Talking About Perimenopause

Extracted from The Peri Diet by Jaime Rose Chambers, Macmillan Publishers, RRP $44.99

A woman is deemed to be officially in menopause once she has gone 12 months without a period. Historically, menopause itself has been given most of the medical (and media) attention – still not enough, quite frankly – but it isn‘t the most significant time of this lifestage. It is perimenopause, the lead-up to those 12 period-free months, when most of the action happens.

Up until relatively recently, medical professionals didn‘t consider perimenopause a phase worth discussing. It was seldom acknowledged and it certainly wasn‘t linked with the many symptoms women were experiencing. Doctors may have talked to their patients about ‘the change’ of menopause, but the transitional time leading up to it wasn‘t widely discussed, and consequently, women didn‘t anticipate the many associated symptoms. Thankfully, this is changing. There seems to be an outpouring of information about perimenopause now, which is brilliant for all of us who are currently experiencing it (or will in the future). On social media especially, I‘ve noticed that women are talking about it a lot, and they‘re talking loudly! And so they should.

Because peri can be bloody hard. For most women, it is more difficult than menopause, plus it can last for as long as 10 years. While some women may be lucky enough to sail through it and barely notice changes, some will experience symptoms so distressing that their relationships, career and mental wellbeing are significantly impacted.

I‘ve heard plenty of stories about perimenopausal women being put on antidepressants and anti-anxiety meds because their GPs didn‘t realise that perimenopause could be at the root of their challenges. I‘ve also known women who were terrified they were developing Alzheimer’s because they were suddenly forgetting things and finding it increasingly difficult to do their job well. Recently, a woman in her late forties told me about going to her GP to discuss options for managing what she knew to be peri-related symptoms. Her GP had never heard of perimenopause and brushed it off completely. Unfortunately, this isn‘t the first time I‘ve heard this. That‘s why, if you want the most up-to-date information and guidance for this hugely transformative stage of life, it‘s vital to find a medical practitioner who specialises in women‘s health and perimenopause. Your GP may be wonderful in other areas, but if they don‘t have enough (or any) experience with perimenopause, they‘re unlikely to be able to give you the support you need at this time.

Peri puzzle pieces

One factor that plays a role in your experience of perimenopause is your genetics – specifically how your mother experienced this phase of life. If you‘re able to, ask her what she remembers about it, and what her symptoms were. Research suggests that your experience is likely to be similar. Your menstrual history and overall health may also influence your experience of perimenopause.

There are excellent books, online resources and podcasts available that discuss the finer details of peri, and the range of pharmaceutical, psychological and alternative therapies that can help manage symptoms. I‘ll leave those puzzle pieces to the professionals who specialise in those areas, and I urge you to seek support from as many experts as you need to. For this book, I‘ll stick to my area of expertise, which is nutrition.

The role of diet

Diet is a very important piece of the perimenopause puzzle. While our food choices won‘t single-handedly eliminate all the symptoms or even prevent hormonal weight gain, many women do notice significant improvements when they adjust their eating patterns. It‘s impossible to predict the factors that will move the needle for you, but your current baseline diet might give you a clue. If you‘re already eating in a way that aligns with the recommended eating patterns for perimenopausal women, you might not notice much of a change by tweaking your diet. But if your current diet looks nothing like the recipes in this book, your symptoms may significantly improve when you start eating this way.

I‘ve written this book to be a support pillar for you during peri. The info here will help you to make easy nutritional changes, so you can enjoy a better peri experience. I‘ll steer you away from foods that may be exacerbating symptoms while guiding you towards ingredients that may minimise or even eliminate some of those gnarly symptoms. And you won‘t have to cook your own meal and eat it in the corner! These are family recipes full of great flavours and crowd-pleasing textures.

This phase of life comes with a lot of unpredictability and many challenges. We may not be able to control what‘s around the corner, but we can grab that grocery cart by the horns and fill it with food that optimises our chances of feeling our best.

Bon appetit! Here‘s to ageing gracefully and deliciously.

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