10 things to support perimenopause

These are the non-negotiables: if you really want to support your body through hormone changes, avoid weight gain, sleep well, reduce anxiety, brain fog, and overwhelm, and reduce hot flushes; make these weekly practices.

Perimenopause into menopause is like a second puberty, except this time round you have way more responsibility, more pressure to hold it together, and no mum to let all your frustrations loose on!

As we enter this time, our hormones are even more changeable than the month-by-month changes we go through. 

Estrogen doesn't just decline; it goes up and down, creating havoc with our menstrual cycle, fat distribution, mood, sleep, cognitive function, skin, and vasomotor symptoms affecting temperature regulation.

Progesterone drops (often earlier than estrogen) as ovulation decreases, which causes irregular periods, poor sleep, mood changes, headaches, and anxiety.

Follicule Stimulating Hormone (FSH), you may have had this blood test to check hormone levels, this rises as the ovaries become less responsive, entering into menopause.

Insulin your body becomes less sensitive to insulin, declining and fluctuating estrogen levels increase insulin resistance, making cells less responsive to insulin and causing the body to produce more to manage blood sugar. For some people it can lead to weight gain, blood sugar irregularities, cravings, & low energy.

Cortisol often becomes dysregulated or elevated from the impact of declining estrogen and progesterone, which also leads to increased belly fat, high stress & anxiety, brain fog, and poor sleep.

Leptin (the satiety hormone) & Ghrelin (hunger hormone). These can also become deregulated due to the effect of the decline & fluctuation of estrogen levels, which can affect your appetitie causing increased hunger, reduced datiety & weight gain. With the addition of poor sleep quality, Ghrelin is often affected.

Below I have included 10 aspects to review and help lessen the effect of this transition. For further support, please be in contact.

1. Strength/Resistance Training 3 x per week (using weights to stimulate muscles)

Is especially beneficial during perimenopause because it helps counter the body’s reduced insulin sensitivity and natural loss of muscle. As hormones fluctuate, the risk of Insulin resistance and Sarcopenia (age-related loss of muscle mass, strength, and function) increases, leading to fatigue, weight gain, and slower metabolism.

Resistance exercise improves how your body uses glucose and helps maintain or build muscle, which keeps metabolism more efficient and supports better energy levels. It also plays a key role in protecting long-term health by improving body composition, supporting mood, and strengthening bones.

With declining estrogen, the risk of Osteoporosis rises, but weight-bearing exercise helps maintain bone density and reduce fracture risk. Overall, strength training is one of the most effective ways to manage physical and metabolic changes during perimenopause while supporting mental well-being.

2. Creatine 3-5g per day

Helps maximize strength training benefits, preserve muscle, and support metabolism and brain function during perimenopause.

3. Manage Stress

Avoid unnecessary belly fat storage and hormonal symptoms by maintaining some balance with stress and cortisol levels, consider realistic schedules, including some downtime with things that bring you joy and lift your energy naturally, things like laughing with friends, time outdoors, walking, stretching, and breathing or meditation practices. 

4. Sleep is a Priority & start taking Magnesium Glycinate before bed

Prioritizing sleep to 7-9 hours nightly and taking magnesium glycinate before bed can be especially beneficial during perimenopause, when fluctuating estrogen and progesterone levels often cause insomnia, night sweats, and restless sleep. Consistently, good sleep helps regulate hormones like insulin and cortisol, supports muscle recovery from strength training, and improves mood and cognitive function.

Magnesium glycinate, a highly absorbable form of magnesium, promotes muscle relaxation, calms the nervous system, and enhances sleep quality, helping you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Together, focusing on sleep and supplementing with magnesium supports hormonal balance, metabolism, muscle recovery, and overall well-being during this transitional stage.

Looking at Inflammation Control/Metabolism/Meal Planning

5. Avoid undereating!

This is one of the worst things you can do as it creates more stress in your body, spikes cortisol levels, leads to slower metabolism, fatigue, and increases cravings!  In the past, I was never into calorie tracking but nowadays with so many fad diets and eating styles around I think it creates an easy way to check in with yourself, so I often get my clients to use my fitness pal for a week and just check in, look at if they are eating well, eating when they don't realise it, looking at protein, carbohydrate, good fat & fibre balance and most importantly ensure they aren't under eating! An easy way to check for the right amount of calories for you is using Body Essentials. Look at your Basal Metabolic rate - BMR (the absolute minimum amount of energy required to sustain vital functions. eg. body basics like breathing/energy/metabolism - never ever go below this!!!!!!!!). Then, looking at your Total Daily Energy Expenditure - TDEE (calories needed for physical activity). Your total energy expenditure, which calculates what you need daily (this is calculated by looking at your day-to-day movement/lifestyle). These can both be found here https://www.calculator.net/bmr-calculator.html

