Nutrition for Middle-Aged Women

It is a loaded, trending topic these days....

Nutrition in Middle Age.

My own generation is venturing in and through their 40s right now. A large part of my own social

The basic guidelines for nutrition for middle-aged women aren't' that different than the guidelines for good nutrition in general.

media feed seems to be overrun by ads for perimenopause, menopause, and nutrition and fitness in mid-life. Like any trending topic that makes it into the realm of influencer culture, there's a lot of fluff to sort through.

The basic guidelines for nutrition for middle-aged women aren't that different than the guidelines for good nutrition in general. There may be a stronger focus on bone health and muscle maintenance, but overall, good nutrition doesn't need to be too complicated.

Nutrition for Middle-Aged Women:

Here are four basic areas to focus on as a woman in her 40s:

1.) Basic nutrition for GI health, bone health, and blood sugar balance

Incorporating healthy starches like squash and sweet potatoes, good sources of fiber like raspberries, chia seeds, and pears, regular probiotics like yogurt, aged cheese, miso, or kombucha, leafy greens for bone-supportive calcium, and regularly timed meals that include dietary plenty of dietary protein. Many women also report increasing feelings of hunger with hormone shifts during perimenopause. Adequate amounts of protein throughout the day can help with satiation

2.) Basic nutrition for muscle maintenance

As a starting point, a goal of 25g of protein per meal is worth working on. Depending on whether or not you are doing strength-building, muscle-building exercise, this number may vary.

3.) Basic nutrition to lower inflammation

A diet rich in whole foods, plants, healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids, dietary protein, and regular inclusion of spices and herbs like turmeric can all support the body. The psychologically friendly way to approach this is finding more and more ways to add these foods IN.

4.) Eating like a grown woman versus an adolescent

Eating like an adult implies a degree of self-responsibility. It's knowing what is in your power to change and working in that realm and knowing what is not in your power to change, and accepting those things. When we regress to younger ways of thinking, trying to look perfect, eating perfect, or achieve perfect health can overrun thinking. On the flip side, body neglect, eating at all hours of the day/night, or only wanting fast food or convenience food can also become a dominant pattern. The key here is self-acceptance and self-responsibility.

Middle age can invite us into presence and into a fuller participation in life. One of those areas is how we relate to our eating and our bodies. About one year into my private practice, (back in 2010) seeing how many women struggle with eating despite the incredible amount of nutritional information they acquired, I dove head-first into the psychology of eating which proved to be the missing ingredient for women working with their diet, bodies, symptoms, and body weight.

Ready to make changes that last and honor the elegance of mid-life? Read more here and contact Laura here

Warmly,

Laura