Applying Culinary Nutrition to Women's Health

Most women can attest to the unpleasant symptoms that result from the ebbs and flows of estrogen throughout the lifecycle. Though these pains-in-the-rear are thought of as given factors in the day-to-day adventures of womanhood, dietary changes can help to alleviate the seemingly unending bouts of symptoms. Tailoring the diet to support appropriate balance and regulation of female sexual hormones, both before and after menopause, can be beneficial for not only hormonal regulation, but one’s health as a whole. Male’s and female’s physiological differences extend beyond outward appearances, and healthcare providers can help women to recognize and prioritize foods that benefit their specific hormonal cycles to reduce symptoms and achieve better balance.

KEY NUTRIENT NEEDS

Micronutrient needs change throughout the lifespan. While this is a universal truth, it can be easier to address men’s needs because their hormones cycle on a daily basis. Testosterone, the primary male sex hormone, peaks in the morning and declines at night. In the case of women, however, the cycle of estrogen and progesterone(which are the primary female sex hormones) lasts around 28 days, and then both the amplitude and equilibrium point decrease substantially between ages 45–55. As hormone levels change, dietary needs should follow suit. Focusing on magnesium-and zinc-rich foods, which have been shown to decrease toward the latter half of the cycle, may be advised. Iron is another key micronutrient for premenopausal women, and insufficient iron levels are often seen around the time of ovulation. Increasing iron intake around days 10–18 can help prevent this deficiency. Increasing intake of these micronutrients (within the parameters of their recommended dietary allowances [RDAs]) may help to lessen symptoms like cravings and PMS symptoms such as tender breasts and mood swings.

Macronutrient needs also change throughout women’s cycles. Before menopause, it is normal (or possibly even encouraged) for a woman to eat around 200-500 extra calories extra calories per day during the two weeks between ovulation and the onset of bleeding, depending on the severity of certain premenstrual symptoms as metabolisms may be increased.

ESTROGEN METABOLISM

 As estrogen flows through the body, it follows a specific path that either leads to the continuation of its lifecycle or metabolism and subsequent excretion. After being released primarily from the ovaries, it travels to various different organs to perform its many functions. Then, it is deconstructed in the liver, and carried to the gut and kidneys for either reabsorption or excretion. The metabolic enzyme responsible for determining its life or death is called β-glucuronidase. In a healthy gut, this enzyme will only metabolize a small amount of estrogen, leaving most to be excreted. However, in a gut with excess β-glucuronidase production, more estrogen will be absorbed back into the body, leading to estrogen-heavy symptoms such as cramping, mood swings, and heavy periods. Excess production of β-glucuronidase can result from overconsumption of saturated fats, high sodium, and low fiber intake. Perimenopausal and postmenopausal women may face a bigger challenge with an unbalanced gut microbiome because certain beneficial strains of bacteria may have decreased. Increasing consumption of gut-healthy foods can help balance the enzyme’s production.

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GUT-HEALTHYFOODS 

A tried-and-true means to support gut health is to consume probiotic- and prebiotic-rich foods. Prebiotics keep the microbes in our gut alive and healthy, while probiotics introduce live microbes that may be able to populate the gut.

They have been popular in the wellness zeitgeist lately (and with good reason), because ongoing research indicates the overall benefits of supporting one’s gut microbiome through a healthy lifestyle. A healthy population of microbiota is beneficial for one’s overall wellbeing, and it has shown to be especially beneficial for women with pre- and postmenopausal symptoms.

Some foods that contribute probiotics include fermented foods like kimchi, yogurt, and pickles (made without vinegar). These foods naturally contain bacteria (and sometimes other microbes) that support the health of the gut and myriad other areas of the body. As a diverse array of probiotics are consumed, the microbiota will diversify, helping to facilitate healthy metabolism of estrogen, among other benefits. Including a diverse array of prebiotics will allow these bacteria to prosper and perform their designated functions. Prebiotics are found in foods like fibrous grains and vegetables, fruits like watermelon and banana, and polyphenol containing berries such as blueberries or cherries. As the microbiota diversify, estrogen-related symptoms may subside, thus providing relief or preventing discomfort.

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“FOOD FOR YOUR HORMONES”: A CULINARY NUTRITION WORKSHOP‍

To educate women in my community who wanted to learn more about hormonal regulation and its ties to nutrition and cooking, I recently hosted a culinary nutrition workshop. This workshop, graciously funded by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, delivered information related to the importance of nutrition for the gut-hormone relationship for pre- and postmenopausal women and culinary education to apply their learning. Following an introductory lecture and Q&A session, I led the 18 attendees to cook and enjoy delicious dishes related to the lecture’s content. We made coleslaw with probiotic-rich coconut yogurt and marinated tempeh tacos topped with kimchi. These dishes provided key nutrients like iron (with the vitamin C from the kimchi enhancing absorption of non-heme iron in the tempeh), zinc, fiber, and protein that I discussed during my presentation. During the cooking portion, I designated specific stations where people measured spices and liquids, chopped the vegetables, or asked remaining questions. In all, the dishes took about 20 minutes to prepare, and we enjoyed our dinner together.

To evaluate its impact as well as glean areas for modification in future workshops, I developed and administered a survey before and after the workshop. A common theme in the responses was the attendees’ intrigue of the wealth of knowledge about how nutrition affects hormone health. When comparing the pre-and post-workshop responses, their self-reported data indicated that their knowledge of how hormones affect the body and how to cook nutritious foods increased. As the host of the workshop, I was pleased to see so many people passionate about taking control of their health and their excitement to finally know how to make lifestyle changes that may help their hormonal symptoms.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Molly Siciliano is a graduate of the University of Alabama, where she studied nutrition science. She has always had a passion not only for food, but for the impact it has on the human body. For her postgraduate education, she will attend The National University of Natural Medicine, studying to become a naturopathic physician with a focus on women’s health. While completing her dietetic internship with preceptor Christina Badaracco, MPH, RDN, LDN (a Rewire expert), she focused on culinary medicine, which is a perfect collision of the worlds of nutrition and naturopathy that she is pursuing in her career.

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