Menopause
A natural decline in reproductive hormones when a woman reaches her 40s or 50s.
Menopause is signaled by 12 months since last menstruation.
If having issues, look for a Doctor/specialist with NCMP credentials.
FOODS TO EAT MORE OF
FOODS TO AVOID OR MINIMIZE
ESSENTIAL OILS
NATURAL/HERBAL
YOGA / MEDITATION THERAPY
SUPPLEMENTS & HOMEOPATHIC
MIND-BODY CONNECTION
RECIPES/FOOD MEDICINE
Not all recipes are nutritionally perfect, but the options below are a great way to start incorporating beneficial foods into your diet in delicious ways. Always try to buy organic, and feel free to make substitutions to accommodate gluten-free, vegan, etc diets.
Abbreviation Definitions:
LC = Low Calorie (under 400 for breakfast, 600 for lunch/dinner, and 200 for beverages/sides/snacks)
GF = Gluten Free
KT = Keto / Low Carb
VG = Vegan
VT = Vegetarian
BEVERAGES
MEALS
SIDES/SALADS/SNACKS
Menopause is signaled by 12 months since last menstruation.
If having issues, look for a Doctor/specialist with NCMP credentials.
FOODS TO EAT MORE OF
- Fruits: apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, berries, grapes, oranges, peaches, pears, strawberries, dried fruits
- Vegetables: alfalfa sprouts, arugula, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, celery, collard greens, fennel, green beans, green bell peppers, kale, potatoes, romaine lettuce, spinach, sweet potatoes/yams, tomatoes, watercress
- Seeds (especially chia, flax, sesame, sunflower, pumpkin), nuts (especially walnuts) lentils, beans, soy products (edamame, tofu, miso), olive oil, olives, oats, wheat germ, whole grains, yogurt, salmon
- Sea veggies: nori, kombu, arame, hijiki, wakame, dulse & kelp
- Caraway, thyme, sage, garlic, turmeric, flaxseed oil
- Stay hydrated (8 glasses of water daily)
- Bee pollen (as local as possible)
- Specifically good for hot flashes: Fennel, celery, parsley, alfalfa, apples & ground flaxseed
- Hormone Imbalance: Arame (sea vegetable)
FOODS TO AVOID OR MINIMIZE
- Red meat & dairy products (except yogurt)
- Alcohol and spicy foods
- Caffeine, excessive sugar
ESSENTIAL OILS
- Hormonal imbalance: anise, bergamot, clove, geranium, myrrh, ylang ylang, clary sage, myrrh, myrtle, nutmeg, sandalwood, spearmint (on ankles every evening, bottom of feet, lower back, thyroid, liver, kidneys, gland areas, center of body, along sides of spine, clavicle area and/or diffuse)
- Hot flashes:
- fennel, clary sage,peppermint (lower back and ankles, reproductive areas, bottom of feet, ovaries, pelvis and/or diffuse).
- Frankincense & myrrh (on stomach/reproductive areas or diffuse)
NATURAL/HERBAL
- Anise, black cohosh, buchu, cinnamon, dandelion root, evening primrose, fennel, fenugreek, garlic, ginseng, golden seal, kava, lavender, lemon balm, licorice, milk thistle, motherwort, red clover flower, red raspberry, red sage/dan shen, rehmannia, rosemary, sage, thyme, turmeric, wild yam, wood betony
- Try adding Dong Quai to herbal teas
- 1 banana daily
- Exercise
- Hot Flashes/Night Sweats:
- Regulate/Balance hormone production: Chaste-tree/Chasteberry, lady's mantle, black cohosh.
- Mood Swings: Chamomile, ginseng, skullcap, borage, St. John's wort, licorice, linden, lemon balm.
- Vaginal Dryness: Creams containing Vitamin E and marigold.
- Menopausal Palpitations: Hawthorn and/or motherwort
- Parsley can relieve cramping pains.
- Insomnia: try valerian
- For hot flashes and skin and genital aging: Make tincture of pennyroyal, pulsatilla and sarsaparilla and take 30 drops daily
YOGA / MEDITATION THERAPY
- Healing Yoga - Menopause (22 minutes - Healing Yoga)
- Yoga Routine for Menopause: Graceful Maturity (31 minutes - Yogea Yoga)
SUPPLEMENTS & HOMEOPATHIC
- Black Cohosh: 40 mg twice daily (should contain 2.5% triterpenes)
- Boron: As directed
- Calcarea carbonica 6c
- Calcium/ Vitamin D: 600-1200 mg calcium and 200 IU vitamin D daily
- Chasteberry: 225 mg extract twice daily (also called vitex - should contain 0.5% agnuside)
- Chromium
- Coenzyme Q10: 100 mg daily
- DHEA: As directed
- Dong Quai: 200 mg, or 30 drops tincture, 3 times daily (should contain 0.8-1.1% ligustilide)
- Evening Primrose Oil: 3,000 mg daily
- Ignatia 30c
- Lachesis 6c
- Licorice: 200 mg standardized extract 3 times daily (be aware this can raise blood pressure)
- Pulsatilla 6c
- Quercetin: 2 mg daily (for hot flashes)
- Sepia 30c
- Siberian Ginseng: 100-300 mg daily (standardized to contain at least 0.8% eleutherosides)
- Soy Isoflavones: 50 mg daily (look for products that contain genistein and daidzein).
