The Perimenopause Kitchen: Taking Pity out of the Party

Picture this: a room full of fabulous, mostly middle-aged women swapping stories about the joys (and woes) of perimenopause and beyond. It's a support group with sass. But amidst the tales of hormonal havoc, a glimmer of hope emerges– a realization that our bodies are sending us messages, not just throwing a fit.

Let's talk about night sweats. Before you resign yourself to a five year supply of spare pajamas, consider this: your gut health and immunity might be trying to tell you something. Balancing blood sugar isn't just for diabetics; it's a skill that could turn down the heat on those nighttime infernos. And the mood swings? A dose of the right high-quality Maca tailored to your specific hormonal needs can work wonders.

Now about those 2 to 4 a.m. wake-up calls. Sure, caffeine is the elixir of life, but maybe it's time for a coffee break – or at least a love affair with herbal teas. And behind all symptoms, there are often food intolerances lurking in the shadows. It's time to channel your inner detective and uncover the culprits. Once you’ve dialed in your diet, you’ll need to give your liver some love to truly tackle sleep issues.  

In my world, every symptom is a messenger, and I'm here to help decode the secret language of your body. It's like playing a game of nutritional Clue – Colonel Mustard in the kitchen with the lactose intolerance! But here's the thing: you're not alone in this mystery. Whether you're a proficient cook, a weekend chef or a master of food assembly and take-out, there are answers in your fridge and pantry waiting to be discovered. The world of food and herbs and plants is full of solutions. 

Unraveling the root causes of perimenopausal symptoms might seem daunting, like trying to find your way out of a maze armed with a blindfold and a bunch of kale. But there is a way forward. The journey we are asked to take is the one that makes life deliciously unpredictable, should we rise to the challenge. 

Envision diving headfirst into this stage of life with curiosity and determination. Think of it as a culinary adventure where we're the fearless explorers, and our changing bodies are the uncharted territories waiting to be discovered.

When it comes to figuring out what works for us during this wild ride, imagine banishing foods for a trial period, only to welcome them back with open arms in a grand reintroduction ceremony (before potentially banishing them again if they prove themselves unworthy!). 

This era does not need to be a sentence to boredom and restriction, but it is a moment to take a second look at what has worked for us historically. Constraints can be opportunities in disguise. Think of caesar salad, which was invented in a Tijuana Italian restaurant short on ingredients one busy day. It's imperative that we find new ways to enjoy and express our creativity around cooking as our capacity to handle alcohol, fried foods and carbohydrates wanes. It’s natural to mourn new restrictions, but once you connect with how they make you feel physically, it gets easier.

The good news is that once you start giving your body what it actually wants, there can be opportunities to forge new relationships with foods you had to put down for a while. So, when perimenopause throws us a surprise middle of the night party (or two, or three), let’s grab our magnifying glass and kitchen knives and rise to the challenge, and create new recipes for resilience.