I was lucky enough to host British women’s health dietitian, Dr. Linia Patel, at the recent Cape Town launch of her new cookbook, Food For Menopause. A ‘full-circle moment’ for the author, who was born, bred, and buttered in Zambia, but says the early chapters of her career were shaped by the magic of the Mother City. ‘This is where my love of nutrition took root… Now I get to come back and celebrate where it all began.’
Her beautiful 264-page cookbook is an in-depth exploration of perimenopause to menopause transition, and how women can empower themselves to transition more smoothly through these fluctuations by taking ownership of their lifestyle, stress, and nutrition.
Why This Menopause Cookbook Matters
The 80 easy-to-follow, good-for-you, good-for-your-hormones recipes cover everything from everyday meals to weekend delights and even snacks and sweet treats. My best is the banana and oat pancakes – they’re breakfast on repeat in my house and super easy to whip up! Do yourself a favour and try it!
I sat down with the good doctor after the launch event and asked her to give me the highlights package on what her #jeannieous book is all about. Here’s what she had to say.
On knowing when you’re officially in menopause …
The medical definition of menopause is when a woman has not had a period for 12 months and one day. So menopause is actually only a day. The average age of menopause in white women is 51, while black and Asian women are usually before this (i.e. 46-48). Before menopause, you are in what is known as perimenopause, which can begin as early as 38 years! Perimenopause is when you get the roller coaster ride of hormonal flux that manifests itself in the 30+ different symptoms that women can experience.
4 Smart Nutrition Rules for Hormone Harmony
- Hydrate: the first simple, yet fundamental step to get right.
- Eat to manage your blood sugar levels: blood sugars affect everything. This is about learning to eat in a balanced way, and being savvy with when you eat your carbs. Earlier is better.
- Eat to cool inflammation: this means following a Mediterranean-style diet. Eat the rainbow. Add herbs and spices.
- Eat to nourish your gut microbiota: Your gut bacteria love fibre and variety.
What to Eat During Perimenopause and Menopause
During peri-and-the menopause, you metabolise food, particularly carbs, differently; you store fat differently; you are at risk of losing muscle mass; your gut microbiota becomes less varied and you are at risk of having higher levels of cortisol (the stress hormones) and inflammation (yikes!), so try this:
- Opt for whole foods or high fibre carbohydrates with a low glycaemic index. Fibres slow how quickly the stomach empties which has a knock-on effect on the rate of absorption of glucose in the blood stream. Eat them earlier in the day.
- Don’t eat ‘naked’ carbohydrates. Dress them. Meals without protein, fat or fibre are rapidly broken down and absorbed into the blood stream. This produces a sharp rise in glucose followed by a crash. Add protein/ fibre to carbohydrate meals and snacks to counteract the sugar spikes
- Prioritise protein. There are no specific protein guidelines for menopausal women, however it is suggested that perimenopausal women should get a minimum of 1.2g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. The more active you are, the more protein you need. It’s important to spread your protein intake out throughout the day
- Get over your fat phobia. We need to include some fat in our diet particularly during the menopause. It is needed for hormone production, brain health, absorption of essential vitamins and minerals, weight management and also plays a role in giving your skin that glow. Don’t forget that all types of fat are still very calorie dense. Like anything, overeating fat will lead to weight gain if the calories you eat exceed the calories you burn. Keep on top of your fat portions.
- Eat more plants. Fibre is a key nutrient. Include wholegrains, beans and lentils and load up on the veggies and include some fruit in there too. Make them colourful!
The Best Supplements for Menopause Support
First things first: you cannot supplement your way out of a poor diet and lifestyle. However, top ones to consider would be:
- Vitamin D: get your blood levels checked
- Omega-3: especially if you are not a fan of oily fish
- Methylated B vitamins: to give you an energy boost
- Magnesium: if you are stressed or booze a lot
- Creatine: helps with brain health and overall well-being.
How to Exercise Smarter in Midlife
- Movement boosts your mood, supports good sleep, prevents weight gain, helps manage hot flushes, strengthens bones, supports a healthy microbiome, and reduces the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease. Get some cardio in, but also include some flexibility training.
- And – super important for perimenopausal women – is “strength work”, strength training or what we call here in the UK: functional strength. This doesn’t mean you have to lift heavy weights – it just means you need to exert yourself, using resistance to build muscle.
- Then try to incorporate some high-intensity training (HIIT). Research shows that perimenopausal women don’t benefit from long hours of steady-state cardio, but more from high intensity interval style of training.
Food for Menopause by Dr Linia Patel deserves a spot on your kitchen shelf and is available at all good bookstores.
