Regaining Your Sparkle: Navigating Menopause Through Nutrition, Mood, & Mindset with Alison Bladh

Rita Mercer Author

Learn how nutrition, stress management, and self-care can help women thrive through menopause and regain energy, balance, and confidence.

Menopause is a natural season of life, but for many women it can feel like an overwhelming storm. Hot flashes, mood swings, disrupted sleep, and changes in skin health often leave women feeling like they’ve lost their “sparkle.” But here’s the truth: this phase does not have to define you—it can actually be a time of renewal, empowerment, and deep self-care.

In this episode of The Daring Well Podcast, I sat down with Allison Bladh, a registered nutritional therapist and esthetician, who specializes in helping women 40+ embrace menopause with confidence, nutrition, and practical wellness tools. Together, we explored how food, stress management, skincare, and mindset all play a vital role in restoring balance during midlife.

This post will highlight the key lessons from our conversation, and provide actionable insights you can use today to thrive through menopause and beyond.

Why Nutrition Matters in Menopause

Food is more than just fuel—it’s information for your body. Every bite you take communicates with your hormones, your gut, and even your mood. During perimenopause and menopause, nutrition becomes even more powerful because your body is undergoing rapid changes.

When you eat in a way that stabilizes blood sugar, reduces inflammation, and nourishes your digestive system, you help regulate hormones naturally. The results? Better sleep, sharper thinking, more stable moods, and yes—less severe hot flashes.

Key Takeaways:

• Food is information for your body, not just calories.
• Nutrition can help stabilize hormone fluctuations.
• A balanced diet improves sleep, mood, and overall energy.

The Hidden Role of Stress in Midlife

Stress is a common thread in modern life, but during menopause, it becomes more disruptive than ever. Elevated cortisol—the body’s stress hormone—raises blood sugar, disrupts digestion, and leaves you feeling irritable, anxious, or fatigued.

In earlier life stages, the calming hormone progesterone often acts as a buffer. But as progesterone declines during perimenopause, your resilience to stress drops. This is why even small frustrations, like traffic or a difficult conversation, can feel overwhelming.

Key Takeaways:

• Chronic stress raises cortisol and worsens menopausal symptoms.
• Stress disrupts digestion, sleep, and hormone balance.
• Learning stress management tools is essential for thriving in midlife.

Regaining Your Sparkle with Food

Many women describe menopause as a time when they “lose their sparkle.” The good news is that nutrition can help restore vitality and zest for life. Allison emphasized the importance of focusing on protein, healthy fats, and balanced carbohydrates in every meal.

Protein is particularly important because women lose muscle mass more quickly as they age. Combining protein with strength training helps preserve muscle, improves energy, and stabilizes mood. Healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, seeds, and even traditional butter are critical for hormone production and cognitive health. Carbohydrates, especially fiber-rich vegetables and whole grains, keep digestion and gut health strong.

Key Takeaways:

• Protein helps maintain muscle and stabilizes blood sugar.
• Healthy fats support hormone health and brain function.
• Carbohydrates should come from vegetables and whole grains—not processed foods.

Foods to Avoid for Menopausal Health

Not all foods are created equal. Highly processed, packaged foods loaded with refined carbohydrates and sugars contribute to inflammation, weight gain, and even more intense hot flashes. Artificial sweeteners can also backfire—tricking your body into craving more sugar while disrupting gut health.

Caffeine, another common culprit, may worsen hot flashes and anxiety for many women. Cutting it out for at least 2–3 weeks can provide a clear picture of whether it’s affecting your symptoms.

Key Takeaways:

• Processed foods can worsen hot flashes and hormonal imbalance.
• Artificial sweeteners may trigger cravings and disrupt gut bacteria.
• Reducing or eliminating caffeine can ease hot flashes and improve mood stability.

Balancing Mood Through Nutrition

Mood swings and anxiety are among the most reported symptoms of menopause. For many women, these challenges appear even if they’ve never struggled with mental health before. Nutrition plays a vital role here too.

Balanced blood sugar is crucial—when you eat meals rich in protein, fiber, and healthy fats, your blood sugar rises and falls gradually, instead of spiking and crashing. This keeps your mood more even throughout the day. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty fish, flax seeds, and walnuts, also play an important role in reducing inflammation and supporting brain health.

Key Takeaways:

• Balanced blood sugar prevents mood swings and irritability.
• Omega-3 fats reduce inflammation and support brain health.
• Avoid caffeine and sugar to keep moods more even.

Gut Health and the Mind-Body Connection

One of the most fascinating aspects of menopause health is the connection between gut health and the brain. Around 90% of serotonin, the “happy hormone,” is produced in the gut. If your gut is unhealthy—due to processed foods, artificial sweeteners, or chronic stress—it can directly affect your mood and mental well-being.

Supporting gut health through fiber-rich vegetables, fermented foods, and reducing artificial additives helps balance hormones, improve mood, and support digestion.

Key Takeaways:

• Gut health directly impacts mood and hormone balance.
• A fiber-rich diet helps detoxify hormones naturally.
• Nurturing your microbiome supports emotional and physical well-being.

Practical Tips for Everyday Wellness

Here are a few simple but powerful practices that Allison shared for women in midlife:

• Eat balanced meals: Include protein, healthy fats, and fiber in every meal.
• Cut back on stimulants: Try eliminating caffeine and refined sugar for at least two weeks.
• Support your gut: Add fiber, fermented foods, and avoid artificial sweeteners.
• Stay active: Incorporate strength training to preserve muscle and bone health.
• Manage stress: Use meditation, journaling, nature walks, or breathwork to keep cortisol in check.
• Stay hydrated: Water infused with fruit or herbs adds natural flavor without sugar.

The Power of Mindset and Community

Perhaps the most important message Allison shared is this: don’t go through menopause alone. For generations, menopause was treated as a taboo subject, something women had to endure in silence. But today, more women are opening up, sharing their stories, and creating supportive communities.

Mindset matters, too. Menopause is not the end of your vitality—it’s a natural transition that every woman goes through. By shifting your perspective and supporting your body through nutrition, stress management, and self-care, you can embrace this stage of life as a new beginning.

Key Takeaways:

• Don’t suffer in silence—seek support and share your journey.
• Menopause is a natural transition, not something to fight.
• With the right mindset and practices, this season can be empowering.

Final Thoughts

Menopause can feel like a roller coaster, but it doesn’t have to define you. By paying attention to nutrition, managing stress, and embracing a positive mindset, you can not only ease symptoms but also rediscover your energy, clarity, and sparkle.

As Allison reminded us, food is powerful medicine—and when you nourish your body well, you give yourself the gift of balance and well-being in every season of life.

Connect with Allison:

https://www.alisonbladh.com/

Keywords

menopause nutrition, menopause diet, managing stress during menopause, foods for hot flashes, gut health and menopause, blood sugar balance menopause, natural menopause remedies, healthy fats for hormones, protein for menopause, mood swings and menopause

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Categories: : Healthy, Mood, Menopause Nutrition, Gut Health