I’ve always believed menopause is not just a phase we get through, but a significant life transition where balanced nutrition and lifestyle adjustments can make a transformative difference.
Menopause is a midlife time for self-care.
My mission is to help women thrive during perimenopause and menopause by emphasizing whole-food nutrition, good gut health, and practical macronutrient balancing.
In this blog post, I’ll share how focusing on the right amounts of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats—your macronutrients or “macros”—can help support the hormonal changes of menopause.
I’ll also draw on insights from my earlier post on Menopause and Gut Health to highlight why a happy gut is key for hormonal balance.
And finally, I’m thrilled to invite you to the Zurich screening of “The (M) Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause,” taking place on Friday, March 14—reserve your seat here!
A Holistic Perspective on Menopause
I see menopause as a natural stage—not a health crisis.
Yes, it can bring symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, and weight fluctuations, but I’ve witnessed firsthand how a mindful approach to diet can reduce many of these challenges.
By finding the right balance of macronutrients for you and nurturing the gut, we create an environment where hormones have the support.
Why Macros Matter For Menopause
Protein:
During menopause, declining estrogen levels can lead to significant muscle loss and decreased metabolic function.
Getting adequate protein becomes especially crucial during this transition, as it serves multiple essential purposes: it helps preserve lean muscle mass which would otherwise deteriorate, maintains a healthy metabolic rate when hormonal changes might slow it down, supports the body’s ongoing tissue repair processes, and provides the building blocks needed for enzyme production and other vital bodily functions. Quality protein sources become particularly important as the body becomes more sensitive to nutritional needs during this time.
Carbohydrates:
Complex carbohydrates, which include nutrient-rich foods like whole grains, legumes, colorful fruits, and vegetables, provide your body with a steady and sustainable source of energy throughout the day.
Unlike simple carbohydrates that can cause rapid spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels, these complex carbs are digested more slowly, helping to maintain consistent blood glucose levels. This gradual release of energy not only supports sustained physical energy but can also play a crucial role in stabilizing mood swings and emotional fluctuations that are common during menopause. The fiber content in these complex carbohydrates further helps to slow digestion and maintain blood sugar balance, while also supporting overall gut health and satiety.
Fats:
Healthy fats, including sources like avocados, extra virgin olive oil, a variety of nuts and seeds, and omega-3 rich fatty fish, play several essential roles during menopause.
These beneficial fats are fundamental for maintaining proper hormone production and balance, as they provide the basic building blocks needed for hormone synthesis. Additionally, they are crucial for the proper absorption and utilization of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K), which support overall health during this transition.
The presence of these healthy fats in your diet also helps maintain cell membrane integrity, supports brain function, and can help reduce inflammation throughout the body – all particularly important during menopause.
The Role of Gut Health in Hormone Balance
The intricate relationship between hormones like estrogen and our gut microbiome plays a crucial role in menopausal health.
As I discuss in further detail in my post on Menopause and Gut Health, when our gut microbiome becomes imbalanced, it can significantly disrupt how effectively our bodies process and metabolize hormones. This disruption can lead to more intense menopausal symptoms and make the transition more challenging.
The good news is that we can positively influence this relationship, especially through mindful dietary choices. By incorporating probiotic-rich foods that support beneficial bacteria, ensuring adequate fiber intake to maintain regular elimination of excess hormones, and consuming a wide variety of nutrient-dense foods that nourish our gut flora, we can help create a more balanced internal environment.
This balanced environment, in turn, can help smooth out the hormonal fluctuations typical of menopause, making symptoms more manageable.
How to Set Up Your Menopausal Macros
Everyone’s nutritional needs will differ, but here’s a general framework I often recommend:
- Protein: 20–30% of Daily Calories
- Lean sources (chicken, turkey, and white fish like tilapia, cod, haddock) and plant-based proteins (beans, lentils, tofu) are great staples when you’re looking to add in more protein.
- Protein supports muscle retention and helps with weight management—two major focuses during menopause.
- Carbohydrates: 40–50% of Daily Calories
- Emphasize minimally-processed complex carbs (whole grains, vegetables, fruits) to keep blood sugar steady.
