The end of fertility often coincides with other midlife challenges, such as juggling work with caring for children or teenagers and possibly parents too. As stress, anxiety and disturbed sleep morph into continual fatigue, women are bombarded with conflicting social media advice on everything they should be doing to future proof their bodies. If only they had the time and the energy.<\/p>\n
\u201cA stressed body is a perfect environment for fat storage,\u201d says Graham, whose mantra is \u201cnourish your body, don\u2019t punish it\u201d. Doubling down on efforts to cut calories is unlikely to work and can backfire, she warns. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you restrict, your body reads this as a threat. It is going to hold on to fat rather than releasing it. What your body needs now isn\u2019t less, it\u2019s more of the right things \u2013 optimised levels of nutrients.\u201d <\/p>\n
Graham did not initially recognise signs of her own perimenopause. At age 43, she was working in the food business but also studying nutritional therapy at the College of Naturopathic Medicine. Frustrated at her inability to concentrate, as well as noticing a sharp increase in appetite while studying, she started to apply some of what she was learning to herself.<\/p>\n
[\u00a0Mariella Frostrup on menopause: \u2018I thought I was losing the plot\u2019Opens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n \u201cI was really optimising all of the nutrients and foods that support brain function. It genuinely worked.\u201d On completion of her nutritional therapy course, she trained to be a medicinal chef, learning about required dosages of nutrients and how to use food in the management of lifestyle-related health issues.<\/p>\n \u201cI poured all of that experience into writing my own menopause cookbook.\u201d What was intended to be a short e-book for her clients \u201cgrew legs\u201d into a 400-page document, which she self-published. It then came to the attention of Irish publisher Gill Books, which has now brought out a paperback edition of Nourish for Menopause.<\/p>\n Dr Louise Fitzgerald, a GP at Grafton Medical in Dublin with a special interest in women\u2019s health and the menopause, regards diet as an essential part of managing the menopause transition. She too likes to look at what can be added in, particularly fibre, rather than focusing on what might come out.<\/p>\n \u201cThe average weight gain in perimenopause is 1.5kg per year \u2013 so in perimenopause, you gain on average 10kg,\u201d she says, acknowledging this will not be the case for all women. Doctors can prescribe hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and non-hormonal medications to ease symptoms, but this \u201cis not going to have a direct impact on dropping those kilos\u201d. However, it will help if the treatment improves mood and energy levels. Aside from menopausal symptoms, there is also the long-term effect of underlying changes to consider, such as a rise in cholesterol, higher blood pressure, and increased fragility.<\/p>\n Take five: top tips from menopause nutritionist Rachel Graham<\/p>\n Prioritise protein at every meal. Most importantly, start your day with breakfast rich in protein and fibre. Skipping breakfast is the biggest mistake you can make.<\/p>\n Eat phytoestrogens. These are plant compounds that mimic the effect of oestrogen and are found in foods such as soy, flaxseed, beans and lentils.<\/p>\n Feed your gut with fibre. This will support digestion, improve mood and is important for brain health.<\/p>\n Ensure sufficient intake of calcium and magnesium. These minerals work together to protect bone health. Supplements may be necessary but professional advice is recommended.<\/p>\n Stop restricting and start nourishing. Ditch the calorie counting and concentrate on the body\u2019s need for optimised nutrition.<\/p>\n \u201cOestrogen is our superpower,\u201d says Fitzgerald. Once women go through menopause, they have much lower levels of oestrogen, and are at a higher risk of heart attacks and strokes, as well as osteoporosis, a disease that weakens bones. <\/p>\n She will always point out to patients that a dual approach is needed: what they can do, around diet, lifestyle, exercise, and what she can prescribe. Muscle loss, which not only reduces physical strength but also impairs calorie-burning ability, accelerates through menopause and beyond. This can be slowed down through resistance training, and doctors should cover this in consultations, she says.<\/p>\n \u201cI was at a talk recently, and the doctor rather shockingly said, \u2018Who tells people about diet, lifestyle, exercise any more? That\u2019s so old-fashioned\u2019.\u201d The implication was that prescribing the new generation of weight-loss drugs looks after that now.<\/p>\n![\"Nutritional](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GX3WE7I3FBG23N2LSHW4NO64SU.jpg\")
Nutritional therapist Rachel Graham: ‘A stressed body is a perfect environment for fat storage.’ Photograph: Dara Mac D\u00f3naill <\/p>\n
![\"Dietician](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/ALFWZ6VSNVE3XBZ6AJWJOGHEXE.JPG\")
Dietician Gillian McConnell welcomes how some GPs now refer patients to a dietitian before prescribing weight-loss medication. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw <\/p>\n![\"Dr](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/BFAZ2QUUWRDZ3DU4TLXBYY7XAU.JPG\")
Dr Louise Fitzgerald of Grafton Medical takes a special interest in women\u2019s health and the menopause. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw <\/p>\n