A natural approach to menopause

Expert tips to help support the body through this time of change

Hot flushes, disrupted sleep, mood changes and brain fog are some of the most common symptoms of the menopause. However, while every woman’s experience is different, there are plenty of natural ways to support wellbeing during this stage of life.

Olivia Cahalane, a nutritional therapist, and Gráinne O’Beirne, a nutritional coach, from The Health Connection, Ennis, are passionate about supporting women throughout every stage of their health journey. They say: “Through our many years of experience working closely with customers, one of the conversations we find ourselves having more and more often is around perimenopause and menopause. For many women, this can be a time of significant physical, emotional and hormonal change, but with the right nutritional and lifestyle support, it can also be an opportunity to feel more balanced, informed and empowered.

Taking a food-first approach
Olivia and Gráinne recommend taking a food-first approach when it comes to managing the menopause. They explain: “From our experience, we always encourage women to begin with the foundations, focusing on nutrient-dense whole foods while looking at ways to naturally reduce inflammation and support hormonal balance.

Increasing protein intake becomes particularly important during menopause, whether through quality poultry, eggs, legumes or oily fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Protein plays a vital role in preserving muscle mass, supporting metabolic health, balancing blood sugar levels and helping women to feel fuller for longer, all of which are hugely important as hormonal changes begin to affect body composition and energy levels.

Eggs are one of our favourite functional foods as they provide high-quality protein while also being naturally rich in choline, an important nutrient that supports healthy liver function. The liver plays a central role in hormone metabolism, making healthy detoxification pathways increasingly important as oestrogen levels begin to decline.”

Supporting the nervous system
Olivia and Gráinne also place great importance on supporting the adrenal glands and nervous system. They recommend ensuring adequate intake of magnesium, vitamin D and B vitamins, particularly vitamin B6, all of which play an important role in energy production, mood and hormonal balance.

“Milk thistle is another wonderful herbal support that helps nourish and protect liver function,” say Olivia and Gráinne. “A healthy liver is a major factor in assisting hormonal regulation and can be a fantastic support during menopause.

Gut health should never be overlooked, so we encourage probiotic-rich foods such as natural yoghurt, kefir, kimchi and sauerkraut. These can help support digestion, inoculate the gut with beneficial bacteria, provide valuable prebiotic fibres and ultimately help reduce bloating.

Foods such as flax and chia seeds, nuts and soy-based foods, including edamame beans, may also offer gentle phytoestrogenic support, while healthy fats can support cardiovascular health and help lower inflammation throughout the body.”

Promoting sleep and reducing stress
Olivia and Gráinne are keen to stress that menopause is about supporting the whole person, not simply managing symptoms. They explain: “Adaptogenic herbs such as ashwagandha, alongside calming herbal teas including lemon balm, fennel or cardamom, may help to support relaxation, improve sleep quality and strengthen resilience during what can often be a demanding stage of life.

Equally important are the simple but powerful lifestyle changes that can make a significant difference during this transition. Practices such as meditation, regular walking, yoga and light exercise can help to regulate the nervous system, reduce stress and support emotional wellbeing, while resistance and weight-bearing exercises have been shown to be incredibly important for maintaining muscle mass, protecting bone density and reducing the long-term risk of osteoporosis.”

Looking at the wider picture
While food, movement and lifestyle habits form the foundations of menopause support, it can also be helpful to understand some of the wider physiological changes taking place in the body. “Menopause is often described as a hormone-change story, but research suggests it is also linked with higher oxidative stress and inflammation,” says Rochelle Doyle BSc Nut.Sc. from The Pantry in Kenmare, Co Kerry. “As oestrogen levels decline, the body may experience changes in antioxidant protection, blood vessel function, blood sugar balance, cholesterol, mood, sleep and joint comfort. This wider picture may help to explain why menopause can involve more than hot flushes and night sweats, with some women also noticing fatigue, poor sleep, low mood, aches and changes in heart and bone health.

This is where polyphenols are an interesting area of nutrition research. Polyphenols are natural plant compounds found in colourful foods such as berries, pomegranate, citrus fruits, green tea, cocoa, olives, herbs, spices, flaxseed, beans, lentils, chickpeas and soya foods. They do not replace hormones, but they may help the body manage oxidative stress and inflammation more effectively. Some polyphenols, particularly soya isoflavones and flaxseed lignans, are known as phytoestrogens because they have mild oestrogen-like activity. These may support some women with vasomotor symptoms such as hot flushes, although results vary from person to person.”

A menopause-supportive diet
Rochelle is another proponent of the ‘food-first’ approach. She says: “A menopause-supportive diet should include plenty of fibre-rich plant foods, good-quality protein, healthy fats, calcium-rich foods and a wide variety of colourful fruit and vegetables. This type of diet supports gut health, blood sugar balance, cardiovascular health, bone strength and overall energy.

Supplements can still be very useful, but they should support the diet, not replace it. Vitamin D, magnesium, omega-3, calcium or phytoestrogen supplements may be appropriate for some women depending on diet, symptoms, medication and health history.

The best results usually come from improving the overall pattern of eating first, then using targeted supplements where there is a clear need. With the right support, menopause can be approached not with fear, but with knowledge, balance and confidence.”

Three things every woman should know about menopause
Siobhan Guthrie, principal of KinesiologyZone, shares some simple but important reminders for navigating this stage of life.

Reframe the menopause
It is one of the most natural transitions a body goes through, on a par with puberty, and yet often framed as something to brace for or fear. That framing alone can make symptoms feel bigger and scarier than they need to. As a Systematic Kinesiologist, I look at this transition through the MCPE framework: Mental, Chemical, Physical and Energetic, because no single lens tells the whole story. We find there’s a real, measurable relationship between your stress response and how rough your symptoms feel.

Don’t overlook the basics
Women spend months and money chasing the ‘right’ stack of supplements before looking broader, missing where real leverage is. Approaches outside the biochemical model are often dismissed. The emotional turbulence of this transition is real and responds well to the right support.

Work with your body
Treat your nervous system as essential. Start strength training. Say no to things like sugar. Less oestrogen brings less sugar handling sensitivity so eliminating it can prevent getting overheated. Personally, flushes track closely with sugar intake for me. But menopause isn’t one thing happening. It’s several systems renegotiating their relationship with each other, and there is a great deal you can do to help that renegotiation go smoothly.

We will leave the final word with Olivia and Gráinne. They say: “Menopause should not simply be seen as something to get through. It can be an opportunity for women to become more intentional about their health and begin laying strong foundations for the decades ahead. Ageing should be embraced as something positive, and by making smart nutritional and lifestyle choices now, we greatly increase our chances of remaining strong, independent and thriving well into later life – because healthy octogenarians should absolutely be the goal.”

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