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Perimenopause and menopause can be challenging for many women, thoroughly unpleasant for some, and harrowing for a few.

For a woman with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), perimenopause can reopen old wounds she thought were healed long ago.

If you have battled with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) or another mood disorder like anxiety or depression in the past, and are now entering perimenopause or menopause, there may be additional risks and challenges you should be aware of.*

What is PTSD?

We tend to associate PTSD with soldiers who have been in combat, and while it certainly does affect that population, PTSD can arise out of any trauma. Car accidents, assault, natural disasters as events that threaten our lives or well-being can cause PTSD, and while women are more likely to develop the disorder after a trauma, all genders are vulnerable to PTSD.

Most people will, unfortunately, suffer trauma in their lives and will have an emotional response. But according to the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs National Center for PTSD, most of us will recover in a few weeks. If symptoms continue for many months, are severe and impactful, and keep you from living your life, you might have PTSD.

What are the symptoms of PTSD?

According to the National Center for PTSD, there are four symptoms, which can vary from person to person:

  1. Reliving the event. This includes memories, nightmares, even flashbacks where you feel like you’re reliving the events of the trauma.
  2. Avoidance. Staying away from situations or people that you worry might trigger memories. Not talking or thinking about the trauma for fear of bringing back bad memories.
  3. Negative beliefs or feelings. The National Center for PTSD lists guilt, shame, disinterest in activities you used to enjoy, insecurity, mistrust, numbness, and an inability to feel happy.
  4. Hyperarousal. Some also call this “hypervigilance,” and it means to be always on high alert for danger. This is a very difficult l way to live, and many people have trouble sleeping or focusing for long. Others may turn to drugs or alcohol for relief.

Why can PTSD be worse in perimenopause?

In PTSD, emotions run out of control as fight or flight responses are set to 11, as they say. Mood swings in perimenopause can feel very like the emotional chaos of PTSD. Whether or not the hormone fluctuations of perimenopause can actually trigger a recurrence is unknown, but to the woman who’s suffering, the familiar lack of emotional control can cause anxiety and hypervigilance and utterly disrupt her life.

To learn more about the intersection of PTSD and midlife hormone changes, we talked to two doctors who specialize in women’s mental and reproductive health: Dr. Carly Snyder, Director of Women’s Health for Family Health Associates and attending physician at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Medical Center and at New York-Presbyterian / Weill Cornell Medical Center, and Dr. Gauri Khurana, psychiatrist and specialist in women and mood disorders.

 

First, both doctors stressed that entering perimenopause is not a guarantee that PTSD symptoms will return, so even if you’ve suffered PTSD in the past, it may not come back.

PTSD and its correlations with hormone levels are imperfectly understood and, at this point, not well researched or documented, so the science on this intersection is pretty thin. But both doctors agreed on several aspects that all women as not just those with a history of PTSD as should bear in mind.

Estrogen fluctuations impact mood.

It’s not “all in your head.” It’s real: hormone shifts at menopause can make moods chaotic and unpredictable. According to Dr. Snyder, for some women, hormonal fluctuations as not reduced hormone levels as trigger mood symptoms, which is why mood can be worse in perimenopause. Hormones ride a proverbial roller coaster through the perimenopausal years, and some women feel as if their mood takes a dive as a result. Emotions often level out once the body establishes a “new normal” post-menopause.

Having your experiences belittled or dismissed can make the problem worse.

It’s a sorry truth that women’s emotional responses are not always treated with the seriousness they deserve. Worse, being ignored or condescended to may remind women of poor treatment they received when reporting the initial trauma. As Dr. Khurana told me, “So often when women report trauma like sexual assault, they aren’t believed, maybe they’re belittled or demeaned, they’re not taken seriously. So if those symptoms and severity return in menopause, and they get the same dismissiveness from doctors that they got from law enforcement, many women simply go quiet and suffer in silence.”

Mood disorders are very difficult to conquer alone.

When a mood disorder as severe as PTSD is diagnosed, recovery can be extremely difficult without professional help. “PTSD is a steam roller,” says Dr. Snyder. “Once a woman starts to experience flashbacks or nightmares, it gets harder and harder to control. Rather than waiting until you’re too far into the vortex, if you know the feelings and you know you’ve been here before, get help. Get help so you can move forward rather than looking back.”

 

“Women are needed.”

 

There are interventions and solutions that work.

Both doctors were very adamant about this: you can get better, and not just by “hanging in there” until hormone levels stabilize. For some women, an antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication may work great; for others, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can smooth out hormonal fluctuations. Dr. Khurana suggests finding a therapist who is possibly an older woman herself and therefore more likely to understand the issues, or joining a support group. As she says, many people who have dealt with PTSD know the effectiveness of talking with others with the same problem as there’s a level of trust and understanding built in from the start.

Intervention sooner rather than later may make healing easier and bring relief faster. As Dr. Snyder says, “Help is effective. Every woman deserves to enjoy her life. There’s no point to being in unnecessary physical or emotional pain. There’s no shame in experiencing symptoms, and there’s no shame in asking for help.”

Ultimately, the best thing you can do for yourself and your family is to get the help you need. “Women are needed,” says Dr. Snyder. “We’re needed as mothers and grandmothers and partners and colleagues and friends, we’re needed for ourselves. But we can’t be there for others if we’re too far down the rabbit hole.”

If you’ve experienced PTSD symptoms in perimenopause or menopause, we’d love to hear how you dealt or are dealing with it. What interventions are working for you? How long did the problem last? If you’re willing to share your story so others can learn more, please let us know at info@gennev.com.

*The information in this article is not intended to replace expert care by a professional. If you feel you’re experiencing symptoms of PTSD or other mood disorders, please seek medical attention right away.

 

In the winter, everything feels drier. And we mean everything. From our hair to our skin to our lips and eyes, the winter air seems to suck the moisture out of our entire body. And that can be even worse in perimenopause and menopause.

Luckily, winter skincare and eye care don’t have to drastically change your regular routine. Find out how to keep your body hydrated all winter long “” and what to do if you miss a day or two of winter self-care.

Why so dry in winter?

Why do we need to pay attention to our eyes and skin more in the winter? While it’s not winter per se, that can wreak havoc on your skin, your dermis and corneas can be negatively affected by extreme temperatures and dry air.

Dry air can cause a large variety of health issues, ranging from respiratory problems to sore throat and itchy eyes.

All water… well, mostly

We humans are made mostly of water. This means all of our interconnected systems rely on water to function properly. When it’s cold out, our bodies need to work harder to perform the same tasks they would in warmer temperatures.

Depending on where in the world you live, you might need to deal with extreme temperatures, dry air, and other adverse conditions in the winter months.

When air is dry, your body’s moisture and hydration are used faster and need more frequent replenishing. In short: you need to take in more water and retain as much moisture as you can.

Fortunately, accommodating for the effects of dry winter air isn’t too difficult to do. 

Why you need winter-specific skincare in menopause

There’s less moisture in the air in the winter. This means that the air naturally sucks the moisture out of your body, and that moisture evaporates. Since your skin is made up of 64 percent water, you can imagine the impact that dry, winter air has on your skin.

Some of the symptoms of dry, winter skin include:

Tips to prevent dry skin

Skip the hot shower

It’s easy to want to take extra-long hot showers in cold weather. Yet, you’ll want to limit your shower time. Hot showers can actually dry skin out even further. In fact, hot showers are one of the top causes of dry, itchy skin.

