Menopause
Foods to Eat More Of:
Foods to Avoid or Minimize:
Essential Oils:
*If additional information or precautions are available, the links below will direct you that information. If not, you will be directed to Amazon for purchasing options.
Natural/Herbal:
*If additional information or precautions are available, the links below will direct you that information. If not, you will be directed to Amazon for purchasing options.
Yoga Therapy:
Supplements & Homeopathic:
Mind-Body Connection:
Recipes - Food Medicine:
*Note: 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. Recipes naturally Vegan and Gluten-Free are marked as such (V=Vegan; GF=Gluten-Free).
Smoothies/Beverages:
Sides & Salads:
- Fruits: apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, berries, grapes, oranges, peaches, pears, strawberries, dried fruits
- Vegetables: alfalfa sprouts, arugula, asparagus, cabbage, carrots, celery, collard greens, fennel, green bell peppers, kale, romaine lettuce, spinach, sweat potatoes/yams, tomatoes, watercress
- Seeds (especially flax, sesame, sunflower, pumpkin), lentils, beans, soy products (edamame, tofu, miso), olive oil, olives, oats, wheat germ, whole grains, yogurt
- Sea veggies: nori, kombu, arame, hijiki, wakame, dulse & kelp
- Caraway, thyme, sage, turmeric
- 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
Foods to Avoid or Minimize:
- Meat & dairy products (except yogurt)
- Alcohol and spicy foods
- Caffeine, excessive sugar
Essential Oils:
*If additional information or precautions are available, the links below will direct you that information. If not, you will be directed to Amazon for purchasing options.
- Hormonal imbalance: myrrh, ylang ylang, clary sage, nutmeg (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)
Natural/Herbal:
*If additional information or precautions are available, the links below will direct you that information. If not, you will be directed to Amazon for purchasing options.
- Anise, buchu, cinnamon, dandelion root, evening primrose, fennel, fenugreek, garlic, ginseng, golden seal, lemon balm, licorice, motherwort, red clover flower, rosemary, sage, thyme, turmeric, wood betony
- Black Cohosh Tea (limit use to 6 months)
- 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.
- Parsley can relieve cramping pains.
- Insomnia: try valerian
- Try adding Dong Quai to herbal teas
Yoga 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
- Chasteberry: 225 mg extract twice daily (also called vitex - should contain 0.5% agnuside).
- DHEA: As directed
- Siberian Ginseng: 100-300 mg daily (standardized to contain at least 0.8% eleutherosides).
- Calcium/ Vitamin D: 600-1200 mg calcium and 200 IU vitamin D daily.
- Dong Quai: 200 mg, or 30 drops tincture, 3 times daily (should contain 0.8-1.1% ligustilide).
- Licorice: 200 mg standardized extract 3 times daily (be aware this can raise blood pressure).
- Soy Isoflavones: 50 mg daily (look for products that contain genistein and daidzein).
- Vitamin B Complex: As directed
- Vitamin E: 400 IU twice daily (check with doctor if taking anticoagulant drugs).
Mind-Body Connection:
- Menopause issues/problems can represent a fear of not being wanted/needed.
Recipes - Food Medicine:
*Note: 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. Recipes naturally Vegan and Gluten-Free are marked as such (V=Vegan; GF=Gluten-Free).
Smoothies/Beverages:
- Banana-Blueberry Smoothie (GF)
- BananaSauce Smoothie (V, GF)
- Blueberry Peach Smoothie (V, GF)
- Cranberry-Blueberry Smoothie (GF)
- PB & Jelly Sandwich Smoothie (V)
- Peach-Banana Smoothie (GF)
- Peach-Berry Smoothie (GF)
- Pineapple Kale Smoothie (V, GF)
- Pomegranate Dandelion Tea (V, GF)
- Strawberry Banana Smoothie
- Super Skin Smoothie (GF)
- Superfruit Smoothie (V, GF)
- Adult Ramen (V, GF)
- Asian Broccoli & Rice Bowl (V, GF)
- Broth (Veggie/Chicken/Beef) - (V, GF)
- Buddha Bowl (V, GF)
- Bulk Spaghetti Sauce (V, GF)
- Chickpea Salad Sandwich (V, GF)
- Edamame Rice Bowl (V)
- Hummus Flatbread
- Japanese Onion Soup (V, GF)
- Miso Soup (V, GF)
- Pasta Fagioli (V)
- Quinoa Oatmeal (V)
- Red Beans & Rice (V, GF)
- Slow Cooked White Chili (V, GF)
- Spiced Lentil Soup (V, GF)
- White Bean & Spinach Soup (GF)
Sides & Salads:
- Asian Cabbage Salad (V, GF)
- Avocado Cilantro Lime Rice (V, GF)
- Bacon Brussels Sprouts (GF)
- Brown Rice Pilaf with Saffron and Ginger (V, GF)
- Cannellini and Tomato Crostini (V)
- Caraway Brussels Sprouts (V, GF)
- Double Mashed Potatoes (GF)
- Favetta & Pita Triangles (V)
- Guacamole (V, GF)
- Hummus & Pita Triangles (V)
- Kale Salad with Sesame Dressing (V, GF)
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes (V, GF)
- Molasses Beans (GF)
- Quinoa Salad (V, GF)
- Red Beans & Rice (V, GF)
- Roasted Veggie Options (V, GF)
- Spinach & Strawberry Salad (V)
- Steamed Edamame (V, GF)