THE PERI CONNECTION

Susie Burrell explains why eating well is crucial during this stage of life

- Susie Burrell

Perimenopause can bring lots of challenges, but fine-tuning your diet is one simple way you can begin to reclaim some control.

Dietitian Susie Burrell says many of the physical changes that women experience are caused by a drop in oestrogen levels, which can also increase the risk of weight gain, heart disease and diabetes.

“The good news is that dietary change can play a massive role in not only helping adjust to the natural hormone shifts at this stage of life, and keep your weight as tightly controlled as possible, but also help to buffer the inflammation that can increase the disease risks that accompany this phase of life,” she says.

Here, Burrell shares some active steps you can take to navigate these symptoms.

STOP WEIGHT GAIN 

Weight gain is more likely through the peri and post-menopausal years for a number of reasons. The natural hormonal shift thanks to a reduction in oestrogen means that we are more likely to store weight centrally, which can impact our liver function and see our insulin levels increase over time.