I’m Perimenopausal —a little early if you ask me, but it’s happening. It’s due to my previous thyroid issues. Because I’m so passionate about food as medicine, I want to share a few things that are helping my menopausal patients and me through this change while staying healthy and happy.  

Menopause is something I know quite a bit about since I did my master’s thesis on menopause and Asian medicine. Interestingly, I discovered that some Asian countries don’t have words for hot flashes or other menopausal symptoms because no one gets them. They don’t exist! In exploring why this is the case I learned that nutrition, lifestyle, and culture play a significant part. Diet and lifestyle made sense to me, but it was the cultural factors that were a pleasant surprise. 

In China, your first birthday is the day you are born, not a year later as in the west. Culturally speaking, as an Asian woman ages she becomes revered as a wise elder. Here in America, we worship youth while banishing our older women to retirement homes that smell of urine where they are forgotten and rarely visited by loved ones. Sadly, we do not take good care of our elderly. Life experience and wisdom are not valued in the same way as they are in Asian cultures. The approach we choose impacts how we age and the symptoms we experience. Appreciate your wisdom and bring awareness to all that you’ve learned in life. These are essential elements in your transition through menopause. 

In one study I discovered, a female researcher was permitted to evaluate Tibetan monks who were meditating in isolation. She took a series of tests including their saliva, blood and body temperature. What she found was shocking. When the monks were in their most profound states of meditation, their bodies physically mimicked that of a menopausal woman. Wow! I interpreted this to mean that this time of hormonal transition is powerful. During menopause, we can access profound wisdom and insight, and if we acknowledge and harness it, we can alter the view of older women in our society.  

The transition of menopause is a powerful time to finally get to the root of symptoms and prevent any future dis-ease patterns. I recommend undergoing a functional blood chemistry analysis (FBCA) to find out what is going on with your body. Because FBCA is individualized, I consider it the ultimate prevention tool in identifying potential disease and illness.  

Additionally, the right kind of nutrition plan for you can support your health and wellness through the menopause. Here’s how I use food as medicine to address any hormone imbalances that may influence symptoms during this powerful time of transition. 

Let’s start with what foods to avoid: 

Let’s talk about foods that will support you during this potent transition: