World Menopause Day: hormones, health and the power of a plateful

Saturday marks World Menopause Day

This Saturday marks World Menopause Day, and I can’t help but pause and take stock. There’s been plenty of progress. We’ve come a long way from the days when “the change” was muttered about in hushed tones while someone fanned themselves in a corner. Awareness has grown, conversations have opened up, and more women now recognise that our hormones, progesterone, estradiol and testosterone, aren’t just reproductive footnotes. They’re the keys to our wellbeing, from bone density to mood.

Yet globally, only around 5% of menopausal women are prescribed hormones. Five per cent. That statistic should make us wince. Because while awareness might be rising, access and understanding still lag frustratingly behind.

Hormones and the hidden cost to mental health

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: the impact of low or changing hormones on mental health remains one of the most overlooked aspects of menopause. Women experiencing anxiety, panic attacks, low mood, and other debilitating symptoms are still too often told it’s “just stress” or “part of getting older. I’ve been there, got the T-shirt.”

But it isn’t just stress. It’s biology. The hormonal shifts driving my symptoms are real, measurable, and treatable. Yet they’re often brushed aside, leaving countless women to soldier on, unseen and untreated, sometimes with devastating consequences.

Better training is urgently needed to help clinicians recognise hormone-related mental health issues. Because understanding the hormonal roots of mental health isn’t optional anymore. It’s essential. In the past year, I have sought comfort in the Balance app. which made me realise I wasn’t alone.

Ever since I started using the app, it’s felt like I finally have a second pair of eyes on my body. I track symptoms (mood, sleep, hot flushes), can generate a Health Report to take to my GP, and tap into content that’s evidence-based and jargon-free. Over 70% of users say their mental health improved, and 72% report accessing treatment they might not otherwise have done. It has helped me turn what felt like random, overwhelming changes into patterns I can understand, and act on.

My midlife reality check

After having Cyrus at 40, health has become my number one priority. However, because of pregnancy, there was an overlap in perimenopause symptoms which made it difficult to tell whether it was that or postpartum. By the time the bothersome symptoms kicked in, I didn’t have time for them. I’d taken on a new full-time job and my mum had just died. My husband and I were working around the clock and I remember thinking something has got to give.

Then Covid happened. Wow, working from home with mood swings, tears, brain fog, sleepless nights, heart palpitations, and just the irregularity of everything. I put it all down to stress because I wasn’t exercising and my weight had ballooned. I hadn’t stopped to think for one moment that it could be perimenopause.

Things changed when I joined my local gym. Having the support of other women going through the same thing and knowing they genuinely care about me is amazing.

“Menopause is something women at my gym talk about, support, and prepare for together.”

The gym has helped me lose weight, build muscle, and combat the brain fog. I try to cut sugar wherever I can to avoid insulin spikes, and I fast between 16 and 20 hours at weekends to give my liver a rest.

Menopause is not a taboo subject, and knowing what I know now, I’m ready to take it on when it strikes.

Why menopause is the perfect time to rethink your diet

Most of us know we should eat better. We just don’t always do it. But perimenopause and menopause can act like a reset button, a time to take stock and make small, sustainable tweaks that support our future selves. What we eat can have an enormous impact on our symptoms, mood, and long-term health.

1. For your symptoms

A healthy diet helps counter hot flushes, bloating, and fatigue, and can prevent chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

2. For your mood

Mood swings can hit hard, but foods rich in omega-3 oils, B vitamins and calcium can help stabilise energy and lift spirits.

3. For your bones

Bone density naturally starts to drop in our late thirties and nosedives during menopause as estradiol levels fall. Calcium, vitamin D, magnesium and iron are your body’s repair crew.

4. For your weight

That midlife “menopause belly” isn’t your imagination either, lower estradiol slows metabolism. A diet rich in fibre, protein, and healthy fats helps manage weight and blood sugar.

5. For your gut health

Your gut microbiome (the ecosystem in your belly) can affect everything from serotonin production to sleep quality. Prebiotic and probiotic foods help keep it balanced.

So what should we actually eat?

If you take one thing away from this post, let it be this: the Mediterranean diet is your friend. Think colourful vegetables, wholegrains, nuts, seeds, beans, seafood, and olive oil. Cut down on the beige foods, the white bread, pizza and sugar that spike your blood sugar and your mood.

• Gut-friendly foods: garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus, bananas, kefir, yoghurt, sauerkraut.
• Low-GI carbs: sweet potatoes, brown rice, pulses, beans.
• Vitamin D sources: oily fish, egg yolks, fortified milks, or a supplement during the British winter.
• Iron and calcium: leafy greens, beans, tofu, lentils, nuts, and tinned fish with bones.

Healthy habits that actually stick

The trick is not to overhaul your life overnight. Instead:

• Start small: Add a handful of nuts, swap white rice for brown, sneak lentils into soups.
• Mix it up: Aim for a rainbow of plants each week.
• Cut back on alcohol: Even small amounts can worsen hot flushes and wreck your sleep. (Try a few dry days each week.)
• Move your body: Exercise helps balance hormones, lift mood and strengthen bones. Even a daily walk counts.

A final thought for World Menopause Day

If there’s one message I want to shout louder this year, it’s this: women deserve to feel well, not dismissed. Hormonal health is mental health. And while progress has been made, true change starts when we stop normalising suffering and start supporting one another with science, empathy and a little more spinach on the side.

Part of my 50 in 50 journey

My 50 in 50 Challenge has been about reclaiming my energy, confidence and curiosity, one healthy habit, one gym class, and one honest conversation at a time. Menopause awareness fits right into that mission. It’s not about fear, but about readiness. Knowing our bodies, fuelling them well, and celebrating every stage of womanhood without apology.