Supporting Nutrition Patients Through Menopause

Many of our patients at Culina Health seek support for their changing symptoms and needs over the course of their lives. With RDs that specialize in working with pediatric patients, as well as prenatal, postnatal, and people navigating perimenopause and menopause and beyond, there’s always a nutrition-based answer for a unique challenge or life transition someone is dealing with. Recently, we spoke with Emily Anderson, RDN, LD at Culina Health on her work specifically with clients in menopause. Read on to hear how she approaches nutrition for menopause!

About Emily Anderson, RDN, LD

How did you come to the nutrition profession?

My sister dealt with serious health issues when she was young which required her and my whole family to shift our nutrition habits. Since then, I have immersed myself in educating myself on nutrition and how food and what we eat can support our health.

What led you to specialize in menopause and women’s health?

I recognized that in the institutional healthcare setting, my female patients were facing a huge gap in regards to how hormones were impacting their overall health, especially for those with chronic conditions. During my time in school, I began working with an OB/GYN who educated me on how hormones affect our health and where she coached me to provide nutrition intervention to support her patients’ symptoms, alongside the medical intervention she was offering. In this way, I saw firsthand how nutrition is such an important additional tool in caring for patients. 

Nutrition for Menopause

How can an RD support someone in menopause?

First step I would say is to start off by listening to them. Our patients know their body better than anyone, and often are not heard in their struggles or complaints. 

What are 3 things everyone in/approaching menopause should know about nutrition care? 

1. Your nutrition habits in your 20’s and 30’s plays a huge part in your experience with menopause once it hits you. So even if you’re not near menopause age-wise, beginning positive, health-promoting habits now will help you stay healthy down the line.
2. Nutrition care is much more than counting calories for weight management, it’s finding an eating and lifestyle plan that gets you the necessary nutrients (b vitamins, healthy fats, vitamin d, and omega 3 fatty acids, to name a few) that will protect and nourish your major organs and promote longevity and high quality of life. 
3. You don’t need a ton of money to make changes. Culina Health works with patients using health insurance, so over 90% of our patients just pay a co-pay, and we account for your unique lifestyle, budget, and any other constraints, to make sure we’re providing tools that you can use, and sustain for life.

What’s one misconception about menopause/nutrition care that you want to dispel?

Counting calories won’t do anything for you! Many people, especially women experiencing weight gain during menopause, are inclined to count calories and restrict their intake. But often this only leads to more struggles with food, and frustration with body weight. I prefer to work with patients on eating a balanced diet and assessing what we can add to their diets to promote long-term positive eating habits that will reduce menopause symptoms, change body composition, and help them navigate this phase of change.

Navigating Menopause Challenges

What are some frequent menopause-related challenges that your patients face, and what types of strategies do you employ to help them through?

Sleep: Many of my patients in the menopause transition struggle to get 8 hours of sleep, often stemming from night sweats. We will consider strategies such as having a light midnight snack to keep blood sugar levels balanced throughout the night, as lower blood sugar levels at night can promote more instances of night sweats. We’ll also discuss magnesium supplementation which can help optimize sleep quality throughout the night. 

Increased LDL (“bad”) cholesterol: As estrogen is important for heart health, it is common to see cholesterol levels rise during menopause as estrogen levels decrease. We will assess a patient’s sugar intake and see where we can find swaps to reduce their intake of sugary foods. 

Stubborn weight gain: Sometimes even patients with the most consistent diet, can have a hard time seeing weight loss, usually around their abdominal region. Implementing regular exercise that targets the deep core muscles can improve posture, strengthen the core, change body composition, and help get patients closer to their goal. 

Can you share a patient success story related to menopause and how you addressed their challenges?

I had a patient who presented with menopausal symptoms like depression, weight gain, and low energy levels related to poor sleep. She also had a son with a chronic medical condition and had to cook mostly refined carbohydrates for him, which affected her nutrition intake and diet as well. 

We started our work together by assessing everything that she ate throughout the week, and I suggested feasible swaps we could implement in her diet, specifically for desserts made up of less sugary foods, and making sure they were foods her son would enjoy as well. For the foods she was not able to swap out, we discussed high fiber, non-starchy veggie options and healthy fats we could add to meals. Ultimately, this patient was able to get to her desired weight, but also saw a drastic improvement in her energy levels, sleep regimen, and even changes in her emotional disposition! She still does not cut anything out of her diet and has made lasting shifts in her habits that feel sustainable.

How do you typically work with a patient’s other providers?

I most often work alongside a patient’s outside provider if they are seeing an OB/GYN. Many women going through menopause are curious about undergoing Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) which requires a prescription from a MD. HRT is such an individualized therapy and not prescribed to everyone. Since most MD’s only have limited time allotted with patients, there’s not always time to discuss medications, mental health, or lifestyle components that will allow doctors to make effective decisions for medical interventions. I’m able to work with a patient’s provider to share information that can make their recommendations stronger and help a patient navigate choices made with their OB/GYN.

Work with a Culina Health Registered Dietitian

Though every woman going through perimenopause and in menopause is on their own journey, discussing experiences with other women and researching helpful ways to mitigate any uncomfortable symptoms is helpful for building awareness, and ultimately confidence during this time. Menopause can be a truly exciting stage of life that can inspire positive health changes and new outlooks on living well. As always, one of the best ways to harness this viewpoint is by taking care of yourself starting now. If you are a woman beginning perimenopause or in menopause and looking for personalized support to navigate this new stage of life, get matched with a Culina Health RD and your appointments will likely be covered by your health insurance plan.