WHY ADAPTED DIET AT PERIMENOPAUSE?

During peri-menopause, the body uses energy differently and needs less daily intake. It loses muscle mass, weight gain and fat repartition evolve. As each one of us is unique, our body will respond its own way to hormonal variations.

That’s why today I would like to draw your attention on solutions a healthy diet may offer to prevent you from gaining too much weight, but also on how it can help you lower other menopausal effects such as: hot flashes, sleep disorders, mood swings, skin ageing, heart diseases or bone loss.

Very simple tools can make you live this period more serenely, let's start with universal tips that suits all of us!

• Eat healthy and organic foods at each meal:
  • Try to eat at least 5 portions of fruits and vegetables.
  • Mainly found into fishes, fruits and vegetables we know that vitamins C, D, K as well as calcium are recommended for proper maintenance of bone health.
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine and choose foods that are low in added sugars, saturated fats and sodium.
• Make water your best ally by drinking at least 1,5L per day.
• Practice daily physical exercises.

These habits will not only prevent you from weight gain, but they will also benefit to the largest organ of your body: your skin.

HOW TO BOOST COLLAGEN AND HYALURONIC ACID SYNTHESIS WITH NUTRITION?

Because of estrogen decrease and cortisol increase, wrinkles are more visible and skin loses elasticity. However, some specific food intake can reduce these effects.

1. Collagen is made of different amino acids, but Glycine, Proline and Lysine are the ones we find in higher proportion. They will increase collagen dermal synthesis and prevent skin ageing. You will find them in animal proteins such as dairy products, eggs, or seafood but also in vegetables like quinoa and mushrooms.
2. Closely related to the skin barrier function, Omega 3 will also guard you from dryness, inflammation, itchy skin or even sun damage. You can find it in salmon, nuts, trout or flax seed, canola oil or soybean.
3. Vitamin C is fundamental for collagen synthesis. You will find it in all citrus fruits, such as oranges, lemons, or mandarins, but also in great quantity into kiwis, strawberries, or other green vegetables such as broccoli and spinach.
4. Rich sources in Vitamin D eating fatty fish like trout or white mushrooms, will prevent you from skin dryness and will stimulate cellular proliferation of your skin.
5. There is a close association between sugar and some food processing methods with skin ageing. Their mechanisms are related to skin Advanced Glycation End products (AGESs) and their accumulation fasten the ageing of your skin. Choose the right carbohydrates!
   • Prefer whole grains and low sugar food.
   • Avoid fried, grilled or baked food and prefer boiled, steamed or raw food
6. Minerals like copper, silicon, manganese, iron are also needed for collagen synthesis. Find them in liver, oysters, spinach, legumes and red meat. As anti-nutrient (mostly found into vegetables) reduce the absorption of minerals, you can deactivate their effect by soaking or boiling the food before eating.

ADAPTED DIET BENEFITS ON MENOPAUSE SYMPTOMS

As I said at the beginning, healthy diet will not only improve your skin ageing appearance, but it may also lower menopause symptoms. Here are a few tips to avoid hot flashes one of the most common symptom during menopause.

1. Antioxidants like vitamin C and E can reduce vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes whilst improving immune system.
2. Avoid large meals and spicy or acidic foods before bedtime. This will prevent from hot flashes and ensure a better night.
3. And to put all the chances on your side to have a restful night, avoid caffein and alcohol, especially in the late afternoon, and try to stop drinking any liquids a few hours before going to bed.