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Menopause and diet

The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.

The menopause can cause all sorts of changes in your body – weight gain, hot flushes, sleeplessness and joint pain amongst others. Can what you eat help ease these symptoms?

Officially a woman has reached menopause after 12 months without a period, however the transition itself can take years.

Many women are prescribed hormone replacement therapy to tackle some of these symptoms, but lifestyle changes can also be helpful.

In this programme we’re joined by three women who have experienced menopause and found some benefits in food. Elizabeth Ward is a registered dietitian based in the United States. She co-wrote a book called ‘The Menopause Diet Plan, A Natural Guide to Managing Hormones, Health and Happiness’. Fiona Staunton is a trained chef in Dublin, Ireland, who offers menopause cookery courses called ‘Fiona’s Food For Life’. Sue Mbaya is a Zimbabwean living in Ethiopia, she works in policy and governance, and presents the podcast ‘Pause for Menopause’.

(Picture: woman using hand held fan. Credit: Getty/BBC)

Produced by Beatrice Pickup.

Presented by Ruth Alexander.

Available now

29 minutes

Last on

Sun 26 Jun 2022 07:32GMT

Broadcasts

  • Thu 23 Jun 2022 03:32GMT
  • Thu 23 Jun 2022 04:32GMT
  • Thu 23 Jun 2022 10:32GMT
  • Thu 23 Jun 2022 21:32GMT
  • Thu 23 Jun 2022 22:32GMT
  • Sun 26 Jun 2022 07:32GMT

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