Instead of a hot shower, try a warm or lukewarm one. 

Drink plenty of water

Yes, drinking water is an important way to stay hydrated “” especially in cold weather. 

In the summertime, it’s easy to get dehydrated since our bodies lose so much water when we sweat. But we usually drink more to compensate, because we’re thirsty and hot. Similarly in the winter, we still sweat, though we might not notice it as much. So you’ll want to track your intake to make sure you’re getting enough, even if you don’t feel thirsty. Staying hydrated in the winter is one of the easiest ways to help your skin retain moisture.

Use a humidifier

While you can’t always control what happens to your skin outside your home, you can control the climate inside. Since the air is so dry, cranking up the heat won’t help your skin “” in fact, it will probably make things worse.

Using a humidifier is your best bet to adding moisture back into the air. 

Humidifiers range in price from about $20 to over $100. Simply fill the humidifier with water and turn it on. Just remember to clean it regularly so you don’t pump bacteria into the air “” in addition to water.

Use gentle skin products

Your skin goes through so much additional stress in the winter; you want to make sure you’re treating it right all year long, so come January, the added dryness doesn’t send you over the edge.

Use gentle products with few chemicals “” especially synthetic scents, which can dry your skin out even further. Harsh chemicals can also dry and redden your skin even further. Gentle soaps and body washes are best.

Make friends with moisturizers, including vaginal skincare moisturizers. Vaginal tissue is thin and delicate, and for those in perimenopause or menopause, we know it can get desert-dry too. Consider making a plan to keep all of your skin’s tissues plump and hydrated. Thank us later, but get some relief now. 

Why you need winter eye care

Your eyes, just like the rest of your skin, are comprised of mostly water. And the tissue around your eyes is much thinner and more delicate. This means that come winter, they’re one of the first body parts to be a target for dry air. 

The most glaring symptoms of dry eyes (pun intended) are itchy eyes and red corneas. 

Dry air, indoor heating, and higher wind speeds in the winter can dry your eyes out in a hurry.

Tips to prevent dry eyes

To prevent dry eyes, follow some of the same tips you would to prevent dry skin: avoid harsh chemicals, use a humidifier, and drink plenty of water. And while hot showers might not affect your eyes too much, you will want to add a few additional tips to your repertoire in the winter to help your eyes retain their moisture.

Winter healthy eye and skincare dos and don’ts

Do use a humidifier to help pump moisture back into the air.

Don’t go crazy with the humidifier, as doing so might lead to other problems (such as mold).

Do take measures to prevent dry skin and eyes, as doing so will be easier than remedying the situation.

Don’t forget to drink plenty of water throughout the winter “” even though you may not feel as thirsty as in the summertime.

Do take warm or lukewarm showers to combat dry and itchy skin in menopause.

Don’t turn the water heater up too high (even though a hot shower in the winter feels great!).

Do wear sunglasses to avoid windburn and damaging winter UV rays.

Don’t wear your contacts too often, as they tend to dry out eyes.

Advanced level winter eye care and skincare

If you’re already in the thick of winter and prevention just won’t cut the mustard, add a few of these tips to your repertoire to return your eyes and skin to their natural pH balance:

If these sound like they’d take too much time, or you’d like to be able to do something right now for your skin and eyes, these quick tips will fit the bill: 

These are small ways to support your skin and your eyes during the winter season. Enjoy!

If you have more suggestions, questions, or can simply relate to this topic and want to weigh in, we welcome you. Click and join the Gennev Community forums and chime in.

 

Our nutrition coach and regular blogger Michelle Cartmel knows breaking up is hard to do, especially in the month of love. But sometimes we have to say good-bye “¦ especially when our “sweetie” is sugar.

Hey Ladies,

Question for you in this month of love: If you had to choose a long-term mate, which of these options has the qualities that would be most desirable to you, A or B?

A) Wild Like a Roller Coaster Ride, Addictive, Delicious but Dangerous, Sweet but Seldom Satiating
B) Consistent, Grounded in Goodness, Uplifting, Full of Good Taste

Clearly most of us would not choose A to describe our ideal long term partner, but funnily enough, a lot of us make that choice when it comes to our diet.

I’m talking about sugar.

You know, makes you feel all warm and fuzzy. After the first bite, you just can’t get enough, and then before you know it, you fall into a post-sugar slump. What happened to my buzz, that warm fuzz that makes my heart beat fast and ignites my spirit?

For many of us, sugar is a lifelong partner that we discovered in our youth, and because we’ve been together for so long, it’s next to impossible to shake the sugar habit. Breaking up can be hard to do, especially after a long term relationship, but I’ve got three reasons why saying goodbye to this sweetie can benefit you in the long run.

One. Sugar acts like a drug.

According to Dr. David Samadi, when we eat foods high in sugar, the reward centers of the brain are activated, and a large amount of dopamine is released which is what makes eating sugar feel so good.

When we eat high-sugar foods often, we develop a tolerance which in turn requires us to eat more sugar to get that same level of reward. Over time and with an over-stimulation of those reward centers, we develop an addiction to sugar because it simply makes us feel good when we eat it. Due to the powerful effects sugar has on the brain, it can be thought of like a drug in that it functions similarly to actual drugs like heroin and cocaine.

Two. Excess sugar consumption puts you on a fast track to weight gain.

According to the American Heart Association, the maximum amount of added sugars a woman should eat in a day is 25 grams/6 teaspoons, or 100 calories. So, let’s say you have a Starbucks Tall Non-Fat Vanilla Latte for breakfast. This single coffee contains 27 grams of sugar!

Imagine what other sugar calories are sneaking into your lunch, dinner and snacks throughout the day. Sugar is hidden in so many of the foods we eat, including the “healthy” ones, like yogurts, bars, salad dressings and “enriched” food products like pastas and breads. It’s easy to see how the sugar calories can add up to extra LBS when you aren’t paying close attention to what you are putting in your tank!

Three. Overindulging in sweets can have life-threatening effects.

A steady diet of too much sugar can lead to a litany of health problems, from high blood pressure to diabetes, heart disease, cancer, arthritis, liver disease and Alzheimer’s. Sure this sounds dramatic, and it should. If influencers like Michelle Obama and former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg are taking the time to advocate for sugar reduction in our diets, we need to take notice and understand that sugar is the underlying cause of our national health crisis and obesity epidemic.

One of my food heroes is nutrition guru Dr. Mark Hyman, author of the recently released book, Food, What the Heck Should I Eat? Dr. Hyman describes sugar as “toxic and addictive” and prescribes a diet rich in veggies, good fats, and lean proteins.

Dr. Hyman recently said on one of his Instagram posts that, “Food is the road to your fully expressed life,” and I couldn’t agree more. The only way to maximize that expression is with real, whole foods that optimize your health, not sugar-filled, manufactured products that are bereft of nutrients and deplete your livelihood.

So when looking for a long-term (food) partner, choose the one that has the characteristics of “B” to enjoy a fully expressed life. And if you are inclined to cheat on a “B” with an “A” every now and again, this kind of cheating is OK as long as it’s in moderation.

Cheers to your health,

Michelle

Get more great nutrition information from Michelle by checking out her other blogs on making friends with healthy fats, how to shop the Farmer’s Market, combating cancer with healthy foods, and more.

