18. The Perimenopause Diet I Recommend
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In this episode, we covered:
- 3 food “rules” I recommend for perimenopause
- Why you need protein, fat and carbs
- How much you need of each macronutrient
- To fast or not to fast?
- How often should you eat?
Eating in Perimenopause should not be this confusing.
Welcome back! Today we’re diving into something that has become so confusing (when it shouldn’t be) but it could make your head spin…and that is: what to eat.
But more specifically, what and how to eat in your perimenopausal years.
Between ketogenic diets, paleo, carnivore, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, low carb, fasting, carb cycling…it’s no wonder women are so freaking overwhelmed.
Look, while some of these eating styles may have a time and place, I like to keep things as simple, sustainable and accessible as possible. So 3 food “rules” I live by and recommend are:
1) Focus on eating mostly whole foods and less processed foods aka: junk food
2) Eat all of your macronutrients – that includes protein, fat, and carbs
3) Make sure you’re getting enough of each of these macronutrients for your needs
Let’s break down each of these…
When I say “whole foods” I’m not talking about the overly-priced supermarket chain. I’m talking about eating foods closest to their natural form, such as vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, legumes, beans, and animal protein like meat, chicken, fish, eggs, and so on.
The majority of your meals should consist of these foods, as they are the most nutrient-dense. They don’t have added sugars, preservatives, or a bunch of ingredients you can’t pronounce.
When you eat like this, by default, you minimize foods high in sugar, snack-like foods and all the stuff lining the grocery shelves that are not providing the nutrients that your body needs. I’m talking about cereal, cookies, ice cream, crackers, chips, protein bars, and all the stuff that is super addictive, hyperpalatable, and designed to create addictive eating habits.
They cause inflammation, blood sugar imbalance, disrupt your gut microbiome, and create nutritional deficiencies that cause or worsen your symptoms. Real food is where it’s at.
Now that’s not to say that you can’t have a snack or indulge every now and then, but what we teach our clients and what I recommend to you is to make healthier swaps. If you like crackers, look for brands that use minimal ingredients. I personally like the brand Mary’s Gone Crackers. Or maybe you love potato chips, opt for a brand that uses avocado oil instead of canola oil, like Siete. They have so many yummy snacks.
Moving along to your macronutrients
These are protein, fat and carbohydrates. We need ALL of these macronutrients. Period.
Besides being the most satiating macronutrient, protein contains B vitamins, amino acids, and much-needed minerals. Animal protein is more bioavailable than plant protein (meaning it’s easily absorbed by the body and broken down into usable amino acids).
But let’s talk about some other benefits of protein, because so many women under consume this macronutrient and it’s so important in this stage of life to get enough of it.
Protein supports muscle growth.
As we age, we lose muscle mass; not only does it give us the toned look we want, but it supports strength, mobility, and metabolism.
Protein supports bone health.
It gives bones strength and flexibility. As we age and lose estrogen, it can lead to bone loss. Osteoporosis and low bone mass are currently estimated to be a major public health risk for 53.6 million US adults 50 years or older. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be hunched over, walking with a cane or walker in my old age, if I can help it.
Protein balances blood sugar.
It’s important to avoid constant blood sugar highs and lows that are a result of meals that are low in protein and high in carbs; when you skimp on protein, your cortisol and insulin levels are affected. If you’re trying to lose weight, you will have a very difficult time.
Protein supports cognitive function.
Protein has amino acids needed for optimal brain health (i.e. cognition, memory, mental sharpness, focus), which declines as we age and lose hormones.
We also need protein for gut repair, hormone production, thyroid function, a robust immune system, healthy mood, hair, and more.
Quality does matter. I recommend investing in grass-fed and/or pasture-raised meats and wild-caught fish, without added growth hormones, use of antibiotics or corn/soy fed. Think: grass-fed beef, pasture-raised chicken and eggs, organic turkey, lamb, wild-caught salmon, cod, halibut, scallops, anchovies, sardines, organic yogurt, and goat or sheep cheese (if you can tolerate dairy).
Moving on to fat. Fat is VITAL for hormone production.
More specifically, healthy fat. It promotes hormone production in the steroidal hormone pathways. Sex hormones are made from cholesterol, which is made from healthy fats.
So a low-fat diet is bad news for your hormones! On that note: cholesterol isn’t bad either. You need it and if it’s “high” on your labs, your doctor likely isn’t taking other very important factors into consideration, such as your thyroid function, metabolic health, inflammation, liver health, and so on.
Back to fat…some healthy fats to enjoy: avocados, olives, raw nuts (cashews, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, almonds, or macadamia), chia seeds, and/or ground flax seeds. Nuts and seeds should be refrigerated (oils can become rancid in heat) and enjoyed as condiments or a small snack (don’t overdo it or use them to replace animal protein).
Cooking with healthy fat is a great way to get your daily intake, but you’ll want to avoid canola, vegetable, soybean and seed oils. Instead, use healthy alternatives like: coconut oil, avocado oil, grass-fed butter, ghee, tallow, and/or extra virgin olive oil.
OK, carbs – is there anything more controversial?
Carbohydrates are your body’s main source of energy. Carbs break down into glucose, which is what our brain utilizes for energy. Fiber from carbs is needed to feed our good gut bacteria. And we need carbs to support thyroid function.
When it comes to carbs, it really depends on the type of carbs you’re consuming, how much, and how much activity you get. If you’re mostly sedentary and eating a lot of simple carbs like pizza, bagels, muffins, bread, or pasta, that’s a recipe for blood sugar imbalance, increased risk of insulin resistance, inflammation and of course, the dreaded weight gain.
But if you’re eating mostly complex carbs like lentils, beans, quinoa, starchy vegetables, rice, potatoes, oats, and fruit, paired with ample protein and fat, and you strength train several times per week (which I hope you are), then you’re on the right track.