- Balanced blood sugar can stabilize your mood and energy levels.
- Fats: 25–35% of Daily Calories
- Choose foods like nuts, seeds, avocado, and fatty fish for high-quality unsaturated fats.
- This helps with hormone production and nutrient absorption.
- Customize for You
- Pay attention to how you feel—take note of energy, sleep quality, hot flashes, and mood as you work on setting up your ideal macros.
- Adjusting macro ratios is totally normal. I often guide my clients through personalized adjustments to find their ideal balance.
Practical Tips I Share with My Clients
- Protein-Packed Breakfast:
- Smoothies, veggie omelet, or Greek yogurt with berries can help you start the day strong.
- Balance Your Plate:
- Make sure each meal has whole food sources of protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats. It’s amazing how this trifecta stabilizes energy and curbs cravings.
- Snack Wisely:
- Nuts, seeds, hard-boiled eggs, and vegetables with hummus are better than processed snacks for supporting hormone balance and keeping your gut healthy.
- Boost Your Fiber:
- Fibre (found in whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables) can keep digestion running smoothly and support a balanced microbiome. Read more about the importance of your diet for the gut microbiome in this post here.
- Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate:
- I recommend at least 1.5 to 2 litres of water a day—particularly important as menopausal symptoms can include dryness and hot flashes.
Beyond Nutrition: Lifestyle Considerations
Stay Active with Movement and Strength
Regular physical activity plays an important role in counteracting the natural muscle loss and bone density decline that often accelerates during menopause.
The right combination of exercise can make a big difference – from strength training that helps preserve lean muscle mass, to brisk walks that get your heart pumping, to gentle yoga that improves flexibility and balance. Find the right balance based on your stress levels and burn out. This is why the DUTCH test for your hormones understanding where you’re starting from is how we begin the process of making lifestyle changes.
Whatever form of movement resonates with you personally becomes a powerful tool not just for managing weight, but also for enhancing your overall mood through the release of endorphins, supporting cardiovascular health, and maintaining mobility as you age.
The key is finding activities you genuinely enjoy, as this makes it easier to maintain a consistent exercise routine throughout your menopausal journey.
Nurture Your Mind and Sleep
Menopause can introduce new sources of stress into your daily life, from managing physical symptoms to navigating emotional changes.
Creating space for intentional stress management becomes essential for maintaining hormonal balance during this transition. Whether it’s setting aside time for journaling to process your thoughts and feelings, practicing meditation to center yourself, or establishing a nightly wind-down ritual like taking a calming bath with lavender essential oils, finding ways to reduce stress actively supports your body’s natural hormone regulation processes.
Prioritize getting 7–9 hours of high-quality sleep each night, as adequate rest gives your body the time it needs to properly rebalance hormones and recharge both physically and mentally.
Creating a consistent bedtime routine and maintaining a cool, dark sleeping environment can help optimize your sleep quality during this time of hormonal fluctuation.
When You Need Personalized Support
If you feel you’re not making the progress you’d like, or simply want a tailored approach, I’m here to help.
I design personalized plans at Nutrition Therapy to address each client’s hormonal shifts, preferences, and overall health goals. This starts with a functional nutrition approach by testing to identify the root causes of health issues and then providing personalized dietary and lifestyle strategies.
Join Me for “The (M) Factor” Screening in Zurich!
I’m excited to be hosting a Zurich screening of “The (M) Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause” on Friday, March 14. This documentary aims to break stigmas and generate open, empowering conversations about menopause.
If you’re in Zurich, please come and invite your friends—we’re building a supportive community around this pivotal life stage.
Click here to get your tickets
Final Thoughts from My Practice
Menopause doesn’t need to be a dreaded milestone.
It’s an opportunity to tune into your body and adapt in ways that support long-term health and vitality. By paying attention to macros, embracing gut health, and adding in supportive lifestyle practices, you can truly transform this period into a chapter of well-being.
For individualized guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out. I look forward to helping you thrive during menopause and beyond!
References & Further Reading