Have you given up sugar yet? Or tried to? It’s tough, no doubt about it, so we’d love to hear what worked and didn’t, so we can use your information for ourselves.  Share with the community in the comments below, or hit us up on Gennev’s Facebook page or Midlife & Menopause Solutions, Gennev’s closed Facebook group.

 

“Every woman that reaches middle age will experience some level of menopause symptoms. Left untreated, these symptoms can lead to a significant reduction in quality of life,” says Gennev Chief Medical Officer, OB/GYN Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su.

And because none of the 1.3 million American women who enter menopause each year will have exactly the same experience as another “” and because two women can have vastly different experiences “” there’s never been a real attempt to chart the journey through the transition.

Until now.

Recently we crossed a major milestone here at Gennev: 50,000 women have taken our Menopause Assessment! Created in 2017 by Dr. Dunsmoor-Su, the comprehensive Gennev Menopause Assessment asks women for information about their age, menstrual cycles, symptoms, and history.

Based on women’s responses and Dr. Dunsmoor-Su’s 20+ years of expertise as an OB/GYN with special expertise in menopause, we identified five distinct menopause types. From there, Dr. Dunsmoor-Su, along with our CEO Jill Angelo, created the first-of-its-kind Menopause Journey Map.

Why the map for menopause stages matters

Why is the map a big deal? According to Dr. Dunsmoor-Su, “We’re excited to deliver the Menopause Journey Map to help set expectations for women and offer predictive solutions for symptom relief, something that’s never been done before.”

If you’re a Type 1 (periods becoming irregular, occasional hot flashes), it might be very helpful to know what probably lies ahead in Type 2 (skipping periods, heavy periods, some hot flashes, poor sleep). You can start making lifestyle changes now to combat symptoms, and perhaps the first time you experience normal, harmless, hormonal heart palpitations, you’ll know how to distinguish them from something more serious.

Perimenopause is an opportunity to start practicing some serious self-care in terms of diet, exercise, sleep hygiene, and more. But many women miss a lot of this window, not knowing the symptoms they’re experiencing are hormonal. And if your primary physician isn’t well-educated on menopause (as many aren’t), they may not know either.

Too many women spend years being misdiagnosed, or worse, ignored, before getting the answers they need. But because our health in perimenopause can affect our longer-term, post-menopausal health (think brain, bones, and heart), it’s important that we know when we’re in it.

And no, your getting hormone levels tested probably won’t tell you.

Hear more about the map from the creator of the Menopause Assessment, Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su:

What are the Menopause Types?

Our Menopause Map breaks menopause into 5 types. (A detailed overview of Menopause Types is available here):

Knowing your symptoms and cycles is the best way of pinpointing your place in the journey, but to truly understand your body, it helps to discuss your experience with a menopause expert.

Know where you are in the journey

Cliché or not, knowledge truly is power as the power to take control: To manage perimenopause and menopause symptoms now, and to make good choices to preserve your health, independence, and quality of life for the many decades that come after menopause.

“For too long, women’s health 40+ has been treated as shameful, but with GenX women aging into midlife, demands for menopause information, community, and solutions are on the rise,” says Jill Angelo, co-founder and CEO of Gennev. “The healthcare industry has been stubborn to evolve, but now we have the data, software, diagnostics, products, and services that allow us to tackle menopause symptoms head on. We have the ability to create the What to Expect When You’re Expecting for menopause.”

If you’re ready to find out your Menopause Type and start charting your path on the Menopause Journey Map, the first step is to take the Gennev Menopause Assessment. This free and confidential questionnaire takes less than 10 minutes.

Once your Assessment is complete, you’ll be directed to create a free account on Gennev. From your personal, confidential dashboard, you can learn all about your menopause type, get product recommendations specific to your symptoms, find educational materials tailored for you, and connect with a Health Coach or OB/GYN. Then, with your Gennev menopause team, you can build the plan that’s right for you.

The definition of menopause is actually really simple: it’s just one day. Menopause is the one-year anniversary of your last period. This is perhaps the only thing about menopause that’s “simple.” But menopause doesn’t have to be unpleasant or something to dread. With knowledge and a Menopause Plan, you can survive and thrive through the transition and for many many years beyond.

 

Menopause Journey Map

 

From the wellness expert who brought you “sleep hacks: herbs for sleeplessness and anxiety“ comes another video packed to the eyeballs with healthy herbal goodness.

This time, Jovanka is taking on another common menopausal symptom: digestive disruption.

“Your digestion is at the cornerstone of your health.
Without a healthy gut, everything else will start to fall apart eventually.”

As estrogen levels fall in midlife, cortisol levels rise, bumping up both your blood pressure and your blood sugar levels. The hormonal imbalance can slow digestion, causing gas, bloating, constipation, pain, and indigestion.

There are lifestyle changes you can make to help control the problem: eat slowly, drink plenty of water with your food, choose foods in menopause that help with digestion (are high in fiber), get enough sleep, and exercise regularly. But for many women, lifestyle changes don’t provide sufficient relief, and digestive symptoms as and the risk of embarrassment as really cramp their social and professional lives along with their stomachs.

So if bumping up your intake of leafy greens isn’t enough, Jovanka has some great suggestions of herbs that can help regulate your digestion and get your gut back on track. 

 Want more herbal relief? Check out Jovanka’s ebook, 12 Libido-Enhancing Herbs, for even more support of your healthy, fabulous life.

Jovanka is a featured expert at People Magazine, Entertainment Tonight, Whole Foods, Veria Living, Fox News LA, NPR and CBS Radio. She’s also a regular contributor in Spanish-language media outlets like Telemundo and is a contributing guest expert at The Huffington Post, MindBodyGreen, BlogHer and PositivelyPositive. Jovanka gave her first TEDx talk on “Rethinking Failure” in November 2013. Want more Jovanka (and who doesn’t, frankly)? Check out her creation: the Wellness Smackdown , an online wellness & learning community for healthy living, which was featured on the first season of ABC’s “My Diet Is Better Than Yours.” Jovanka also offers lectures, workshops and wellness coaching in both English and Spanish.

 

As a nutrition coach, I frequently field questions from my clients who are concerned about whether or not they are getting adequate amounts of protein in their diets.

While I think the concern is valid, I do believe that the hyper-focus on this food group is a byproduct of a trend that I like to call “Labelmania.” Everyone is talking about what their nutrition label is these days, and many of the labels du jour have a protein-centric approach, from Paleo and Atkins to Ketosis. I feel like I can’t go to a social outing anymore without people asking me what or how I eat!

Pushing protein

Speaking of labels, another culprit fueling the protein phenomenon is food marketers who overpromote our need for protein on their packaging. It’s hard to walk down a grocery and avoid being drawn to these colorful, impactful labels.

Power Bar is a perfect example of this. Their Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Plus Bar boasts a whopping 20-30 grams of protein. Sounds great, right? What they don’t promote on the label is the 12 grams of sugar in the bar and the nearly 20 ingredients it contains, most of which are impossible to pronounce.

These labels and messages around protein are everywhere, from TV commercials to social media. It’s so much information, and it can be completely confusing.

I’m here to help, because I want you to know that this whole protein thing doesn’t need to be complicated. I’ve created a list of four protein pointers that will help you get the protein you need without the stress. They’re easy to follow and will help you cut through the marketing and Labelmania clutter.