It’s more about how you consume carbs that matters. Try not to have ‘naked carbs’, meaning carbs without protein or fat. So if you want to enjoy some ice cream this summer (I know I will), make sure you have it AFTER you’ve had a high protein meal.
Next, make sure you’re eating enough of these macronutrients.
What most women don’t realize is that under-eating, going too long between meals, and/or not eating enough protein/fat/carbs could greatly impact their symptoms in perimenopause.
It’s especially important to balance your blood sugar in this stage of life, so eating enough calories each day is vital and the correct balance of macronutrients.
Please know that every woman has different requirements depending on their current weight, ideal weight, level of activity and so on. We help our clients with all this in The Hormone Rescue. But I want to give you some general guidelines to shoot for…
For protein, I recommend aiming for 100+ grams per day.
For carbs, I recommend aiming for 100+ grams per day.
For fat, I recommend aiming for 50-70 grams per day.
Again, every woman is different – you may need more protein, more carbs, less fat – depending on your goals. But that’s a good starting point.
While I’m not a fan of tracking every single thing you eat, I am a fan of tracking protein and suggest women, especially 35 and over, be more mindful of how much protein they’re consuming daily.
For protein, a general rule of thumb is to aim for .75-1 gram of protein per ideal pound of body weight. For example if your goal weight is 140 pounds, you’d aim to consume 105-140 grams of protein per day. And ideally, you’d split that up into 3 meals and a snack.
If you find it difficult to get all your protein in, I recommend supplementing with a quality protein powder, which you can add to a shake, yogurt or even as a hot beverage. The protein powder I love and recommend is Equip Prime Protein. It comes in a bunch of different flavors like chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, peanut butter, iced coffee, and unflavored if you prefer. It’s made from grass-fed beef but don’t worry, it definitely does not taste like beef. You can try it and save 15% with my code: healthcoachclaudia. I’ll link to it in the show notes.
Back to carbs, there is some school of thought that women who strength train or want to build muscle need high amounts of carbs, like 200-300 grams per day. That may be the case for you and if you go that route, I recommend working with a macro coach and personal trainer who understand the changes a woman goes through in this stage of life.
I personally don’t feel great going that high carb. So on days I don’t lift weights, I stick to 100 g or less. On days I lift weights, I may go a bit higher.
And to come back around to fat: a lot of women believe it makes you fat. Please get this idea out of your head. But portion size does matter – especially if you are looking to lose weight. I typically recommend about 2 tbsp of healthy fat per meal.
Next…to fast or not to fast?
Fasting has become all the rage. The other day I saw a well known doctor selling a 48-hour water fast. Why you’d need to pay for that is beyond me. But I guess people will sell you anything these days.
Unlike many hormone experts out there, I’m not entirely opposed to fasting. There are different types of fasts and there’s plenty of science behind it, showing the benefits. I believe it’s necessary to give our digestive system a break and not be constantly snacking. That affects your blood sugar and we don’t want constant blood sugar peaks all day long.
So what I typically recommend is an overnight 12-14 hour fast. That’s pretty safe for most women and shouldn’t cause added stress to the body, if you break your fast correctly. Meaning you eat adequate protein/fat/carbs at your first meal. Too many women fast in the name of weight loss, and end up under-eating because they have such a small window of time to eat their meals. So pay close attention to how you feel when you fast; are you forcing yourself to skip meals just for the sake of fasting or do you feel really good when you fast? While tracking your cycle in perimenopause can be super tricky, since periods can be so irregular, take note of the week you’re more tired or have more cravings – that’s usually the week or so before your period, when fasting for long stretches is NOT advised. 12-hour fast is all you need on those days.
So the elephant in the room is this: eating this way is going to require some planning, weekly grocery shopping and meal prep. But it doesn’t have to be so complicated or take up a ton of time. I’m all about convenience, so maybe you buy organic pre-washed or pre-chopped salad mixes or vegetables. Don’t be afraid to use frozen organic vegetables like cauliflower rice or broccoli. Maybe you buy a pre-cooked chicken for the week, canned organic chicken or wild-caught salmon. Find what works for you.
In Summary
OK, to sum it all up…while it’s easy to blame our hormones on everything in this stage of life, what you eat makes a massive difference.
That’s why in The Hormone Rescue, we focus a lot on your food, what you eat, what you don’t eat, how to set up your plate, how to balance blood sugar, make sure you’re getting adequate macro and micronutrients, and more.
If you’re ready to get support and make necessary changes to optimize your hormones in perimenopause, work with us to get access to easy-to-consume hormones education, practical action steps, functional testing so you’re not guessing, a personalized plan, and on-going support so you get results.
OK, see you next week.
AS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
EQUIP PROTEIN: Grab my favorite protein powder HERE and save 15% with code: healthcoachclaudia.
WORK WITH US: The Hormone Rescue Program
Sources:
https://www.bmj.com/content/383/bmj-2023-075354
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6835660/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-reasons-to-eat-more-protein
https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/metabolism/fat
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8878406/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3680567/
Claudia Petrilli is a Functional Health Coach, Integrative Nutrition Coach, Women’s Health Educator, and creator of The Hormone Rescue program. Having experienced debilitating periods, digestive issues, a sluggish thyroid, a pituitary tumor, and perimenopause symptoms in her late 30s, she knows exactly what it’s like to get dismissed by doctors and spend years searching for answers.
To connect with Claudia Petrilli:
FREE GIFT: Peri-What?! The Must-Have Guide for Navigating Hormone Changes in Your 40s
WORK WITH US: The Hormone Rescue Program
QUESTIONS? EMAIL: claudia@claudiapetrilli.com
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