A food-filled life is suppose to be gloriously glamorous, brimming with decadence, and overflowing with addictive deliciousness. Food writers don’t often discuss their physical challenges, especially lady issues. Last week’s lively conversation about the
I am happily on the other side of menopause. I never had traditional hot flashes but if my neck or upper chest was covered I had the uncontrollable urge to stab someone. 😂 no one got hurt.
So great that you are writing about this in the context of food. I am definitely in the post-menopause phase of life and still need tweaks to my diet and lifestyle to maintain my health. Everyone's metabolism is different, but one thing is for sure, as we age our metabolism slows down, we lose muscle mass, and what we eat or drink effects us in bigger ways. I've cut my alcohol consumption considerably, having a glass of wine or cocktail only once or twice a week. It cuts calories and I sleep better. I do strength training 3x a week and maintain muscle mass as best I can and burn calories. And my diet incorporates lots of veggies and lean protein at every meal with way less carbohydrates. One of my "diet hacks," and I think you will like this(!) is having a big bowl of steaming chicken bone broth, with fresh spinach from the farmer's market, a little cooked rice, and cubes of firm tofu. If I am inclined, I grate in some ginger and add chopped cilantro and green onions. Lots of variations are possible, as you can imagine and create.
I have been on HRT since my early 50s and it has worked for me because my risk factors for breast cancer are low. I recently went off progesterone because I had a hysterectomy two years ago, but am now reading on Dr. Google(!) about the benefits of staying on it for mental acuity. My next step is to have my hormone levels tested. It is a long journey and women talking about this and sharing is the best support for learning about this taboo subject.
I'm a little late to the discussion but first off, thank you son much for talking about menopause (peri & post). I am in post menopause now (did you know that menopause is literally just the one day that you hit a year without a period, everything else is peri and post) and am on HRT which helps (I put an estrodiol gel on my arms and take a progesterone pill every day). HRT is helping me for sure, my brain fog has cleared a bit and the hot flashes aren't quite as intense (I had about 10 a day, I kid you not) and I am generally less irritable all the time. There's a fantastic Mel Robbins podcast interview with Dr. Mary Claire Haver (a board certified obstetrics and gynecology specialist who is also a certified menopause practictioner) that I highly recommend listening to. It really helped me understand what is going on in our bodies and why the loss of estrogen affects SO MANY functions. Essentially estrodiol regulates pretty much all of our cellular functions so when we stop producing it (or at very low levels), no wonder everything goes to hell! So interesting the discussion about soy and tofu! I started drinking soy milk almost exclusively starting in January of this year (I make a soy latte every morning) and I wonder if that is also contributing to my symptoms feeling more manageable.
I am well past menopause (I’m old), and I managed without HRT, but your post really resonated with me. You have to pay attention to your body, no matter what stage of life you are in, and play around with what works for you and what doesn’t in order to get it right for yourself. That’s where food comes into play. I know I feel best when I lean in the plant based direction, however, a good piece of meat now & then really fills the bill. It’s about balance and moderation and reading labels. I’m still chuckling over your outrage over how the “Mediterranean Diet” has stolen the thunder from all of the other cuisines that basically follow the same principles. And, by the way, kudos to the doctors who really listened to you, instead of reaching for their prescription pads.
If I had been more aware of BHRT in early menopause I would have done it to help stave off osteoporosis! I started well after to help improve bone markers.
I absolutely loved reading this! I’m 43, and I know that’s my next stage of life…and I have no clue how to prepare or what to expect. I’m also a HUGE fan of tofu (and veggies), so I can’t wait to follow along with your new series.
I absolutely love that you’re writing about this! I’m most definitely in the peri phase. I don’t have any siblings to consult. I recently asked my mom about her experience, and she told me that at the time she was going through a stressful time at work and just attributed any symptoms to that. I am constantly swirling through the vortex of “Is it perimenopause/leukemia/leukemia drugs/just getting older?”
I’m always down for tofu ideas and recipes. I recently helped a customer at work find tofu to cook for the very first time. I told her I was happy to talk about different ways to cook it anytime she wanted. Something I want to try soon is freezing and defrosting tofu to see how it alters the texture.
I was braced for a long and tumultuous journey through menopause after watching my mother. I had one hot flash and it was a quick and smooth transition.
Menopause for me was very similar to what you are experiencing: itchy rashes, issues with sleep, feeling forgetful. I have been eating a lot of soy products in traditional Asian ways for about 40 years and that is why I think I have had a relatively easy time of it (compared to what others go through). I had surgery last year to have my ovaries removed (too many cysts), and that dumped me right into post menopause. But I felt no difference. An Asian plant based diet for me is the most delicious, natural, and healthy way to eat. Fortunately, my husband is fully on board. A proud moment yesterday was when my 37 year old nephew texted me from an Asian market yesterday to discuss Oolong tea choices.
Thanks for writing about this, Andrea! In France where I live, there is an enduring soy panic and you would be hard pressed to find a doctor who applauds tofu the way yours did. I got ovarian cancer two years ago, and all the dietary recommendations I got always said to avoid soy like the plague! I was very annoyed at their very western point of view. I didn't heed that advice and pulled through just fine.
As a result of my cancer though, I've been going through surgical menopause: they removed my ovaries, so my body was pretty confused and let me know its discontent through very intense hot flashes. I've read that menopausal symptoms are actually not due to the lesser amount of estrogen per se, but to the fact that the adrenals are stressed out because they have to take over the ovaries' job of producing estrogen, on top of everything else they were already doing, so they don't do as well on the other stuff - regulating sleep, body temperature, moisture levels etc. This explanation makes sense to me. And so from there, something we can do to alleviate menopausal symptoms is try to support the adrenal glands with gentle remedies like herbs and acupuncture.