1. Know how much protein you really need

It’s easy to make your protein quota! Did you know that the average woman needs approximately 46 grams of protein each day?

It doesn’t take much effort to get to 46 grams; even if you’re a vegetarian. For example, if you consume a 3.5 oz serving of salmon (25 grams) + 2 eggs (12 grams) + 23 almonds (6 grams) + 1/2 cup quinoa (11 grams), you’re at about 54 grams of protein for the day. That’s pretty easy to attain and you didn’t even have to eat a bar!

2. Get protein power from plants

Put plant-based proteins in your portfolio. Protein doesn’t need to mean meat, meat, meat. There are so many nutrient-dense, plant-based proteins to fill your plate with AND satiate your appetite.

Some of my favorite plant proteins are lentils, chickpeas, quinoa, almonds, kale, tofu and broccoli. Animal-based proteins are an important part of your diet, but it’s important to be cognizant that excessive amounts can be detrimental to your health.

Experts agree that if you eat more protein than your body requires, it will simply convert most of those calories to sugar and then fat. Increased blood sugar levels can also feed pathogenic bacteria and yeast, such as Candida albicans (candidiasis), as well as fueling cancer cell growth.

3. Go protein au naturel

Reduce your intake of man-made proteins. I get it, you’re busy, and it’s way easier to grab a bar than it is a piece of chicken breast when you’re starving and on the go.

If you are truly concerned about your health and what you are putting in your tank, then remember the Power Bar I told you about earlier. Sure, you might be getting protein, but you’re also getting a whole lot of other fake ingredients that detract from any “good” you’re doing.

I’m not asking you to quit bars cold turkey, but reduce your intake of on-the-go wrapped protein options, and find some other smart, on-the-go solutions.

Starbucks is doing a great job with their Mercato products; from their sous vide egg bites to their protein boxes with hard boiled eggs and hummus. If you’re going to do a bar, I’m a fan of Kind and RXBAR bars, as they have minimal ingredients.

4. Time it right

On workout days, timing is everything! If you have an intense workout, time your protein intake correctly pre and post workout to avoid the hangries. This is important at any age, but it is especially crucial now when hormones can play such a key role in our moods.

By timing our protein intake around workouts, we can manage through the hangries and the roller coaster effect of feeling food-deprived. On workout days, eat a 3- or 4-to-1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein one hour before and after exercise to ensure your muscles are fueled and replenished. By pairing proteins and carbs, you can slow sugar absorption and help stave off food cravings.

The bottom line is this: protein is a powerhouse that has many powerful effects on your body and mind, but your focus should be a well-rounded diet that also includes lots of vegetables, fruits and healthy carbohydrates.

Try to follow my pointers and try not to get too caught up in Labelmania. It really doesn’t matter what label you’re wearing, it’s how you go about wearing it.

Cheers to your health!
Michelle

More from Michelle:

The holidays are coming round again (canyoubelieveit?). Be ready for the stress “” and the stress eating. Looking for a better way to feed yourself and your family? Be sure to check out how to shop your Farmers’ Market and buy from the bulk aisle!

How are you feeding yourself for optimal health? We’d love to know. Share with the community in the comments below, or hit us up on Gennev’s Facebook page or Midlife & Menopause Solutions, Gennev’s closed Facebook group.

 

One of the many reasons we love walking for exercise in midlife and menopause is because it is an easy, accessible way for most women to stay active and get outdoors. But what do you do when hot and humid, cold and rainy, or snowy and icy weather keeps you inside?  Don’t use it as an excuse to skip your workout!

Keep Moving With An Indoor Walking Workout 

Most days, you can make some adjustments, dress appropriately, and weather the storm or the heat. For the days when it’s unsafe or impractical to walk outside, turn to our three indoor workouts that will boost your mood, fight belly fat, give you more energy, and help ease those menopause symptoms. The change of pace will also challenge your body in new ways and add variety to your usual routine. Plus, consistency is the key to seeing results from your exercise efforts.

These three workouts can be done in the comfort of your home (or at the gym) no matter what the weather may be.

Workout 1:  The 30-Minute Treadmill Trio

One of the great things about walking on a treadmill is that you’re in command. You control the climate. You can easily walk a precise distance and track your progress. You can add hills when you want them and get rid of them when you don’t. You can multitask while you walk, watching TV, talking on the phone, scrolling social media, or checking your email. Or you can get focused and crank out a heart-pumping, calorie-blasting walk like this one. Adding speed and incline intervals will rev up the fat-burning power of your walk.

Warm-up (easy to moderate intensity)

Part 1: Steady pace (moderate intensity)

Part 2: Speed intervals (moderate to hard intensity)

Part 3: Hill climb burst (moderate to very hard intensity)

Cool-down (moderate to easy intensity)

Workout 2:  15-minute High-Energy Indoor Workout

You don’t need any equipment or a lot of space to get an indoor, energy-boosting walk. Unlike walking outdoors, you can safely change the direction and ways your moving””going side-to-side and forward and backward and adding moves like kicks and knee lifts””to work more muscles, which prevents muscle imbalances and boosts your calorie burn. So, turn up your favorite tunes and get moving.

Warm-up

1 minute: march in place

Part 1: Fancy Footwork

30 seconds: walk on your heels with your toes off the floor

30 seconds: walk on your toes with your heels off the floor

Repeat Part 1 one more time

Part 2: Fast Feet

1 minute: speed walk around your house, exploring as many rooms as possible

Repeat Part 2 one more time

Part 3: Multi-direction Moves

1 minute: climb stairs (no stairs? Step up and down on a single step, exercise step bench, or sturdy low bench, or speed walk around your house again)

Repeat Part 3 one more time

Cool-down

1 minute: march in place

Workout 3:  Add 5 Moves for Total-Body Toning

Add these moves to either the 30-minute Treadmill Trio or 15-minute High Energy Indoor Workout. You can turn either of those previous walking workouts into a total body, toning workout by adding our strength moves for walkers. These multi-muscle exercises will build strength to protect your joints, preserve muscle to keep you active, and improve your balance.

Here’s how to do it: After each part of the workouts above, including the warm-ups and cool-downs, do one of the moves in our strength moves for walkers video, completing 10 to 12 reps of each.

For example:

Want to get more from your walks? Join the Get Moving Walking Program for Women to receive two 30-day walking programs designed by women for women, support from certified fitness instructors and Gennev menopause specialists, as well as special offers and incentives.

Always check with your physician before beginning any new exercise program.  

 

As I look back on 2019, it was an amazing year for women in the second half of life.

Everywhere we turned, we saw women owning their lives. From celebrities to politicians; career-focused women to those who have mastered their family needs, we witnessed women taking charge. We also heard from women who were suffering from changes in their health, and from others making huge strides in their well-being.

This article is dedicated to you. As a community, you grew thirty-percent: 85% of you are from the U.S. and 15% of you are from countries around the world.

You showed us that you’re hungry for information, so we recapped the Top 10 articles most read by this community to bring 2019 to a close.

As the team and I curated this special edition, we were struck by the diversity of what women in midlife must deal with. It’s not just menopause. It’s also aging parents, kids, careers, discerning fact from fiction, feeling appreciated in life and finding gratitude and contentment.

We hope you enjoy “” even share “” this recap of 2019. Here’s to an incredible year for women’s health. The best is yet to come!

Happy New Year!

