Written by MJ Feeke, Nutritional Therapist
MJ is a BANT Registered Nutritionist, Nutritional Therapist, Health Coach, Chef, and Certified Breathwork Facilitator with over 25 years of experience in the food industry and over 20 years as a small business owner. She is dedicated to educating and empowering others through nutrition and wellness.
Women are navigating the unique challenges of perimenopause and menopause while balancing demanding careers. Hormonal fluctuations can impact energy, concentration, and stress resilience, making nutrition an essential tool for maintaining workplace performance and overall well-being. Many women in this stage of life experience fatigue, brain fog, mood swings, and sleep disturbances, often unaware of how dietary adjustments can help stabilize hormones and support productivity.
What you eat significantly affects hormone balance, energy levels, and mental clarity. Skipping meals, excessive caffeine, and processed foods can worsen symptoms like fatigue, irritability, and poor concentration. Conversely, a well-balanced diet helps regulate blood sugar, reduce inflammation, and improve cognitive function.
A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that a nutrient-rich diet positively influences cognitive function and emotional resilience in women over 40. By incorporating hormone-supportive foods, you can enhance focus, sustain energy, and reduce menopausal symptoms while maintaining career performance.
1. The Mediterranean diet: A blueprint for hormonal balance
The Mediterranean diet is highly beneficial for women in perimenopause and menopause due to its anti-inflammatory properties and hormone-balancing nutrients.
Healthy fats: Brain health and hormonal support
Healthy fats, such as those found in olive oil, nuts, and avocados, play a vital role in brain function and hormone production. These fats are rich in essential fatty acids and antioxidants, which help reduce inflammation and support cognitive function. Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly from sources like walnuts and flaxseeds, are crucial for mood regulation and memory retention. Including these fats in daily meals can enhance mental clarity, stabilize mood, and provide long-lasting energy, making them an essential part of a balanced diet for women in midlife.
Lean proteins: Blood sugar stability and sustained energy
Protein is crucial for maintaining steady blood sugar levels and preventing the energy crashes that often accompany hormonal fluctuations. Fish, eggs, and legumes provide high-quality protein along with essential amino acids needed for muscle maintenance, brain function, and metabolism support.
Protein-rich meals, such as eggs with avocado, Greek yogurt with seeds, or a smoothie with protein powder and berries, can help sustain energy levels throughout the day. Ensuring adequate protein intake at each meal can improve focus, prevent cravings, and support overall well-being.
Fiber-rich carbohydrates: Gut health and estrogen metabolism
Whole grains, vegetables, and other fiber-rich carbohydrates are important for digestion, gut health, and hormone regulation. Fiber supports estrogen metabolism by promoting healthy liver function and aiding in the excretion of excess hormones from the body. Additionally, fiber helps prevent blood sugar spikes and crashes, reducing cravings and promoting steady energy levels.
Some women may benefit from a lower-carb approach to help stabilize blood sugar, reduce inflammation, and support weight management. Including sources like quinoa, brown rice, lentils, and leafy greens in daily meals ensures optimal digestive health and hormonal balance, benefiting both mental and physical performance.
2. Blood sugar balance: Preventing energy crashes and irritability
Fluctuating blood sugar levels can exacerbate mood swings and fatigue by causing spikes and crashes in energy. The body releases stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which may further intensify feelings of anxiety and exhaustion, making it harder to focus and perform effectively at work.
Prioritizing complex carbohydrates: Sustained energy and nutrient support
Complex carbohydrates, such as quinoa, lentils, and root vegetables, provide a steady release of energy, helping to maintain blood sugar balance and prevent the crashes associated with simple carbs. Unlike refined grains, these whole-food sources are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, supporting digestion and overall health. Additionally, they help fuel the brain and muscles, making them an essential part of a balanced diet, particularly for women managing the energy fluctuations of perimenopause and menopause.
Pairing carbohydrates with proteins and healthy fats: Blood sugar stability
Eating carbohydrates alone can cause quick spikes in blood sugar, leading to energy crashes and increased cravings. Pairing them with proteins and healthy fats helps slow glucose absorption, keeping energy levels stable and preventing mood swings.
For example, combining whole-grain toast with nut butter, quinoa with salmon and avocado, or snacks such as almonds, pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate (85%+), and hummus with veggie sticks ensures a more balanced and sustained release of energy. This strategy not only improves satiety but also supports hormonal balance, cognitive function, and overall well-being.
Avoiding refined sugars and processed snacks: Reducing inflammation and fatigue
Highly processed snacks and refined sugars may offer a quick burst of energy, but they often worsen inflammation, increase cravings, and contribute to energy dips. These foods can disrupt blood sugar levels, increase stress on the body, and exacerbate symptoms like brain fog, irritability, and fatigue.
Instead, opting for whole, minimally processed foods helps maintain hormonal balance, reduce inflammation, and sustain energy levels, allowing for better focus and long-term well-being.
3. Brain-boosting foods: Supporting focus and memory
Hormonal changes can impact memory and cognitive function. Declining estrogen levels, particularly during perimenopause and menopause, can affect neurotransmitters like acetylcholine, which play a crucial role in memory, concentration, and overall cognitive sharpness.