6. Insulin Sensitivity

To ensure your carbohydrates are used as fuel, & not stored as belly fat, you need to ensure a balanced diet and reduce the sugar spikes. An easy way to do this is to ensure you have a Macro nutrient balance (Carbohydrates/Protein & Good Fats at each meal),

Macro Nutrients - Protein, Fats & Carbohydrates

Proteins are used by the body for growth, immune function, and tissue repair.  Making enzymes and hormones, breaking down to amino acids, transporting minerals into the body, maintaining muscle mass, and regeneration of both muscles and cells. They also support conversion to energy as an alternative to carbohydrates. Ensure you are eating 30g of protein at every meal.

Carbohydrates are needed for the central nervous system, brain, kidneys, and muscles to function and are stored in the liver and skeletal muscle for the post-absorptive state.  They are a quick source of energy to the body.  The fiber in carbohydrates is needed to help with elimination and intestinal health. 

Eat heavier carbs (Whole grains (oats, quinoa, brown rice), Fruit (berries, apples, citrus), Starchy vegetables (kumara/sweet potato, pumpkin), Legumes (lentils, chickpeas)) earlier in the day to provide better insulin response, less blood sugar spike, fuel energy and brain function, & supports metabolism for the day.

At night, insulin sensitivity drops, so carbs should be lighter, slower-digesting, and lower in quantity. Non-starchy vegetables (broccoli, spinach, zucchini, cauliflower). Small portions of low-GI carbs if needed, lentils, chickpeas, and a small serving of whole grains. Limit at night - refined carbs (white bread, pasta, sweets), large portions of starchy carbs (rice, potatoes). This helps prevent blood sugar spikes, supports better sleep & reduces fat storage risk.

Avoid excess sugar and wine; these will spike your insulin levels.

Good fats assist in growth and development, energy, cell membrane maintenance, cushioning of the organs, and assist in stability, texture, and taste in foods and absorbing fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, K, the manufacture of hormones, cholesterol & cortisol, skin health & help support the mood.  

7. Fibre

Fibre is a type of carbohydrate found in plant foods that the body cannot fully digest, but it plays a crucial role in overall health, especially during perimenopause. It helps regulate digestion by adding bulk to stool and promoting regular bowel movements, which supports the elimination of waste and hormones like estrogen. Fibre also slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, improving blood sugar control and reducing the risk of Insulin resistance. In addition, it feeds beneficial gut bacteria, supporting a healthy microbiome that influences hormone balance, immunity, and even mood. Overall, a diet rich in fibre—from vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains—can help manage weight, support hormone regulation, and improve long-term health during perimenopause. Ensure you are including 30g of Fiber per day 

8. Fermented food, be sure to include 1 form daily

Incorporating fermented foods during perimenopause helps balance hormones, improve gut health, support nutrient absorption, and even boost mood, making it a simple but powerful tool for managing perimenopausal symptoms. Foods like miso soup, sauerkraut, kimchi, or kefir.  Fermented foods are supportive to overall digestive health, supporting skin health, breaking down nutrients, keeping healthy bacteria levels, supporting immune protein function & decreasing inflammation levels.

9. Anti-inflammatory Diet

To support joint pain, brain function, hot flushes, digestive health & detoxification, skin health, endocrine/nervous system & reproductive health & fat loss. Add oily fish 3 x per week (salmon/mackerel/sardines or supplement daily), include turmeric & ginger in foods, remove refined vegetable oils like sunflower, canola, corn oils - these cause inflammation, and ensure you are eating a minimum of 5 colourful vegetables daily. Think Mediterranean diet.

10. Lifestream Aloe Vera Juice

Take a daily 30ml shot on an empty stomach to support gut health (lining, motions & intestinal bacteria), blood sugar regulation, liver health, as an antioxidant, hydration & skin health. 

For more in-depth support, please book a full consultation with Serina at Nourishe Botanicals, and we can work towards balance, a reduction of symptoms, and ensure you have support with nutrition, lifestyle practices & effective supplementation for your body & mind to be happily balanced.