 

 

 

 

Jill Angelo,

Co-Founder and CEO, Gennev

Compounded bioidentical hormones

Looking for a more “natural” solution for menopause symptoms, many women are choose bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. But what is BHRT? Is it safer than HRT? Get the facts on hormones, compounding, hormone “matching,” and how to be your own best advocate when it comes to your care. Read the full article.

Is this normal?

It’s the question we at Gennev hear most often: I’m experiencing X as is this normal? Chances are, yes. Yes, it is. And we’re so glad you asked. We believe the more women (and others) know about the changes of menopause, the safer we’ll all be. So keep asking, and we’ll keep helping you find answers. Read more on what’s “normal” in perimenopause.

Benefit from a gratitude practice

Gratitude is good for you. It may be hard to come by when you’re waking up and changing PJs for the third time in one night, but gratitude is actually a powerful healer. Find things to be grateful for, and you may find you have more than you imagined. Learn more about the benefits of gratitude.

Helping caregivers take care of themselves 

The “average” caregiver is a 49-year-old woman “” likely also in the throes of the menopause transition. If you’re caring for an elderly parent, ailing partner, young children, etc., you’re at more risk of injury and depression. Find out how to care for you while you’re caring for everyone else.

Internet hygiene in menopause

This term, coined by OB/GYN Dr. Jen Gunter, is about how to parse through all the health “information” you find on the Internet. Our own Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su, provides some wisdom around vetting online sources to keep yourself safe and informed.

The right way to get calcium in menopause

Remember when “getting calcium” just meant drinking a glass of milk? As we age, our nutrient needs change, and calcium is a biggie. Be sure you know the best ways and times to get your calcium to maximize its benefits to your body.

I think I had my first hot flash

Gennev CEO Jill Angelo talks about having her first hot flash, and how modern women and companies like Gennev are changing the definition of “menopause as the beginning of the end” to better reflect the truth: that it’s the start of a second chapter that can be just as rewarding as the first. 

Healing from a hysterectomy

About a third of American women will have a hysterectomy by age 60. Because it’s so common, and because it’s serious surgery, our Docs of Physical Therapy took us through ways women can prepare for it, recover from it, and move forward in a healthful way. Read more about how to heal from a hysterectomy.

Practicing safe supplements

You suspect you probably need to take a supplement or two to meet all your nutrient needs. You head for the grocery store vitamin aisle and immediately want to give up. There are just too many choices and not enough information. Until now! Practice safe supplementing.

Flash Count Diary podcast with Darcey Steinke

Writer Darcey Steinke had a hot flash and started identifying with whales “” in a good way. Certain whales experience menopause because their experience and wisdom is more important to their communities than their ability to have babies. Sound familiar? Listen to this fun podcast with a gifted writer on the transformative experience menopause can and should be.

What articles did you get the most from this year? Did you share any articles with friends? If so, which ones? We’d love to know, so please share your thoughts with us on the Gennev community forums!

 

More and more, experts are recommending a diet heavy in healthy, plant-based foods (vegetables, greens, fruits, nuts, grains, and legumes) and light on animal products (meat, eggs, cheese, milk, and other dairy products) and processed foods to improve health in midlife and beyond.

Every body is different, but there are a few reasons to consider eating more plants and less meat:

Whether your goal is to go fully vegan (consuming no animal products at all, including meat, eggs, and dairy), vegetarian, follow a Mediterranean diet, eat fewer animal products in general, or go meatless once a week (#MeatlessMonday), any new dietary change requires at least a little effort and commitment. 

Here are a few tips for making plant-based modifications stick.

Please note: while we do recommend products and books, none of this content is sponsored. These are resources we’ve found helpful and think may help you. Talk to your doctor (or one of our menopause practitioners) before making any dietary changes.

1. Remember: veggies are part of any healthy diet

Many people approach vegetarianism with the idea that you will be eating more produce (and hence, more kitchen prep time) than you did before, but they forget that fruits and vegetables should be a part of any healthy diet: 50% of your plate should be leafy greens and veggies.

If you think about it this way, you’re really just swapping out the protein. That’s not so hard, is it?

2. But don’t just eat vegetables

Plant-based doesn’t mean only eating fruits and vegetables; you still need protein (see below for more info on this), healthy fats, and carbs. You’ll become fatigued and hungry quickly if you remove animal products and don’t replace them with their nutritional equivalent: not a recipe for long-term success!

3. “Vegan” does not always mean “healthy”

Vegan donuts, cookies, cakes, ice cream, pizza, and burgers may not have cholesterol but are highly processed treats to be eaten in moderation. 

Still, a good vegan cupcake can be life-changing: plant-based eating doesn’t have to mean deprivation!

4. Educate yourself on nutrition

A healthy plant-based diet will give you almost all of the nutrients you need. The one exception is vitamin B-12, which is mainly found in animal products like meat, eggs, and dairy. When you’re limiting your consumption of animal products, consider shopping for a good quality supplement or research and eat some vitamin-fortified foods.  

“Wait,” you may ask, “I’m not going to get everything I need from the food I eat?” You may be surprised that many of your favorite nutritional powerhouses, like milk and bread, are actually fortified with minerals like iron or vitamins.

Educate yourself a bit on nutrition and, again, talk to your doctor before making any dietary changes. 

5. “Where do you get your protein?”

You may have been told your whole life that you need meat to get enough protein, but a healthy plant-based diet provides more than an adequate supply.

Beans and other legumes, grains, nuts and seeds, tofu, and even many vegetables are excellent sources of plant-based protein.

You’ve probably heard that to get a complete plant-based protein, you need to eat beans or tofu with rice or some other grain. While most plant-based protein sources are missing one or more of the nine amino acids that form a complete protein, your liver stores amino acids for later use, so as long as you’re getting everything you need in a 24-hour period, you don’t need to be militant about pairing complementary amino acids.

6. Say yes to soy in midlife

Soy sometimes gets a bad rap, but experts at Harvard University say that soy has either a beneficial or neutral effect in the body, especially as estrogen levels decline. 

The phytoestrogens in soy called isoflavones can mimic the protective effects of estrogen in the body, potentially helping with hot flashes, type 2 diabetes, depression, bone loss, cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, and dementia.

As with many nutrients, phytoestrogens are best when consumed through the diet; the American Cancer Society recommends against soy supplements. 

A note on tofu: Plain, raw tofu can be unappealing, but so is unseasoned chicken. It’s all about the flavor and texture: play around with marinades, sauces, and preparation methods, like pressing, frying, and grilling it.

7. Branch out and try new dishes at your favorite restaurants 

Chinese, Ethiopian, Indian, and Thai are just a few of the global cuisines with a focus on vegetables and are easily made without meat. Keep in mind that many Indian dishes are often cooked with clarified butter (ghee) and Thai curries generally have fish sauce, but most restaurants will be more than happy to work with your needs.

8. Dine at a few vegan restaurants

Who does plant-based food better than plant-based chefs? Vegan restaurants are popping up all over the country, and not just in big West Coast cities: Omaha, Nebraska is home to one of the top-rated vegan restaurants in the U.S.

A quick search on Google or HappyCow can help you find options in your area.

9. Cook like the pros

Try one of these cookbooks:

Your local library will have these or other options for you to explore with no financial commitment. And, of course, you can always search for recipes online for whatever you’re craving.

If you don’t even know where to start, a plant-based meal service (like Purple Carrot), online or offline cooking classes (like Rouxbe), or YouTube videos can give you the confidence you need.

