Liz’s Healthy Table Podcast Episode #82: Menopause Diet Plan with Elizabeth Ward, MS, RDN and Hillary Wright, M.Ed, RDN

Today’s show is relevant to every woman because, if we haven’t gone through it already, we all enter menopause one day. On this week’s show, I’m joined by registered dietitians, Elizabeth Ward and Hillary Wright, authors of The Menopause Diet Plan, and together, we discuss the healthy steps you can take rto enert and manager menopause like a warrior. Tune in for a closer look at the natural ways to manage hormones, health, and happiness.

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Elizabeth Ward and Hillary Wright are the authors of the new book, The Menopause Diet Plan. The book explores the physiology of menopause symptoms that many women experience and outlines important diet strategies aimed at managing those symptoms. On the show, we talk about eating according to your body clock, why plant-forward diets can be your best friend, and why many of us should cut back (not eliminate) on carbs. 

Liz Ward is an award-winning nutrition communicator and writer who lives in the Boston area. She’s the author of several books including Expect the Best: Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, and After Pregnancy. Hillary Wright has over 30 years’ experience as a nutrition educator with expertise in women’s health. She’s the author of two previous books, The PCOS Diet Plan and The Prediabetes Diet Plan. She is also the senior nutritionist at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, and she’s a founding member of the nutrition technology company, Good Measures. 

“Health is not just what you put in your mouth; it’s what you do all day long.”

Head to Amazon to check out The Menopause Diet Plan.

We talked about this walnut pesto during the podcast. Give it a try!

Show Highlights:

• Get to know Elizabeth, the mother of three girls, and Hillary, the mother of three boys (and no, none of the children of these lifelong friends ever matched up together as their mothers wished)
• Menopause and peri-menopause defined
• Common menopause symptoms: hot flashes, night sweats, trouble sleeping, irregular periods, mood swings, dry skin, and weight gain
• Why peri-menopause and menopause symptoms vary from woman to woman
• Other symptoms can include bone loss and a greater risk of heart disease
• Is there a magic natural bullet for hot flashes? Sadly, the answer is no.
• Things that may help (though the science is not definitive) with hot flashes include hormone replacement therapy, soy foods, exercise, proper sleep, acupuncture, cognitive behavioral therapy, and relaxation techniques
• Why Elizabeth and Hillary wrote their book about menopause
• From the book, the core principles of menopause nutrition: Eat according to your body clock; Focus on plant-based foods; Focus on eating lower carb/higher protein diet; Get regular physical activity
• Why Elizabeth and Hillary’s menopause diet plan doesn’t exclude any food 
• The benefits of curbing refined carbs and eating fewer refined grains while eating high-quality carbs and more protein
• The supplements that might be helpful are calcium, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids
• What it means to eat a “plant-based” diet
• Liz and Hillary’s recipe for walnut pesto; it’s made with yogurt and walnuts and tastes great on fish and chicken
• How the recipes in the book are delicious, easy, flexible, and family-friendly
• From the book, a recipe for Chicken Italiano that includes lots of vegetables
• The biggest take-home message about menopause: “Women need to start preparing for menopause long before their period ends.”
• Why belly weight gain happens in menopause

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