Food can be a medicine for your hormones. Specific foods can affect chemical processes within the body. They can reduce excessive production of oestrogens, stimulating hormone detoxification and clearance and/or competitively and beneficially binding to oestrogen receptors. The foods listed below are believed to be beneficial to women through their menopausal journey.
We recommend you enjoy at least 1 from each group daily:
Herbs and Spices:
Ginger, rosemary, turmeric, coriander, dill, fennel, parsley
Nuts and Seeds:
Pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts
Grains and Legumes:
Soy, chickpeas, quinoa, millet, bulgur, buckwheat, brown rice
Fruits:
Blueberries, strawberries, oranges, grapes, avocado, banana, figs, blackberries
Meat, poultry, fish and dairy:
Milk, cheese and yoghurt, deep-sea fish
Vegetables:
Broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, kale, spinach, cabbage, mushrooms, celery, onion, alfalfa sprouts
Beverages:
Water, green tea, dandelion tea, chamomile tea, spearmint tea
Eat right for your life stage:
- Avoid refined sugars – treat ‘treats’ as a treat, and not a regular thing
- Avoid refined carbohydrates and many packaged items.
- Eat protein (meat, tofu, eggs etc.) with each meal. A portion would be considered 100g of meat or 200g of tofu.
- Be conscious of your daily calcium intake; food or supplement.
- Eat good fats regularly. Cook with olive oil or coconut oil.
- Eat a rainbow of vegetables, and lots of them.
- Eat a maximum of 2 pieces of fruit daily.
- Be wary of your carbohydrate intake; this commonly encourages weight gain during menopause.