10. Many of your favorite dishes are already plant-based (or close to it)

You don’t need to venture too far out of your comfort zone! Think about all the things you eat that are naturally plant-based or could easily be modified: hearty green salads, fruit salad, spaghetti and marinara sauce, vegetable or lentil soup, curries, falafel, burritos, banana bread, and even a good ol’ PB&J.

When you’re on the run, Burger King and White Castle offer the Impossible burger, and Chipotle and Taco Bell have many great options for vegetarians and vegans. Bonus: if you hold the meat in your Chipotle burrito, guac is free. #score

11. Keep it simple

Any transition is stressful enough, so stick with cooking easy meals: stir-fried veggies and tofu, smoothies, bean-based chili, pasta, tacos, kebabs with tofu and veggies, soups, and steel-cut oatmeal are approachable weekday options.

If you still don’t know where to start, fill your plate with salad and veggies.

12. Recreate your favorite dishes

Craving lasagna? Scalloped potatoes? With a few substitutions, almost anything you already love to cook can be made plant-based: mashed banana or egg replacer fill in for eggs in baked goods, tofu or a store-bought substitute like Beyond Meat can stand up against meat in many dishes, and a non-dairy milk like soy, almond, or oat subs for cow’s milk.

Look for a recipe online if you can’t convert one from a favorite cookbook.

13. Take it at your own pace

Some people change their diet cold turkey and never look back, while others prefer to gradually make the switch. 

Some people find that swapping out a beef patty for an Impossible burger is something they can stick to right away, while others prefer to start with whole foods that don’t imitate the meat or dairy they crave.

Over time, you’ll find it to be easier and easier to manage.

14. Plant-based diets have a reputation for being expensive, but they don’t have to be

Veggie meat and non-dairy options are better than they have ever been. There’s more variety, better quality, and you don’t even have to go to the “granola” grocery store to find them.

Still, processed foods are expensive and not always healthy. Save money by buying nuts, dry beans, and other staples in bulk and sticking to whole foods. 

And what’s cheaper than rice and beans? If this sounds punitive, you just haven’t had good rice and beans.

15. You may need to swap more than just the food

You and your partner used to love date night at the local steakhouse, but your only plant-based option there now is a sad garden salad.

If date night is really just about the meat, you’re out of luck (in many ways), but happy couples really just want to spend time together. 

Switch it up! Swap a food-date for an activity- or adventure-date. Explore new restaurants, go for a hike, play pool at the local dive, or find other ways the two of you can share a special connection.

16. Don’t restrict yourself

If you want to eat something that’s not plant-based, eat it. If date night needs steak, eat steak. If your mother will be upset if you don’t eat her famous lasagna “” and you want her famous lasagna “” then eat lasagna.

Restricting yourself too much will make you resentful. If you’re doing this for your health, you have the motivation to keep it up; a few missteps won’t hurt and could even improve your long-term approach.

17. One bad plant-based meal or product doesn’t mean that all plant-based food is bad

If you go to a bad burger joint, you don’t think that all burgers are bad. You just had a bad meal.

The same goes for plant-based dining and products. You may need to try different foods or, say, different brands of vegan cheese until you find what you like.

18. Your family doesn’t need to be on board (though it helps!)

If you’re the cook in the family, you know that it’s already hard enough to feed a picky teenager or spouse without adding another complication.

If you’re tempted to cook separate meals for yourself, opt instead for a la carte: serve meat, cheese, or dressing on the side with pasta or salad or put together a taco, burrito, or baked potato bar so that everyone can add what they want.

19. Find community

Everything is easier with a support network. You are going to have questions, question your commitment, and maybe even encounter a few other issues. If you don’t know anyone else who is trying to cut down on meat, eggs, and dairy, search for online communities on Facebook, Meet-up, or YouTube. And definitely join our Community too.

20. Remember why you’re doing this

You’re changing your diet so that you can see all the places you want to see in retirement. You’re doing it to take up that hobby you’re always wanted to try. You’re doing it to keep up with your grandchildren. You’re doing it to feel better and live longer. Remember this when the going gets tough. Feeling better and living better is worth it.

 

Are you ready to adopt and activate any of these tips toward eating a more plant-based diet? Share your favorites, and your progress in our Community. We’d love to cheer you on, too!

 

What if you could relax more easily, decrease anxiety, symptoms of depression, fall asleep easily, improve the quality of your sleep, even signal increased anti-inflammatory and self-regulatory body responses at will? We can.

And…bonus! It’s free and easy to do. 

We almost don’t have to think about it to get the benefits.

While scientific research and verification are still underway, it might be worth attempting to activate the vagus nerve regularly with simple breathing exercises in order to engage the parasympathetic nervous system. This will begin to take us into a “rest and digest” mode, and out of the sympathetic system’s “fight, flight or freeze”.

Chances are good you’re more familiar with your sympathetic nervous system. This system is the one that boosts the body’s heart rate, directs blood flow to key systems and organs, and increases alertness, via rapid hormone release. All of this is in order to prepare the body for the fight, flight, or freeze response in a dangerous or stressful situation. 

Wired, but tired

Feeling wired-but-tired may be an indicator that your sympathetic nervous system is working harder than it needs to, especially if you’ve got that feeling in non-stressful, non-emergency situations. Perhaps you’ve felt it while watching television, or while trying to fall asleep in the comfort and safety of your home. Or maybe you find it challenging to rest or get to a state of relaxation in general.

You’re not alone

Dr. Deepak Chopra, notes that “Our society is on sympatheic overdrive.” Meaning, many of us are in a constant or chronic state of high alert. What else does this mean for our bodies to be in an almost constant state of emergency alert? 

It increases our risks for high blood pressure, inflammation throughout the body, heart disease, cardiac arrhythmias. Getting out of the sympathetic nervous system and into the parasympathetic system takes little effort, and we’re all halfway there by breathing all the time anyway. With a tiny bit of modification, we may reap the benefits of improved health and wellbeing, reduce our risks for heart disease, symptoms of anxiety, and depression.

Fun facts about the vagus nerve

Which is the longest nerve in your body, with a path to almost every organ? It’s the 10th cranial nerve in the body and it wanders from above the mid-brain throughout your body, all the way down to your colon: the vagus nerve. Ta-da!

As a part of the parasympathetic nervous system in our bodies, the vagus nerve influences lung, heart, gut, and diaphragm activity, not to mention facial expressions, speaking and swallowing functions. And it’s possible to activate, support, and bring balance into our bodies regularly by engaging and activating the vagus nerve.

Vagus nerve breathing exercises for engagement

Breathing slowly and deeply is the path to engaging the vagus nerve and improving what’s known as vagal tone. 

Breathing in and out through your nose, inhaling and exhaling to the count of 4. Spend 2-ish minutes and breathe 10 breaths of inhale and exhale at the count of 4 for each, and see how you feel.

Play with it. Perhaps you can slow your number of inhales and exhales per minute even more by inhaling to a count of 5 and then exhaling to a count of 6 or 8 for another series of 10 breaths.

What does this do? 

It provides a balancing effect on your nervous system. When you practice this type of breathing, and other non-invasive methods to activate your vagus nerve, improve your heart rate variability (HRV), so your body can relax faster and easier after a period of stress. This breathing exercise can also help you to relax and fall asleep.

