How to relieve perimenopausal symptoms with food

It is well known that, at a ‘certain age’, if you are feeling lethargic, washed out, and tired or suffering from mood swings, hot flushes, poor sleep, and piling on the weight, these could be the symptoms of perimenopause.

But there is a problem with assigning these to the menopause and that is that they are identical to a metabolic condition called insulin resistance and it is probably this that you are experiencing.

Have you heard of insulin resistance?

Insulin resistance is a widespread condition which many people are completely unaware they have. It leads to diabetes in some, but it increases the risk factors for every other type of disease. In women it can cause polycystic ovarian syndrome, high blood pressure, breast cancer and heart disease amongst other things.

What Is Insulin Resistance?

Insulin is the hormone that, when working properly, controls your blood glucose levels. It signals your cells to absorb the sugar so that the body can use it for fuel. But if your blood sugar levels are too high for long periods of time, which generally happens in our modern diets, the cells stop responding to insulin and they become insulin resistant.

Why do symptoms seem to appear during perimenopause?

The timing is a factor. As perimenopause is common at around the age of 45 onwards, this coincides with increased health risk factors due to the body simply not being able to cope with prolonged high blood sugar. Insulin resistance symptoms appear in men at a similar age. Erectile dysfunction and vaginal dryness can be caused by the start of an insulin resistant complication called peripheral artery disease but are often not taken as seriously as they should be.

Sensitivity to insulin also declines with age. Coupled with the fluctuations in hormone levels, principally oestrogen, blood glucose levels in women becomes harder to balance.

Where does food come into it?

To reverse insulin resistance and/or perimenopause symptoms, you must correct the root cause, which is the food turning to glucose in your blood stream for prolonged periods.

By lowering the carbohydrate content of your food, increasing the nutritional value of the foods you eat and paying attention to the timings of when you eat you can implement changes very easily.

As a woman well into perimenopause and symptom free, I am on a mission to make it abnormal to suffer just because we have been told to expect and accept it as part of ageing. For too long it has been seen as something we just have to cope with and try to manage when going through this period in our lives. Please know that you can help yourself today.

For free videos, food advice, articles, and recipes please visit natashaiswideeyd.com or if you need individualised menopause help email natasha@natashaiswideeyed.com.