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Hormonal fluctuations during menopause can bring on many unpleasant symptoms, such as mood swings, weight gain, and hot flashes.
Luckily, there are dietary changes you can make to help keep those hormones in check!
Let’s take a look at 5 diet tips to help regulate your hormones and ease menopausal symptoms.
1. Limit Sugar as Much as Possible
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Studies have shown that women with diets high in sugar can experience worse menopausal symptoms than those with low-sugar diets.
After you consume a lot of sugar, your insulin levels spike, which simultaneously lowers the amount of a protein in your body called SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin). When your SHBG decreases, your estrogen goes up.
In essence, eating sugar causes an estrogen spike. The bottom line? Your body’s estrogen is already fluctuating, and if you add a bunch of sugar, those spikes and falls are more significant, worsening your menopausal symptoms.
If you can’t totally cut out sugar, aim to keep your daily sugar consumption to less than 10 grams at a time. Whenever possible, try to snack on fruit when you’re craving something sweet. Fruit has natural sugar combined with fiber, which will not spike your insulin levels (and estrogen levels) the same way.
2. Cut Back on Caffeine
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Caffeine also causes an estrogen spike and interferes with sleep, which can already be a problem during menopause.
Moreover, a study published in the journal Menopause found a link between caffeine intake and more bothersome hot flashes and night sweats.
Try sticking to less than 100 mg daily—roughly 1 to 2 cups of coffee—to avoid exacerbating your symptoms.
3. Try Following a Mediterranean Diet
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The Mediterranean diet is high in fiber, lean protein, and healthy oils. It’s also low in saturated fats and sugar.
Research shows that sticking to a Mediterranean diet (along with physical activity!) during menopause is associated with a reduced risk of obesity and improved menopausal symptoms.
Another study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, followed 6,000 women for nine years, and the results showed that women who followed a Mediterranean diet rich in vegetables, noodles, and red wine were around 20% less likely to report hot flashes and night sweats than those who strayed from the diet.
The Mediterranean diet consists mainly of whole grains, olive oil, fruits, vegetables, beans (and other legumes), nuts, herbs, spices, and fish. (And, as a bonus, red wine!) Specifically:
An emphasis on healthy fats, especially olive oil, as a replacement for other oils and fats such as butter and margarine. Other great sources of healthy fats include avocados, nuts, and oily fish like salmon and sardines.
Eating fish at least twice a week and poultry, eggs, and dairy in smaller portions. (Red meat is typically limited to a couple of times per month.)
Making water the main beverage choice, with the exception of red wine. (Ideally, sticking to one glass per day.)
4. Stay Hydrated
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Something as simple as drinking water is vital to our health! Water is key to many of our body’s functions: maintaining body temperature, lubricating and cushioning joints, protecting the spinal cord, and getting rid of wastes (through urination, sweating, and bowel movements).
When you’re dehydrated, you have less energy and an increased risk of symptoms like brain fog, confusion, fatigue, headaches, achy joints, and dizziness.
If you’re suffering from night sweats and hot flashes in particular, you want to make sure to drink plenty of water to replenish lost fluids.
5. Boost Your Fiber Intake
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Research published in the journal Menopause found that eating more fiber, veggies, and fruit was shown to reduce hot flashes by nearly 20% in menopausal women.
Moreover, fiber may help reduce inflammation that triggers pain and swelling, according to a study published in the journal Nutrients.
Soluble fiber may also help reduce your appetite, lower cholesterol levels, and decrease the rise in blood sugar after eating high-carb foods. Try aiming for a variety of fiber types, including whole fruits, veggies, and grains.
Some of the best sources of fiber include:
Sweet potatoes
Artichokes
Broccoli
Avocadoes
Collard Greens
Raspberries and blackberries
Quinoa
Oats
Brown rice
Black beans and kidney beans
Chickpeas
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