Vagus nerve stimulation

There are medical procedures and devices that have been adopted to stimulate the vagus nerve in order to treat epilepsy and mental health including depression. There was a study done in 2016 for those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis as well. 

Ongoing research is currently underway for inflammatory diseases such as Crohn’s, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, as well as rapid cycling bipolar and anxiety disorders.

More support, not less

How to incorporate a new practice that may ease menopause symptoms, and even help to decrease inflammation, reduce the risk of heart disease? Maybe all you need are a few suggestions to prompt you to engage your parasympathetic nervous system during the day? You could begin to breathe slowly and deeply when you: 

Where else, and what else, might prompt you to take a more conscious, deeper breath?

But wait, there’s more

Additional ways to engage your vagus nerve and your parasympathetic nervous system:

Coaching and additional support may be of help as you navigate through your menopause transition. Make a simple start by slowing and deepening your breathing. The hardest thing about this suggestion may be remembering to do it. 

 

What did you discover when you tried to engage your parasympathetic nervous system via your vagus nerve? We’d love to hear what you’ve experienced in our Community forums. Join, and share.

 

Inflammation, food allergies, and food reactivity are on the rise, making optimal health harder to achieve. We wanted to know why there are so many issues with foods these days, and what people can do to feel better.

Jill sat down with holistic health coach Amanda Giralmo of WellthieLife to talk about food, chronic inflammation, and how we can make better food choices to support our health. Here’s what she learned:

1:11
Discovering our life’s true path often starts with fixing a problem within ourselves. For Amanda Giralmo, founder of Wellthie Life, bringing herself back to health and wholeness after a difficult divorce helped her uncover her passion for leading others to their best selves. She tells us how she found the strength to take that journey.

3:24
Did she feel she needed permission to take that journey, considering it meant taking time off and focusing on herself? We asked her how she came to that very necessary decision.

4:39
The experience brought her to where she is now, helping others as a certified holistic health coach focused on lowering inflammation. So, we asked her, what is inflammation, what causes it, and why is it so bad for us when it becomes “chronic”? Amanda explains the importance of the gut microbiome and how long-term inflammation damages the good bacteria we depend on for optimal health. (Ever heard the expression “leaky gut”?) What are the long-term consequences of inflammation?

9:22
Chronic inflammation caused by eating the wrong foods can be constant, if you consider how often we eat. Fifty million people as at least as suffer an autoimmune disease in the US. Knowing the right foods to eat for our bodies can help us avoid that fate, Amanda says.

10:26
So what are the symptoms? So many people have chronic inflammation due to eating foods they’re sensitive to, so clearly we’re not all as in-tune with our bodies as we should be. How can we know we need to change?

11:49
How does this condition start? Amanda tells us that formation of a healthy gut goes all the way back to how we’re born and our very first food. She also tells us what we do as adults that can cause inflammation besides eating the wrong foods.

14:25
As Amanda knows from her own personal story, stress is a major cause of inflammation. She talks about how stress affects us and what happens when we’re not able to “rest and digest.”

15:25
OK, so we’re chronically inflamed. If that inflammation isn’t reduced or eliminated, what can happen? The consequences can be pretty dire, Amanda warns us. Hear why you want to reduce that inflammation, like, yesterday.

16:17
What’s the difference between a food allergy and a reactivity or sensitivity? Both are signs of chronic inflammation, Amanda tells us, but allergies may be easier to detect. Because sensitivities can be slow and sneaky, we tend to just live with the discomfort for years. Amanda gives us the simple diagnostic.

17:34
Does aging have anything to do with inflammation? Yes, says Amanda, particularly in women, the lack of reproductive hormones makes chronic inflammation more apparent in women in midlife. She tells us the thinking around the intersection between inflammation and menopause.

18:34
Amanda has developed a three-phase program to help her clients eliminate harmful foods from their diet. Through the program, clients heal their bodies by identifying what causes the reactivity and learning to avoid or manage those triggers as with Amanda providing resources, guidance, and support throughout.

20:57
The program takes time to work through: Amanda gives us an idea of how long it typically takes to begin healing the chronic inflammation. And you don’t get to cheat, she warns us: eating a trigger food will set your body back to start.

21:55
It’s not an easy process, but the results can be well worth the effort. Amanda shares with us a client’s experience of losing weight, regaining energy, and generally feeling like embracing life again.

24:40
The role of “coach” gets interesting when the goals are so intensely personal. Amanda tells us about keep clients honest and their need to confess and apologize when they cheat or backslide. “I’m just here to play support and accountability,” Amanda says, “It’s all about what they need to do for themselves.”

25:09
If you need Amanda, how do you find her? The quickest way is by going to her website: wellthielife.com. (It’s a great place to find a whole lot of information, incidentally.) The initial, 50-minute consultation with Amanda is complimentary. It’s important to find a coach who’s a good “fit,” Amanda tells us, so choose your coach carefully.

Many thanks to Amanda for sharing her expertise with us. Also, be sure to check out her Guided Meditation for Beginners, a six-minute start to a better day. You can find her meditation in the sidebar of gennev.com.

Want to learn more about how to eat for optimal health? Check out our podcasts with nutritionist and Food Peace advocate Julie Duffy Dillon: Making Peace with Food and Accepting Your Midlife Body. And don’t miss Michelle Cartmel’s blog on How to Shop the Bulk Aisle to access all the nutrition and remedies for women in midlife and menopause.

If you’ve done a “detox” or otherwise taken on chronic inflammation, we’d love to know what you did and how it worked for you. Tell us about your experience in the comments below, on the Gennev Facebook page, or in Midlife & Menopause Solutions, our closed Facebook group.

 

Did you know there are foods to avoid in menopause? Depending on whether you knew or not, this could be good news or not so good news. Let’s start with the good news and what happens when you limit or remove these foods from your diet.  Many common menopause symptoms decrease in severity and/or frequency. That’s huge when you’re talking about an experience where one often feels powerless. So, good because power. But bad because one link of sausage rather than two. We don’t know about you, but it feels like the possible positives far outweigh the negatives. 

If you need a personalized diet or plan, a menopause-certified health coach can be helpful. Book 30 minutes for your personal consultation with a health coach.

6 Foods That Need to Go In Menopause

The six foods listed below aren’t “bad” when consumed in moderation. Yet, it’s easy to overdo it when it comes to all six. In fact, at least one of them has been labeled more addictive than cocaine. Not exactly a selling point, and yet another reason to think twice about what you put in your mouth.

Now, it’s feasible that we’re about to tell you many of your favorite edible options need to either exit your diet all-together, or, at the very least, make far fewer appearances in your meals. And that’s hard. We get it. So we’re also going to look at how best to go about removing/restricting these foods from your life, and what to replace them with. Remember, the likelihood of less severe and/or lower frequency menopausal symptoms. And the added bonus of taking out the non-nutritional trash and increasing your intake of the healthy fuel your body needs to be strong, stable, and ready to support you through whatever comes your way. Let’s get started!

1. Caffeine

Caffeine isn’t so bad when consumed in moderation. In fact, it boasts plenty of health benefits. Most people can consume about one cup of coffee a day without any side effects. Sadly, Americans generally drink much more than their recommended share of caffeine.

Coworkers crowd around the coffee machine in break rooms, Starbucks can be found on every block in major cities, and beverages such as sodas and even kombucha have caffeine, too. 