- Vitamin B Complex: As directed
- Vitamin C along with the bioflavonioid hesperidin (1,200 mg of each daily) can help with hot flashes. (Vitamin C can deplete the body of copper, so take a copper supplement as well if trying this option)
- Vitamin E: 400-500 IU twice daily (check with doctor if taking anticoagulant drugs)
- Vitex
MIND-BODY CONNECTION
- Menopause issues/problems can represent a fear of not being wanted/needed.
RECIPES/FOOD MEDICINE
Not all recipes are nutritionally perfect, but the options below are a great way to start incorporating beneficial foods into your diet in delicious ways. Always try to buy organic, and feel free to make substitutions to accommodate gluten-free, vegan, etc diets.
Abbreviation Definitions:
LC = Low Calorie (under 400 for breakfast, 600 for lunch/dinner, and 200 for beverages/sides/snacks)
GF = Gluten Free
KT = Keto / Low Carb
VG = Vegan
VT = Vegetarian
BEVERAGES
- Banana-Blueberry Smoothie GF VT
- BananaSauce Smoothie GF VG VT
- Blueberry Peach Smoothie LC GF VG VT
- Blueberry Pineapple Smoothie GF VT
- Cranberry-Blueberry Smoothie GF VT
- PB & Jelly Sandwich Smoothie GF VG VT
- Peach-Banana Smoothie LC GF VT
- Peach-Berry Smoothie LC GF VT
- Pineapple Kale Smoothie GF VG VT
- Pomegranate Dandelion Tea LC GF VG VT
- Strawberry Banana Smoothie GF VT
- Super Skin Smoothie GF VT
- Superfruit Smoothie GF VG VT
MEALS
- Adult Ramen LC GF VG VT
- Asian Broccoli & Rice Bowl LC GF VG VT
- Buddha Bowl GF VG VT
- Chicken Bone Broth LC GF
- Chickpea Salad Sandwich GF VG VT
- Chickpea Wraps LC VG VT
- Crispy Potato-Crusted Fish LC GF
- Edamame Rice Bowl LC GF VG VT
- Healthy Scrambled Eggs LC GF KT VT
- Hummus Flatbread LC GF VG VT
- Japanese Onion Soup LC GF VG VT
- Miso Soup LC GF VG VT
- Mung Beans and Rice LC GF VG VT
- Pasta Fagioli LC VG VT
- Quinoa Oatmeal LC GF VG VT
- Salsa Cruda Pasta LC VG VT
- Shrimp Power Bowl GF
- Spiced Lentil Soup LC GF VG VT
- Vegan Bulk Spaghetti Sauce LC GF VG VT
- Vegetable Broth LC GF VG VT
- White Bean & Spinach Soup LC GF
- White Chili LC GF VT
SIDES/SALADS/SNACKS
- Asian Cabbage Salad LC GF VG VT
- Avocado Cilantro-Lime Rice LC GF VG VT
- Bacon Brussel Sprouts LC GF KT
- Beans & Greens Salad LC GF VG VT
- Brown Rice Pilaf with Saffron and Ginger LC GF VG VT
- Cannellini and Tomato Crostini VG VT
- Caraway Brussels Sprouts LC GF VG VT KT
- Creamy Kale LC GF KT VG VT
- Dill Vinaigrette Greens LC GF VG VT KT
- Double Mashed Potatoes LC GF VG VT
- Farro VG VT
- Favetta & Pita Triangles GF VG VT
- Glazed Carrots LC GF VG VT
- Guacamole GF KT VG VT
- Hummus & Pita Triangles GF VG VT
- Kale Salad with Sesame Dressing LC GF VG VT
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes LC GF VG VT
- Molasses Beans LC GF
- Panzanella LC VG VT
- Pilau Rice LC GF VG VT
- Quinoa Salad LC GF VG VT
- Ranch Potato Wedges LC GF VG VT
- Red Beans & Rice LC GF VG VT
- Roasted Asparagus LC GF VG VT KT
- Roasted Broccoli LC GF VG VT
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts LC GF VG VT
- Roasted Carrots LC GF VG VT
- Roasted Chipotle Sweet Potatoes LC GF VG VT
- Roasted Green Beans LC GF VG VT
- Roasted Potatoes LC GF VG VT
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes LC GF VG VT
- Sauteed Spinach LC GF KT VG VT
- Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes GF VG VT
- Spinach & Strawberry Salad LC GF VG VT
- Steamed Edamame LC GF VG VT
- Warm Red Cabbage Salad LC GF VG VT