4 Diet Tips to Manage Rising Cholesterol in Menopause
Beneath hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings and vaginal dryness, perimenopause and menopause also come with a surge in cholesterol. But so many of us (women and men) still know shockingly little about cholesterol rising in the background. In fact, our team often see clients taken off guard when blood test results return with high cholesterol despite not having changed a whole lot in their diet and lifestyle. Understandably it’s deflating. So here’s a rundown of what’s going on and what you can do with diet to take control.
What causes high cholesterol during the menopause transition?
Leading up to, during and after menopause, oestrogen levels are dropping. Oestrogen plays a VIP role in helping the liver regulate cholesterol, especially LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides which are forms of cholesterol that are “sticky” and can form plaques. As oestrogen drops, these types of cholesterol rise.
It’s also important to acknowledge that lifestyles change during the menopause transition. Children have moved out, we may connect with friends over food and alcohol more often and mood swings or sleep disturbances can impact what we eat. These shifts further drive increasing cholesterol.
What can you do to manage cholesterol?
Stay with us, it’s not all doom and gloom. Turns out, you can take meaningful action with food and diet to get on top of cholesterol. Here are our top four tips.
1. Add more soluble fibre
More than just for regular stools, fibre is a star nutrient for reducing cholesterol. Soluble fibre in particular is key, as it binds to excess cholesterol and excretes cholesterol when we pass a bowel motion. Foods rich in soluble fibre include oats, barley, lentils, beans, psyllium husk, chia seeds and the flesh of fruits and vegetables. Think apples, oranges, carrots and brussel sprouts. For a super simple start to soluble fibre? Whip up our Four Bean Salad.
2. Reduce saturated fats
Saturated fat increases the “sticky” LDL-cholesterol. It is found in full fat dairy, butter, coconut oil, processed foods, chicken skin, drumsticks and wings, as well as fat in meat (think marbled meat, salami, sausages, wagyu, minces and fat on the rim of steak, lamb or bacon). Swapping to lean meats, chicken, legumes and tofu for protein, choosing reduced fat dairy and minimising butter and processed foods are wonderful starting points. Good news: our Mediterranean Diet ebook is brimming with recipes to reduce saturated fats for those who are looking for inspiration.
3. Strategically increase unsaturated fats
Unsaturated fats reduce LDL-cholesterol and increase HDL-cholesterol, which is a beneficial type of cholesterol that helps clear away plaques in the arteries. It is found in oily fish (like salmon, sardines and mackerel), nuts, seeds, avocado and extra virgin olive oil. The key is to hit the sweet spot between eating enough unsaturated fats without going beyond your individual energy requirements. Yes, our team can help you with that in a one-on-one appointment. But in the meantime? Try our Lemon and Herb Fish Skewers or garnish cereals, stir-fries and salads with a sprinkle of nuts and seeds like in our Creamy Chicken Slaw recipe.
4. Add in plant sterols
Plant sterols are cholesterol-like substances which reduce cholesterol absorption. They do this by competing for binding sites in the gut. They are naturally found in plant foods however, sterol-enriched products are available such as some milks, breakfast cereals and oats. When combined with a high fibre low saturated fat diet, consuming two to three grams of plant sterols daily reduces LDL-cholesterol by up to 9%. Meeting this plant sterol target isn’t easy through naturally occurring sources, so working with a Dietitian to add in fortified foods (or a supplement) is key.
Although it can feel like the menopause transition is up against you (or your partner), knowing what you can do with diet feels really, well… empowering. And this is what our team loves supporting you with. We are all about truly listening to you and bridging the gap between what is happening during the menopause transition and the science behind what you can change with diet and lifestyle. Book an appointment with one of our Accredited Practising Dietitians today for one-on-one support.
