Your Hormones Are Changing. The Basics Still Matter.

I recently finished reading Hormone Havoc by Dr. Amy Shah. I thought it was great. Very informative, easy to understand, and focused on helping women manage the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause through nutrition, with a particular emphasis on gut health and fiber.

And, if I’m being honest, her approach isn’t all that different from several others I’ve read.

Halfway through the book, I walked over to my bookshelf and pulled out several health and wellness books I’ve collected over the years. I stacked them on top of one another and started thinking about what they all shared.

Strip away the different titles, formulas, and “secrets,” and most of them are saying some version of the same thing.

Nutritionally, most of these approaches come back to the same fundamentals: whole foods, plenty of protein, colorful fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, less processed food and added sugar, and foods that support gut health.

Then there’s movement and exercise, sleep, community, time outside, and the other (what can feel like) unsexy basics of taking care of ourselves.

Health is rooted in building a lifestyle that supports it. 

Everything touches everything.

I’m not saying we shouldn’t read these books. I love learning. The more I understand how my body works, the better equipped I am to make choices for myself.

But in a world where someone is always touting the secret to health or the next supplement that will change your life, the reality is remarkably simple.

Not necessarily easy. But simple.

And when it comes to our hormones, especially in midlife, I think that distinction matters.

Our hormones are changing. Perimenopause and menopause are real biological transitions. Estrogen and progesterone fluctuate and eventually decline, and no amount of broccoli, protein, meditation, or walking is going to stop that process. 

But there are things happening alongside those hormonal shifts that can influence how we feel. And that’s where some of those very unsexy basics start to matter.

Here are a few I keep coming back to:

1. Blood sugar and sex hormones are more connected than we sometimes realize.

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps move glucose from our blood into our cells, where it can be used for energy.

When blood glucose is frequently elevated, the body has to produce more insulin to manage it. Over time, our cells can become less responsive to insulin, meaning the body needs more of it to get the same job done. This is insulin resistance.

And insulin doesn’t operate in its own little corner of the body. Higher insulin levels can affect the way sex hormones are produced, transported, and made available to our tissues.

This does not mean insulin resistance causes menopause, or that eating differently will somehow prevent the hormonal changes that come with getting older. It means our metabolic health and our hormonal health are connected.

So nutrition becomes less about finding the perfect “hormone diet” and more about giving our bodies some support: protein, fiber-rich plants, healthy fats, and carbohydrates that work well for your body, helping to decrease common symptoms of hormonal shifts and also decreasing odds of conditions such as PCOS. 

And stress belongs in this conversation too. Chronic stress affects cortisol and glucose regulation, which can make insulin resistance harder on the body. Stress management doesn’t have to mean adding another wellness task to your list. It might mean sleep. A walk. Calling a friend. Dancing. Going outside. Saying no to something. Doing something simply because it feels good.

2. What we eat also affects the hormones that tell us when we’re hungry and when we’ve had enough.

Protein, fat, fiber, and carbohydrates aren’t simply calories. When food enters the digestive system, it triggers a whole conversation between the gut and the brain.

Hormones including GLP-1, PYY, and CCK help communicate fullness and slow digestion, while ghrelin is one of the hormones involved in signaling hunger.

Protein is particularly good at stimulating several of those satiety signals and suppressing ghrelin. Fat also stimulates CCK, and fiber-rich foods can help slow digestion and support steadier blood sugar and the gut environment involved in appetite regulation.

This is one reason a meal with protein, non-starchy veggies (packed with fiber) like broccoli, spinach, green beans, etc., and some healthy fat tends to feel very different in the body than a highly processed carbohydrate eaten on its own.

Not “good food” versus “bad food.”

Just different inputs creating different responses.

So instead of asking, What do I need to cut out? maybe the more useful question is:

What could I add to this meal that will help me feel nourished and satisfied?

3. Your muscles are one of your biggest allies in managing glucose.

This one is wonderfully uncomplicated.

Muscle is a major destination for the glucose circulating in our blood. And when muscles contract during movement, they can take up glucose through mechanisms that don’t rely entirely on insulin.

Translation: use your muscles and they use glucose.

It doesn’t always need to be a hard workout. Walking after dinner counts. Gardening counts. Dancing in your kitchen counts. Strength training counts. Taking the stairs counts.

A short walk after a meal can even help reduce the rise in blood glucose that happens after eating.

Again, not because you need to “earn” your food or burn anything off.

Because bodies like to move.

We can spend an enormous amount of time searching for the thing that will finally make us feel good.

And sometimes there is something more going on. Sometimes we need testing, medication, hormone therapy, specialized nutrition support, or a conversation with a healthcare provider. The basics are not a substitute for medical care.

But they are still the basics for a reason. They establish an environment that supports you instead of one that hinders you. 

You don’t need to do all of it perfectly. 

And this isn’t about never having a piece of cake again. 

This is about understanding how your body uses and stores energy, and what your body can use for energy. I used to do all the diets and exercise programs. And they helped me lose weight, but I struggled with keeping it off. Why? Because those programs are not designed to teach you how to fuel your body for long-term health. When I really started to learn how my body uses fuel and what each nutrient does for my body, I had the insight to make better choices. 

This resulted in better energy, less cravings, and less mood swings. Everything touches everything and your food is the foundation for feeling good. And this is what I desire most. I just want to feel good. Because when I feel good, no bloat, steady energy, less moody, every part of life has more ease. 

You deserve more ease. You deserve to feel good. 

No deprivation needed. Promise!