Ladies,
Have you had days where you felt like you suddenly woke up in a different body? When hormones start to change, it can feel unsettling and disruptive. For most women, sometime between the age of 30 and 47, we enter a phase called perimenopause. This is defined as a period of time when hormones begin to shift in preparation for menopause—the time when your periods cease and the fertility window closes. It can last a number of months or a number of years and is dependent on various factors.
The first thing that happens during perimenopause is a fall in the hormone progesterone. Until recent years, progesterone was largely ignored in discussions of women’s hormonal health, as it was thought that its only role was to protect the uterus from excess estrogen. We now know that progesterone is very important and has many other roles in women’s health. Progesterone is a calming hormone and has sometimes been called “Nature’s Xanax.” When its levels decline, women often experience anxiety and sleeplessness. Progesterone also has strong anti-inflammatory properties. During the period when it is declining, women experience more aches and pains due to increased inflammation in joints and muscles. Recent research has also demonstrated progesterone’s important role in memory and cognition in women. Dropping levels of progesterone cause brain fog, memory lapses, and a lack of drive.
We have always known that during women’s menstruating years, progesterone is made by our ovaries after ovulation or by the placenta during pregnancy. Recent research has demonstrated that progesterone is also made by our adrenal glands. This is important because the adrenal glands are also responsible for cortisol production in response to stress. When women’s ovaries stop making progesterone during perimenopause, adrenal production is critical to maintaining some balance during this life phase. Women who are under considerable stress and produce high levels of cortisol cannot also produce progesterone from their adrenal glands. Their perimenopause course tends to be more rocky. This is a key reason why I focus heavily on stress management during perimenopause. We cannot always control the stress-inducing circumstances of life, but we can control how our bodies handle and perceive stress.
How can we manage falling progesterone in perimenopause? Stress management is certainly one of the keys. It is important to protect our energy and be intentional about how we spend our time. A whole foods diet has also been shown to make this time period less difficult. Eating 30g of protein three times a day promotes hormonal balance. Women should consume 3 cups of vegetables a day with as much variety as possible. Healthy fat is an important factor in hormone balance, and perimenopausal women should aim for about 50-100g per day.
For some women, lifestyle changes may be enough to improve symptoms. For others, additional support may be helpful. Depending on your symptoms, health history, and goals, this may also be a time to discuss options like hormone replacement therapy as part of a personalized plan.
Here is a sample menu for a day of eating in this way:
Breakfast
- Spinach and Mushroom Omelette
- 3 large eggs (18g protein)
- 1 cup spinach (raw, about 0.9g protein)
- 1/2 cup mushrooms (raw, about 1g protein)
- 1 ounce goat cheese (5g protein)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (14g fat)
- 1 slice whole-grain toast (5g protein)
- Total Protein: 29.9g
- Vegetables: 1.5 cups
- Healthy Fat: 14g
Lunch
- Grilled Chicken Salad:
- 4 ounces grilled chicken breast (28g protein)
- 2 cups mixed greens (raw, about 1g protein)
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (raw, about 1g protein)
- 1/2 cup sliced cucumber (raw, about 0.3g protein)
- 1/4 cup shredded carrots (raw, about 0.3g protein)
- 1/4 avocado (healthy fat)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil and lemon dressing (28g fat)
- 1/4 cup walnuts (4g protein, 15g fat)
- Total Protein: 33.6g
- Vegetables: 3 cups
- Healthy Fat: 58g
Dinner
- Baked Salmon with Roasted Vegetables:
- 4 ounces baked salmon (25g protein)
- 1 cup roasted broccoli (cooked, about 3g protein)
- 1 cup roasted bell peppers (cooked, about 1.5g protein)
- 1/2 cup quinoa (cooked, about 4g protein)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for roasting vegetables (14g fat)
- Total Protein: 33.5g
- Vegetables: 2 cups
- Healthy Fat: 14g
Snacks
- Greek Yogurt with Berries:
- 1 cup Greek yogurt (15g protein)
- 1/2 cup mixed berries (raw, about 0.5g protein)
- 1 ounce almonds (6g protein, 14g fat)
- Total Protein: 21.5g
- Healthy Fat: 14g
Summary
- Total Protein: Breakfast (29.9g) + Lunch (33.6g) + Dinner (33.5g) + Snacks (21.5g) = 118.5g
- Total Vegetables: Breakfast (1.5 cups) + Lunch (3 cups) + Dinner (2 cups) = 6.5 cups
- Total Healthy Fat: Breakfast (14g) + Lunch (58g) + Dinner (14g) + Snacks (14g) = 100g
The journey for every woman will be different during the perimenopausal period. We are each unique humans and experience things differently. Knowing your numbers and patterns can arm you with important data to make the best decisions for your life. Interested in learning more about your specific hormonal pattern?
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Warm regards,
The Gajer Practice
