carbs (carbs without fiber), such as pastries, candy or foods with added sugar, which can spike blood sugar.
“Eat every three to four hours to stabilize blood sugar,” Oswalt said. “Focus on complex carbs, (carbs with fiber in them — fruit, legumes, potatoes) or whole grain, and pair it with protein and fat. Don’t eat ‘naked’ carbs.”
Protein is also important for perimenopausal women because it can help combat a decline in muscle mass. Good sources of protein include poultry, fish (especially fatty fish with omega 3s to lower inflammation), Greek yogurt (with probiotics) or plant proteins, such as soy.
“Recent studies have shown that soy may help modulate estrogen,” Oswalt said. “This can help with night sweats and support hormone levels. Soy can be found in edamame, tofu and soy milk. It takes a lot of consistency because it may be six to eight weeks before women notice an effect.”
A balanced meal should include a plate that is one-quarter protein, one-quarter complex carbs and the remaining half filled with colorful non starchy vegetables. It is also important to include fats in meals because hormones are made of fat. A good source of fats are cold water fatty fish (salmon, mackerel), olives, olive oil, nuts (almonds, walnuts), seeds (chia seeds, pumpkin seeds) and avocados.
When making food choices, Oswalt advises using the approach “what can I add?” rather than “what can I take away?”
“It’s never too late to adopt healthy lifestyle choices,” Oswalt said. “Progress is more important than perfection. Supporting your body is a lifestyle change and not a diet. Food choices should not be stressful. A lifestyle change and regulating stress are important in menopause transition, because it can be emotionally challenging.”
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This article is part of a series focused on women’s health. Sharing diverse, personal journeys is essential for a deeper understanding of a woman’s well-being. Want to share your experience or have an idea we should cover? Contact this writer at writeawayk@gmail.com.
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