Because chocolate and coffee flavoring often contain caffeine, your late-night ice cream snack or pudding cup may need to go. Even your pain reliever could be hiding caffeine, which is great for speeding relief, but less so when you’re trying to minimize hot flashes in menopause and/or night sweats. The reason? Experts suggest caffeine consumption exacerbates menopausal vasomotor symptoms–hot flashes and night sweats that occur due to the constriction or dilation of blood vessels.

2. Alcohol

Alcohol plays a major role in our society. We toast the new year with a glass of bubbly, socialize with coworkers and friends at happy hour, and some even drink a sip during the sacrament at church. 

Again, drinking alcohol in moderation is perfectly fine. But even in moderation, it can really amp up menopause symptoms such as headaches, hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings. It can even contribute to depression if you’re drinking heavily. As for why alcohol can increase menopausal symptoms? The jury is still out, but two theories include alcohol impacting our already fluctuating hormones and dilation of blood vessels (we do recommend you try Libeeration beer for menopause symptoms!)

3. Processed Foods

Potato chips. Donuts. Frozen pizza. What do these delicious items all have in common? They’re part of the processed foods group, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture defines as “any raw agricultural commodity that has been subject to washing, cleaning, milling, cutting, chopping, heating, pasteurizing, blanching, cooking, canning, freezing, drying, dehydrating, mixing, packaging, or other procedures that alter the food from its natural state.” 

That’s a big list, so let’s narrow it down by what to watch out for. Inflammation, bloating, weight gain symptoms, and fatigue can all intensify thanks to the unhealthy levels of sugar and sodium found in most processed foods. 

4. Sugary Foods

Processed sugar (sugar not occurring naturally in foods such as fruit, but rather sugar added to foods and beverages) can make your blood sugar levels higher,  which can lead to more intense/frequent hot flashes, sweating in general, and brain fog. With the sugar industry deciding to not play fair by employing 60 different names for sugar on product labels, you might find it tricky to track how much of the white stuff you’re taking in. 

5. Spicy Foods

This one is pretty easy to figure out. Under normal circumstances, foods that rate high on the heat scale can cause sweating, flushing, and elements found in hot flashes. So, for a menopausal woman who’s already dealing with hot flashes and night sweats, it’s probably best to get rid of the ghost peppers and make use of spices that add flavor without the heat, like cumin, turmeric, curry, and basil.

6. Fatty Meats

Everyone knows that fatty meats are high in saturated fat, which can cause all sorts of health issues, including weight gain. But did you know it can also lower anger attacks? And lower serotonin levels in menopausal women can lead to a lack of mood control (anger, irritation, rage). Not good. Not good at all.

So, skip the marbled steak and thick-cut bacon and go for the leaner meats, like turkey, chicken, even ground beef–as long as it’s 90% lean or better.

Foods to Eat During Menopause

Now for the foods that you need during midlife. The key at this stage is to not only eat foods that might help ease menopausal symptoms, but also ones that provide the nutrients vital to carrying you gracefully through this transition and beyond. For example, there are a ton of great foods to ease hot flashes.

Dairy

As estrogen levels decline, your risk of fractures goes up. So calcium-rich foods, like yogurt, cheese, and milk are essential for bone health. It’s also possible that dairy products improve sleep quality in menopausal women. They’re high in the amino acid glycine, which can encourage deeper sleep.

Healthy Fats

Pescararians, rejoice! Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, mackerel, and anchovies, have been shown to decrease the frequency of hot flashes and severity of night sweats. Other foods high in omega-3 include seeds–hemp, chia, and flax.

Fruits and Vegetables

Packed with vitamins and minerals, fruits and vegetables are a menopausal woman’s friend. Especially cruciferous veggies (broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, collard greens, cabbage). Many women experience a decrease in hot flashes when they introduce more fruits and veggies into their daily diet.

Fiber

Fiber is good for everyone. But it’s especially good for women in midlife when it comes to depression. Foods rich in fiber, like beans, nuts, oatmeal, broccoli, berries, avocados, and apples have been shown to lower the occurrence of depression in menopausal women. 

Lean Protein

Declining estrogen is at it again, this time causing decreased muscle mass and bone strength. To combat this, get plenty of lean protein. Look to foods we’ve already mentioned, such as fish, legumes, and nuts. Also, try out eggs, lean meat (no red), and tofu.

Supplements

It’s always a good idea to have an awesome supplement on your side, and never more so than during menopause. Even when you stick to a strict diet, it’s likely that you’re not getting enough of this or that. So let a supplement put your mind at ease. 

Our Vitality Menopause Supplement aims to improve energy, mood, sleep, and inflammation while making sure you’re getting all the good stuff your body deserves.

How to Make Changes That Will Stick

There are three camps of thought when it comes to balancing our indulgences and cutting back on the foods to avoid in menopause. Read below for details on all three, then set up an appointment with your doctor or specialist for menopause near you to discuss the best way to go about putting your plan into place.

If you don’t already have a doc, get connected with a Gennev menopause-certified gynecologist who will give you a trusted opinion. Book an appointment here.

Start Slow

Some experts believe that making “too-sudden changes” without a plan can lead to failure. If you up and decide that tomorrow you’re going to go cold turkey on three things you might be both chemically and emotionally addicted to, quitting without a plan could lead to quitting.

Instead, pick a date in the future to make big dietary changes. Do some research. Try to find recipes that will satisfy your sweet tooth and utilize fruits or other natural sources of sugar. Create a list of virgin (or extremely low-alcohol) cocktails that give you a refreshing kick. Or, consider switching to decaf coffee a few times a day to trick your body into thinking you’re still getting your cozy cup of Joe–without the caffeine.

Stop Wasting Time

Many experts believe that waiting until a certain date isn’t the best tactic. One of the ideas behind this is that you’ll probably indulge even more between now and then. Knowing that you won’t be able to enjoy your 3 PM cup of coffee might make you want to drink even more of it between now and stopping time.

Similarly, knowing you’ll miss your happy hour glass of wine or cocktail in the future might encourage you to drink too many right now “” which could lead to menopause dehydration or hangovers. So this plan says there’s no time like the present!

The Best of Both Worlds

There’s another group of experts that believe there’s a happy medium when it comes to indulgence. Begin by seeking some support from your doctor* or coach. Make a plan together. Enjoy a glass of wine at dinner (or happy hour) and don’t “go cold turkey” and deprive yourself in the future.

If you tell yourself that you can eat one cookie today, knowing there will be more cookies tomorrow, you’ll be better able to stop after just one. It’s when we deprive ourselves that we go into panic mode and eat all the cookies.

The truth is, change is one of the few constants in our lives. And having foods to avoid in menopause is just another tweak necessary to keep you on track toward health and happiness. Will this journey be challenging? Absolutely. But a very worthwhile one. Your future self will thank you for your health, energy, and focus. 

How are you improving your health this year? Quitting caffeine? Modifying sugar intake, doubling your daily hydration? We’d love to hear about it, and support you, in our Community forums.

*It is not Gennev’s intention to provide specific medical advice, but rather to provide users with information to better understand their health and their diagnosed disorders. Specific medical advice will not be provided, and Gennev urges you to consult with a menopause clinic, qualified physician for diagnosis and for answers to your personal questions.

If you think you are experiencing perimenopause, then take our menopause assessment test to join over 100,000 women and learn more about your symptoms and where you are in the menopause journey!