Steady Nourishment for a Changing Body
I noticed something a while ago.
It used to be that if I felt my clothes fitting a little too snugly, I could get more focused on my diet for a few weeks, add a few more fruits and veggies, cut out a few of the extra splurges, and get things back to “normal range” pretty quickly.
At some point, that stopped being true. Those small, easy tweaks didn’t really have an impact. What’s worse, the size (and shape!) of “normal range” wasn’t what it used to be!
Cue frustration. Do I really need to buy new jeans in a larger size?
Cue self-criticism. Did I really think I’d keep the weight off?
Cue fear. If this is the new normal, and things keep going at this pace, what will “normal” be in 10, 20, 30 years?
It would have been easy to go to extremes: either throw myself into a whole overhaul, or give up and let nature take its course.
I wondered if there was middle ground.
So I did what all women do – I turned to my friends, hoping for a new perspective.
For this third post in The Upgrade, I invited my friend and colleague, Beth Russ—a nutrition coach—to share one specific lens that might be surprisingly helpful in this season: blood sugar regulation.
Why Blood Sugar Matters in Menopause
Beth Russ, a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and Certified Autoimmune Protocol Coach, shares how blood sugar regulation can influence menopause symptoms—and why nutrition often becomes more important (and more sensitive) in this season of change.
It is a new year, a time that often lends itself to self-reflection. We often look at the habits where we struggle with a new sense of hope and encouragement—thinking this will be the year we conquer all those frustrating areas. We hear people say, “New year, new me.”
In full disclosure, I am an optimist at heart and have always embraced these “new” moments. A new beginning shows up for women in their 40s and 50s: entering perimenopause and menopause. This season isn’t typically embraced, and since I am personally walking through it myself, I get that it can feel like a whole bunch of “new.”
As the hormones in our bodies change, we experience ripples from those shifts with a variety of symptoms, like:
Weight gain
Hot flashes
Brain fog
Mood swings
Night sweats
Trouble sleeping
The good news is that there are nutritional steps – small shifts – you can take to help mitigate these symptoms and improve how you feel.
Before I get to the tips, let’s go over some basic information on hormones.
What Are Hormones Responsible For?
Our bodies create over 100 different hormones. They are all about communication—they transfer information and give instructions from one cell to another. When it comes to digestion alone, hormones help regulate things like:
Digestive enzymes
Blood sugar
Electrolyte and fluid balance
Metabolism and energy levels
For this article I’ll be focusing on estrogen and progesterone: why there is a struggle with their production, what contributes to this dysregulation, how you can improve it – and improve symptoms along the way.
The Why Behind Those Pesky Menopause Symptoms
During our menstruating years, the ovaries produce estrogen and progesterone. Once we enter menopause, the adrenal glands take over the role of producing those hormones.
At the same time, the adrenal glands are already serving other important roles. They help regulate blood sugar, as well as process and manage stress.
If you are like many women at this stage of life, you may be feeling burdened and overwhelmed due to juggling many things. When we’re in that situation, it can be challenging to take on something new.
The same is true for our adrenal glands.
When what we eat and drink repeatedly creates blood sugar spikes followed by crashes, our adrenal glands work overtime trying to regulate blood sugar levels. Chronic or frequent stress adds another layer of demand, keeping the adrenal glands in a near-constant state of managing stress responses.
It’s also important to remember that stress on the body isn’t only mental or emotional. Physical stress—such as too little exercise, overly strenuous exercise, too little sleep, or poor-quality sleep—can place additional strain on the system.
Now imagine this: if the adrenal glands are already overburdened trying to regulate blood sugar and manage stress, how equipped are they to take on the new role of producing estrogen and progesterone? That is a difficult task, and they may struggle to do it well.
From Spikes to Stability: Blood sugar regulation to the rescue
Blood sugar plays a critical role in our health, and we feel the effects when it isn’t well regulated. Our bodies prioritize the regulation of blood sugar (glucose). If blood sugar is spiking and crashing, the body focuses on dealing with that, at the expense of other systems. Digestion, immune function, and the production of reproductive hormones like estrogen and progesterone can be put on hold.
Prior to learning this, I never paid attention to blood sugar. I figured that since I wasn’t diabetic, it wasn’t relevant to me. That could not have been further from the truth.
Our body’s goal is for blood sugar to gently rise and fall within the normal range throughout the day and night. Think of this like riding a “lazy river” at a water park—gentle waves, but nothing too crazy.
