Have you ever wondered why inflammation becomes a major issue during menopause? Well, let me tell you that estrogen plays a significant role in regulating our body’s symptoms and its inflammatory response.
Although inflammation is a natural immune response that helps the body fight infections and heal wounds, it must be under control to stay healthy. However, during hormonal changes, this can be challenging.
During menstruation or menopause, estrogen levels drop drastically, making symptoms feel strong and clear, from mood swings to sleep disturbances. But there’s more!
Reduced estrogen levels contribute to a faster accumulation of visceral fat in the abdominal area. This dangerous fat generates inflammatory cytokines, which are like “messengers” that can stimulate chronic body inflammation.
Chronic inflammation, which can occur when we are constantly stressed or going through hormonal changes, can lead to a variety of health issues. To give you an idea, too much inflammation over an extended period is like keeping our bodies constantly in flames.
Becoming aware that we need to control inflammation will motivate us to change our routine and prioritize foods that help us achieve this. Let’s see what we can do.
- Nurture Your Body
During periods of hormonal stress, we should pamper ourselves. Taking more time to relax, meditate, and sleep allows us to recover faster. It’s the perfect time to enjoy gentle walks, soft body movements, yoga, or Pilates. These activities can be healing rather than intense workouts that may exhaust and stress us even more.
- Incorporate Omega-3: The Queen of Fats
While balanced meals that include a variety of lean meats, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are always a good choice, there’s a crucial group of foods known as healthy fats. This group contains fatty acids, which I call the queen of nutrients, better known as Omega-3.
During menopause, Omega-3 fatty acids become more important than ever. This polyunsaturated fat is essential for good health and maintaining healthy inflammation levels, as it helps combat it. Unfortunately, our bodies cannot produce these fatty acids, so we need to obtain them from food.
In my case, during the menopause process, more than ever, I make sure to eat salmon or other fatty fish like tuna or mackerel at least three times a week. I also include ground flaxseeds, chia seeds, edamame, tofu, and walnuts as snacks. I use olive oil in my salads (and even use it to massage my hands and cuticles). Avocados, nut butter, and all nuts and seeds are part of my daily healthy eating habits during this stage.
Knowing the anti-inflammatory properties of Omega-3 fatty acids motivates me to consume enough daily. Feeling their positive effects on my body, especially keeping my good cholesterol at a healthier level, my shiny hair, and strong skin and nails, is a daily victory for me.
This good fat plays a crucial role in the health of our hearts, bones, joints, and skin, improving our mood during our menstrual cycle and throughout menopause. The best part is that foods rich in these healthy fats are as good for us as they are delicious!
Your nutritionist,
Sabrina Hernández
