Balance your blood sugar during menopause

Some ideas for blood sugar balancing breakfasts

Steamed fish – Steam or grill a fillet of fish and serve with grilled tomatoes and mushrooms and a handful of steamed spinach 

Sardines on toast – Top a thin slice of rye or pumpernickel bread with a small tin of sardines or mackerel in tomato sauce. Alternatively serve the fish with some oatcakes. 

Kippers and oatcakes – Grill a kipper fillet or two and some fresh tomatoes and serve with 3 or 4 oatcakes. 

Avocado on toast – Take slices of wholemeal or German rye bread and toast on one side. Turn the bread over and cover the untoasted sides with a layer of sliced tomatoes. Place back under the heat and grill until the tomato is starting to cook. When ready, top each slice with mashed avocado. Sprinkle with seeds and add a drizzle of hempseed oil before serving. You can add a fried or poached egg for an extra protein boost.

Kedgeree – Another great idea for a leisurely weekend breakfast.

Whenever you cook brown rice, freeze some extra portions to use for just such an occasion. Lightly steam-fry a chopped onion, add brown rice and mild curry powder. Flake in cooked fish (salmon, white fish, smoked haddock). You may need to moisten the kedgeree with a dash of soya milk. Serve with black pepper to taste and a squeeze of lemon. 

Healthy cooked breakfast – Traditional cooked breakfasts are not all bad. Grill organic bacon rashers and serve with low sugar beans, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms for a meal that will sustain your energy through to the afternoon. Limit this breakfast to just once a week. 

Cottage cheese and fruit – Combine a small pot of cottage cheese with some chopped fruit (e.g. pear, apple, peach etc) and sprinkle with a handful of chopped nuts or seeds. 

Natural vanilla yoghurt with berries – Stir mixed berries (supermarkets sell mixed berries frozen in bags) into a blend of natural, organic, live yogurt (cow’s, sheep’s or goat’s) and a scoop full of natural vanilla whey protein. Top with a good handful of chopped nuts and seeds.

Soaked muesli or overnight soaked oats – Soak overnight in a little water to produce a soft & digestible breakfast. Make sure your muesli is sugar and wheat free or even better make your own. Serve with natural live, organic yogurt and a spoon of blackberries/blueberries/raspberries a grated apple or other low GI fruit and a scoop of whey protein to ensure adequate protein.


References

DiNicolantonio, J. J., Mehta, V., Onkaramurthy, N., & O’Keefe, J. H. (2018). Fructose-induced inflammation and increased cortisol: A new mechanism for how sugar induces visceral adiposity. Progress in cardiovascular diseases61(1), 3-9. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0033062017301627

Jenkins, D. J., Dehghan, M., Mente, A., Bangdiwala, S. I., Rangarajan, S., Srichaikul, K., … & Yusuf, S. (2021). Glycemic index, glycemic load, and cardiovascular disease and mortality. New England Journal of Medicine384(14), 1312-1322. Available at: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2007123

Keller, K., Baldwin, S., & Brabetz, B. (2018). A Review of Cortisol: The “Stress Hormone”. Available at:https://dspace.sunyconnect.suny.edu/handle/1951/70287

Lynch, J. (2021). Nutrition during the menopause: clinical considerations. British Journal of Nursing30(22), 1308-1309. Available at: https://www.magonlinelibrary.com/doi/full/10.12968/bjon.2021.30.22.1308

Lizcano, F. and Guzmán, G., (2014) Estrogen Deficiency and the Origin of Obesity during Menopause. BioMed Research International, /03/06, vol. 2014 [viewed Mar 10, 2022], pp. e757461. Available at: https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2014/757461/ 

Marlatt, K.L., Pitynski-Miller, D.R., Gavin, K.M., Moreau, K.L., Melanson, E.L., Santoro, N. and Kohrt, W.M., (2022). Body composition and cardiometabolic health across the menopause transition. Obesity, vol. 30, no. 1 [viewed Mar 10, 2022], pp. 14-27. Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/oby.23289 ISSN 1930-739X. DOI 10.1002/oby.23289.

Mazzocchi, A., Leone, L., Agostoni, C., & Pali-Schöll, I. (2019). The secrets of the Mediterranean diet. Does [only] olive oil matter?. Nutrients11(12), 2941. Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/12/2941/htm

Otsuki, Michio; Kasayama, Soji; Morita, Shinya; Asanuma, Nobuyuki; Saito, Hiroshi; Mukai, Mikio, Koga, Masafumi (2007) Menopause, but not age, is an independent risk factor for fasting plasma glucose levels in nondiabetic women, Menopause:  – Volume 14 – Issue 3 – p 404-407. Available at: https://journals.lww.com/menopausejournal/Abstract/2007/14030/Menopause,_but_not_age,_is_an_independent_risk.15.aspx

 Poehlman , E.T (2002) Menopause, energy expenditure, and body composition, Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, 81:7, 603-611, Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/citedby/10.1080/j.1600-0412.2002.810705.x?scroll=top&needAccess=true

Petersen, M. C., & Shulman, G. I. (2018). Mechanisms of insulin action and insulin resistance. Physiological reviews98(4), 2133-2223.  Available at: https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/physrev.00063.2017

Zafar, M. I., Mills, K. E., Zheng, J., Regmi, A., Hu, S. Q., Gou, L., & Chen, L. L. (2019). Low-glycemic index diets as an intervention for diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The American journal of clinical nutrition110(4), 891-902. Available at: https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/110/4/891/5543221?login=false

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About the Author: Alison Bladh

“Reignite your inner sparkle and get back your life” Alison Bladh is a registered nutritional therapist. Alison has worked in the health and wellness industry for over 30 years specialising in menopausal women’s health. She now runs her own online clinic helping women worldwide manage the negative symptoms of menopause. Her mission is to support her clients with bespoke changes to diet, health, and lifestyle so they can harness their hormones and get their confidence and sparkle back. She believes that all women, no matter what age, deserve to reclaim their health and feel great. Life is too short to suffer symptoms that hold you back! Every woman has the right to feel and look amazing in midlife. She supports time-poor, busy midlife women who are stressed, depressed, gained weight, and have lost their confidence amongst other things! When not at work she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, being in the kitchen and experimenting with new recipe ideas. She is also a keen scuba diver, golfer, hiker, beekeeper and enjoys being in the great outdoors. How to contact me Book your Discovery Call If you want help getting control of your blood sugar or with any other health concerns, please feel free to contact me for a complementary 20 min discovery call where I can explain how we can work together to get you back to optimal health. Or download my free eBook. Reset Your Body and Sparkle Today! Fed up with menopausal mood swings, low energy, high stress, and stubborn weight gain? Download my free recipe book with a seven-day delicious no-fuss meal plan. Website: www.alisonbladh.com Follow my growing tribe on: Twitter: @pinktearoom Facebook: @alisonbladhnutrition Instagram: @alisonbladh LinkedIn Pinterest FocusOn Health & Wellbeing Directory

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