Certain patterns can create big spikes in blood sugar levels. As our bodies attempt to bring the spike back into a normal range, we often overshoot the mark. This leads to a crash that follows the spike. This pattern is more like a roller coaster, with big mountains and dips.
The goal is to live on the “lazy river,” not the roller coaster.
Simple Shifts That Support a Changing Body
Have protein and healthy fats with every meal.
This slows breakdown and absorption, which tempers spikes. Protein and fats also help keep us full longer and can reduce sugar cravings.The order you eat your food matters.
A study out of Cornell University found that when you eat vegetables (fiber) first, protein and fats second, and carbs (starches and sugars) last, you can reduce your glucose spike significantly. Fiber slows the breakdown and absorption of glucose into the bloodstream, which flattens the glucose curve.Keep this in mind for snacks, too.
If you’re having a snack—even a healthy one—pair it with protein and/or healthy fats.
Examples: apple slices with nut butter; raw veggies with hummus or guacamole; a beef stick.If you want a sweet treat, have some veggies first.
You can apply the same concept to a sweet treat as well.Set yourself up for success with some food preparation.
Take half an hour on the weekend to prep raw veggies. Having them cleaned, cut, and ready to go can make a big difference for the week.
I also like to make a quick hummus recipe to have on hand.Blood sugar patterns are a 24-hour cycle.
If you have a pattern of spikes and crashes during the day, your body can repeat that pattern overnight. This can show up as waking up during the night and struggling to fall back to sleep. When we flatten blood sugar curves during the day, we often experience better sleep quality.
Keep It Simple and Intentional
For me, it is all about simplicity and progress. Overhauls are hard to keep up. You might see results initially, but they can be short-lived.
Small incremental shifts create lasting change.
Give yourself grace. Pick one or two things from here that resonate with you and start with those. Once you feel set, consider adding another step.
About Beth Russ
Beth Russ is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (NTP) and Certified Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) Coach who helps individuals improve their health through an integrative, whole-person approach. Drawing from both professional training and lived experience with autoimmune conditions, she supports clients in making sustainable changes that enhance their quality of life. Learn more about Beth and her coaching work at https://www.gracewaynutrition.com.
A Closing Reflection
What I appreciate about Beth’s framing is that it doesn’t treat this season like a character flaw or a moment to give up. It treats it like a new way-of-living skill we might want to develop for a new season of life.
And that offers hope.
Because for so many women, the quiet fear underneath menopause isn’t just symptoms… it’s the story those symptoms start telling:
“What’s wrong with me?”
“Why can’t I control this?”
“Is this just another way my body is breaking down?”
But maybe some of what’s happening isn’t a personal failure or an inevitable decline. Maybe it’s a system trying to stabilize. Maybe the invitation here isn’t to “get it together,” but to simply start by noticing what helps life feel more steady—more supported—more livable.
And if structure or discipline has felt like a dirty word… maybe “new skill” is the helpful reframe that could open up new possibilities.
If you find yourself lingering with this reflection, you might gently consider:
What patterns have I noticed lately around hunger, energy, mood, or sleep—especially the “spike and crash” feeling (physically or emotionally)?
Where have I been blaming myself for changes that might actually be my body asking for a different kind of support?
Garlic Lemon Dill Hummus
By: Beth Russ, NTP, AIP Certified Coach
Ingredients:
1 (15 oz) BPA Free Can of Garbanzo Beans (aka chickpeas) Drained and Rinsed
¼ Cup Tahini
¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ Cup Lemon Juice
- Plus an Additional 3 TBSP for Flavor (or to taste)
2 Cloves of Garlic – Minced
1½ TBSP Fresh Dill - Chopped (or to taste) - or 1 ½ tsp Dried
¾ - 1 tsp Sea Salt (or to taste)
Instructions:
Place all the ingredients in a high-speed blender or food processor.
Blend until smooth.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
You can serve with raw vegetables like carrots, celery, jicama, cucumber, broccoli, or cauliflower.
You can also serve it with crackers. My two favorite types of gluten free crackers are Top Seedz Crackers – 6 seed. I like this specific one because it is made with arrowroot flour instead of corn starch. I also like Simple Mills Pita Crackers Veggie Flour Himalayan Salt as another option.
It can be stored safely in your fridge for 5 -7 days.
Happy Snacking!! Enjoy!!
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