I am happily on the other side of menopause. I never had traditional hot flashes but if my neck or upper chest was covered I had the uncontrollable urge to stab someone. 😂 no one got hurt.
Terrific post! Sometimes we have to say these things outloud.
Hello Andrea,
So great that you are writing about this in the context of food. I am definitely in the post-menopause phase of life and still need tweaks to my diet and lifestyle to maintain my health. Everyone's metabolism is different, but one thing is for sure, as we age our metabolism slows down, we lose muscle mass, and what we eat or drink effects us in bigger ways. I've cut my alcohol consumption considerably, having a glass of wine or cocktail only once or twice a week. It cuts calories and I sleep better. I do strength training 3x a week and maintain muscle mass as best I can and burn calories. And my diet incorporates lots of veggies and lean protein at every meal with way less carbohydrates. One of my "diet hacks," and I think you will like this(!) is having a big bowl of steaming chicken bone broth, with fresh spinach from the farmer's market, a little cooked rice, and cubes of firm tofu. If I am inclined, I grate in some ginger and add chopped cilantro and green onions. Lots of variations are possible, as you can imagine and create.
I have been on HRT since my early 50s and it has worked for me because my risk factors for breast cancer are low. I recently went off progesterone because I had a hysterectomy two years ago, but am now reading on Dr. Google(!) about the benefits of staying on it for mental acuity. My next step is to have my hormone levels tested. It is a long journey and women talking about this and sharing is the best support for learning about this taboo subject.
I'm a little late to the discussion but first off, thank you son much for talking about menopause (peri & post). I am in post menopause now (did you know that menopause is literally just the one day that you hit a year without a period, everything else is peri and post) and am on HRT which helps (I put an estrodiol gel on my arms and take a progesterone pill every day). HRT is helping me for sure, my brain fog has cleared a bit and the hot flashes aren't quite as intense (I had about 10 a day, I kid you not) and I am generally less irritable all the time. There's a fantastic Mel Robbins podcast interview with Dr. Mary Claire Haver (a board certified obstetrics and gynecology specialist who is also a certified menopause practictioner) that I highly recommend listening to. It really helped me understand what is going on in our bodies and why the loss of estrogen affects SO MANY functions. Essentially estrodiol regulates pretty much all of our cellular functions so when we stop producing it (or at very low levels), no wonder everything goes to hell! So interesting the discussion about soy and tofu! I started drinking soy milk almost exclusively starting in January of this year (I make a soy latte every morning) and I wonder if that is also contributing to my symptoms feeling more manageable.
I am well past menopause (I’m old), and I managed without HRT, but your post really resonated with me. You have to pay attention to your body, no matter what stage of life you are in, and play around with what works for you and what doesn’t in order to get it right for yourself. That’s where food comes into play. I know I feel best when I lean in the plant based direction, however, a good piece of meat now & then really fills the bill. It’s about balance and moderation and reading labels. I’m still chuckling over your outrage over how the “Mediterranean Diet” has stolen the thunder from all of the other cuisines that basically follow the same principles. And, by the way, kudos to the doctors who really listened to you, instead of reaching for their prescription pads.
If I had been more aware of BHRT in early menopause I would have done it to help stave off osteoporosis! I started well after to help improve bone markers.
I absolutely loved reading this! I’m 43, and I know that’s my next stage of life…and I have no clue how to prepare or what to expect. I’m also a HUGE fan of tofu (and veggies), so I can’t wait to follow along with your new series.
Thanks for your openness! Can’t wait for the tofu series!!
So sorry that you (and all women) have to go through this. Know that you are loved even by those you haven't met. It's the power of the pen!
I absolutely love that you’re writing about this! I’m most definitely in the peri phase. I don’t have any siblings to consult. I recently asked my mom about her experience, and she told me that at the time she was going through a stressful time at work and just attributed any symptoms to that. I am constantly swirling through the vortex of “Is it perimenopause/leukemia/leukemia drugs/just getting older?”
I’m always down for tofu ideas and recipes. I recently helped a customer at work find tofu to cook for the very first time. I told her I was happy to talk about different ways to cook it anytime she wanted. Something I want to try soon is freezing and defrosting tofu to see how it alters the texture.
I was braced for a long and tumultuous journey through menopause after watching my mother. I had one hot flash and it was a quick and smooth transition.
Menopause for me was very similar to what you are experiencing: itchy rashes, issues with sleep, feeling forgetful. I have been eating a lot of soy products in traditional Asian ways for about 40 years and that is why I think I have had a relatively easy time of it (compared to what others go through). I had surgery last year to have my ovaries removed (too many cysts), and that dumped me right into post menopause. But I felt no difference. An Asian plant based diet for me is the most delicious, natural, and healthy way to eat. Fortunately, my husband is fully on board. A proud moment yesterday was when my 37 year old nephew texted me from an Asian market yesterday to discuss Oolong tea choices.
Thanks for writing about this, Andrea! In France where I live, there is an enduring soy panic and you would be hard pressed to find a doctor who applauds tofu the way yours did. I got ovarian cancer two years ago, and all the dietary recommendations I got always said to avoid soy like the plague! I was very annoyed at their very western point of view. I didn't heed that advice and pulled through just fine.
As a result of my cancer though, I've been going through surgical menopause: they removed my ovaries, so my body was pretty confused and let me know its discontent through very intense hot flashes. I've read that menopausal symptoms are actually not due to the lesser amount of estrogen per se, but to the fact that the adrenals are stressed out because they have to take over the ovaries' job of producing estrogen, on top of everything else they were already doing, so they don't do as well on the other stuff - regulating sleep, body temperature, moisture levels etc. This explanation makes sense to me. And so from there, something we can do to alleviate menopausal symptoms is try to support the adrenal glands with gentle remedies like herbs and acupuncture.