Omega-3 fatty acids: Brain and mood support
Omega-3 fatty acids, found in walnuts, flaxseeds, and oily fish like salmon and mackerel, are essential for cognitive function and mood regulation. These healthy fats help reduce inflammation, support neurotransmitter function, and may alleviate symptoms of brain fog, anxiety, and depression often experienced during perimenopause and menopause. Regular intake of omega-3s is linked to improved cognitive function, emotional resilience, and cardiovascular health, making them a crucial part of a hormone-supportive diet.
Antioxidants: Protecting against oxidative stress
Antioxidants play a key role in combating oxidative stress, which accelerates aging and worsens hormonal imbalances. Foods rich in antioxidants, such as berries, dark chocolate (85%+), and green tea, help neutralize free radicals, reducing cell damage and inflammation. This not only supports skin health and immune function but also enhances cognitive performance and energy levels. Including antioxidant-rich foods in your daily diet can provide long-term benefits for overall vitality and well-being.
B Vitamins: Stress management and mental clarity
B vitamins, found in eggs, dairy, and leafy greens, are vital for energy production, stress management, and brain function. They help regulate the nervous system, reduce anxiety, and improve mental clarity, which is critical for women navigating hormonal fluctuations. B vitamins also play a role in neurotransmitter synthesis, which can enhance mood stability and resilience to stress. Ensuring adequate intake of these essential nutrients supports cognitive sharpness and overall well-being during perimenopause and menopause.
4. Hydration: Managing hot flashes and mental clarity
Dehydration can worsen hot flashes, brain fog, and fatigue. When the body lacks adequate hydration, it struggles to regulate temperature efficiently, leading to intensified hot flashes, reduced blood flow to the brain, and increased feelings of tiredness and confusion.
Drinking at least 1.5–2 liters of water daily
Proper hydration is essential for regulating body temperature, supporting cognitive function, and reducing common menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, fatigue, and headaches. Drinking at least 1.5–2 liters of water daily helps maintain energy levels, flush out toxins, and keep the skin hydrated. Dehydration can exacerbate brain fog and mood swings, making it crucial to sip water consistently throughout the day rather than waiting until you feel thirsty.
Limiting caffeine and alcohol
Excess caffeine and alcohol can worsen menopausal symptoms by increasing dehydration, triggering hot flashes, and disrupting sleep. While caffeine may provide a temporary energy boost, it can lead to energy crashes and heightened anxiety. Managing intake by replacing afternoon coffee with decaffeinated or calming herbal teas like chamomile and rooibos can promote relaxation and improve sleep quality. Similarly, reducing alcohol consumption helps stabilize mood and supports overall hormonal balance.
Consuming hydrating foods
In addition to drinking water, consuming water-rich foods like cucumbers, lettuce, oranges, and watermelon can enhance hydration and provide essential vitamins and minerals. These foods help replenish electrolytes, reduce inflammation, and support skin health. Incorporating hydrating foods into meals and snacks, such as sliced vegetables, soups, salads, and whole fruit, can be an easy way to stay refreshed and maintain optimal hydration levels throughout the day.
5. Managing stress and lifestyle adjustments
Chronic stress plays a significant role in hormonal imbalances, leading to increased cortisol levels, which can further disrupt sleep, energy, and overall well-being. For women navigating perimenopause and menopause, managing stress effectively is essential for sustaining focus, emotional balance, and long-term health. Incorporating nutrition and lifestyle strategies can help regulate stress hormones, improve resilience, and support overall well-being.
Magnesium rich foods
Magnesium is a vital mineral that promotes relaxation, supports nervous system function, and improves sleep quality. Found in pumpkin seeds, dark leafy greens, almonds, and whole grains, magnesium helps lower cortisol levels and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. Many women in midlife experience muscle tension, restless sleep, and mood fluctuations. These symptoms can be alleviated by ensuring adequate magnesium intake through diet or supplementation when necessary.
Adaptogens and lifestyle suggestions
Adaptogenic herbs such as ashwagandha and rhodiola help the body adapt to stress by regulating cortisol levels and promoting resilience. Ashwagandha is known for its calming effects, helping to improve sleep and reduce anxiety, while rhodiola enhances stamina, combats fatigue, and supports mental clarity.
Alongside adaptogens, lifestyle adjustments such as prioritizing rest, creating a calming evening routine, and setting realistic work-life boundaries can further help mitigate stress.
Mindful eating and movement
Practicing mindful eating by paying attention to hunger cues, eating slowly, and savoring food can improve digestion, reduce emotional eating, and enhance satisfaction with meals. Pairing this with movement, such as a short walk after a meal or practicing stretching or yoga, can help lower cortisol, support gut health, and reduce stress related inflammation.
Additionally, maintaining a consistent meal schedule by eating small, balanced meals every three to four hours helps stabilize blood sugar, prevent energy crashes, and sustain productivity throughout the day.
By prioritizing nutrition tailored to hormonal health, women in perimenopause and menopause can sustain energy, sharpen focus, and thrive in the workplace. Small, consistent dietary changes can make a significant impact on well-being and productivity.
For more personalized nutrition advice, book a free Discovery call, MJ Feeke, Nutritional Therapist & BANT Registered Nutritionist.
MJ Feeke, Nutritional Therapist
MJ is a leader in the wellness world who understands the transformative power of positive nutrition and lifestyle medicine. As a busy working woman, mom, wife, and daughter, she deeply relates to the challenges of managing stress and life load, especially for midlife women. MJ is passionate about empowering individuals to reclaim their health and live their best lives.
