3 Lifestyle Changes You Can Make Right Now To Reduce Perimenopause Symptoms

Midlife can come with a range of body changes: Gray hair, stiff joints, and for most women, perimenopause. In the United States, the average woman enters menopause at age 51, and with this can come symptoms such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness, night sweats, mood swings, painful sex, brain fog, low bone density, or insomnia.

For women suffering from severe symptoms, prescription options such as menopause hormone therapy can provide relief. In addition to medicated treatment options, lifestyle choices can also play a major role in keeping symptoms at bay.

“One myth is that lifestyle is not a big factor in menopause,” Flow Advisor Jessica Shepherd, OB-GYN, said during our recent virtual event. “Having studied so many different aspects of lifestyle medicine behind menopause, there really categorically are a lot of metabolic changes that are going on with women during this timeframe.”

Here are the lifestyle changes that can have the biggest impact when it comes to menopause symptoms.

A Healthy Diet Can Reduce Menopause Symptoms

There really is some truth to the phrase, ‘You are what you eat,’ and when you enter perimenopause, your body undergoes a major hormonal shift. During this transition, estrogen levels begin to decline which can negatively impact your metabolism, cholesterol levels, and how your body digests carbs.

Research suggests certain foods can help relieve some symptoms of menopause. With the decline in estrogen, women are at a greater risk of osteoporosis and fractures, and dairy products have been shown to increase bone health. One study found that in nearly 750 postmenopausal women, those who consumed more dairy had significantly higher bone density than those who consumed less. Research has also shown the role diet can play in reducing hot flashes.

Diversity of food and diet is key, says Dr. Shepherd: “I really want people to be inclusive in their diet, because when you’re very restrictive, that usually causes more problems than not.”

Research has also found that a Mediterranean diet rich in vegetables, fruits, herbs, nuts, beans, fish, and whole grains is beneficial to women during menopause for its anti-inflammatory properties. And getting in enough protein is crucial.

“As your muscle starts to whittle away, and our protein usually decreases, there’s nothing there to help build the muscle up,” says Dr. Shepherd. “Which is what a heavy protein diet will do. And so when we look at the adequate dietary protein amount, it is one to prioritize.”

Drinking Can Make Symptoms Worse

The body begins to metabolize alcohol differently as we age, and research shows that it can cause inflammation which can worsen menopause symptoms.

“I will admit I have significantly decreased my alcohol intake as I’ve gone into the perimenopausal phase for two reasons,” says Dr. Shepherd. “This is me personally and then I’ll give some context. One, I don’t metabolize alcohol as well as I used to. We don’t metabolize alcohol as well and then don’t feel as great after. Then you have alcohol that’s sitting in your body longer than it should, which is a lot of glucose and sugar.”

This glucose and sugars increase inflammation in the body, which can intensify menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, and even mental health issues.

Menopausal women are particularly vulnerable to depression, especially if they’ve had a history of it, because there is a reduction in serotonin, the pleasure receptor in the brain. And since alcohol is a depressant, it can exacerbate hormonal changes.

“I’ve gotten to a point where it doesn’t mean I don’t drink, but I really think about how I will feel and what is this doing inside my body that’s not helping me at this point,” says Dr. Shepherd. “Then I can make a better decision on whether I am going to drink.”

Strength Training Is Key

Leading a sedentary lifestyle is not a healthy choice for anyone, but during perimenopause and menopause, staying active and moving your body can alleviate symptoms and improve your overall quality of life.

One study found that women who were active for 12 weeks had reduced menopausal symptoms and improved well-being, compared to women who did not exercise.

So, what exercise is best? Dr. Shepherd recommends anything cardiovascular. This can include hiking, jogging, cycling, rowing, running, yoga, and elliptical training.

But weight-bearing exercises are also beneficial, especially as women during menopause are more likely to suffer from brittle bones or poor bone health.

“Women in general usually shy away from weight bearing exercise,” says Dr. Shepherd. “When we look at muscle mass with aging and after estrogen depletion, you really have a change in muscle structure. So, if we can increase our muscle in our weight bearing exercises, you’ll notice that you may be seeing weight gain, but your body is whittling off fat.”