When I started my 2018 personal re-build; I knew that what I was eating and drinking was having an increasing and detrimental impact on my symptoms (and my weight). I knew that chocolate and processed sugars were triggering my night sweats; caffeine was increasing my hot flushes and alcohol triggered anxiety.
I chose to make some changes to my diet and nutrition and I reaped the rewards of doing so; not only with symptoms, but also in the way I felt; my energy levels and mood.
Don’t get me wrong… I have a very sweet tooth and I am not going to pretend to have the best nutritional diet! However, I understand the triggers and having worked with Rebecca, I also now have some great tips that I adhere to and that I am able to share with others.
Considering your own nutrition, particularly throughout your menopausal years, can have such a positive impact and if nothing more; cheese and chocolate or nuts and chocolate can only be a win-win!
I am delighted Rebecca has provided her expertise to bring this blog to you and I highly recommend Rebecca’s work. There is a rising interest in nutrition during these years and I have the pleasure of working with Rebecca to support my clients further in this way.
When looking at nutritional advice to help with the symptoms associated with perimenopause and menopause the subject of sugar frequently comes up.
It’s not just the sugar we ingest as the occasional treat that is of interest during this time, but the balance of our blood sugar levels across each day, whether we are experiencing peaks and troughs can influence the severity of symptoms.
If we are on a blood sugar rollercoaster going from highs to lows across the day, we are more likely to struggle with energy (1), our mood (2) – including anxiety and depression (3), cognitive function (4), sleep disturbances (5) – including those driven by hot flashes and night sweats (6), and generally a greater intensity of overall perimenopausal symptoms (7).
If we try to keep our blood sugar levels balanced across the day, minimising peaks and troughs, we can potentially limit the extent of symptoms we have to struggle with. This becomes a cornerstone of my work with almost all clients, not just those navigating perimenopause. One way to help balance your blood sugar is to include protein (e.g. meat, fish, tofu, pulses), good fat (e.g. extra virgin olive oil, avocado), and/or fibre (e.g. vegetables) each time you eat carbohydrates or foods containing sugars (8) as these can help to limit the potential increase in blood sugar these foods can produce.
This tactic also has the added bonus of helping us to feel fuller for longer and more satisfied by our meals, contributing to more stable energy across the day and limiting cravings. When cravings strike, we all know that it is unlikely we are going to be craving broccoli, but if we are experiencing a dip in blood sugar the desire for high-calorie foods is more pronounced (9) and we are more likely to reach for an indulgent treat that could perpetuate the blood sugar rollercoaster and more cravings. While we can definitely have cravings for multiple reasons, including habitual and emotional, by balancing blood sugar we can at least help to limit the biochemical triggers for cravings, every little helps!
This is not to say that we have to completely avoid our favourite treats, after all our food nourishes us in more ways that just nutrition, providing joy and offering connection with others on special occasions. With a little planning we can minimise the effects of sweet treats on our blood sugar and help limit the potential influence on symptoms. It is preferable to enjoy your desired sweet or refined carbohydrate treat at the end of a nice balanced meal as opposed to as a snack, so the constituents of the meal can slow the release of sugar into the blood stream. However, if that’s just not an option and only some chocolate mid-afternoon will hit the spot, including a protein containing food before hand can help as a buffer (10). A handful of plain, unroasted nuts are my favourite way to do this as they pair beautifully with a couple of squares of dark chocolate, but for some of my clients a matchbox sized piece of cheese before a chocolate biscuit is their preferred way to indulge, why not experiment and find what works well for you before your favourite treat?!
(These are just a couple of tactics that can potentially help with balancing blood sugar levels, and of course everyone is different, if you have a diagnosed blood sugar related condition, please follow the advice of your GP or a health professional).
References:
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32008368/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28751637/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36114534/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28651658/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31828298/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22851488/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18513898/#
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30906282/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21926468/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4876745/
Rebecca Vincent BSc (Hons)
BANT registered nutritionist
07515 019430
www.rebeccavincentnutrition.co.uk
