Stress

Stress can come in so many forms during the years around the menopause. Apart from all the changes happening to your body, you may be taking care of elderly relatives or suffering bereavement, saying goodbye to your children as they leave home, coping with changes in your relationship with your partner. The list goes on.

The importance of stress to menopausal health is that stress hormones can really disrupt your sex hormones and cause weight gain.

Stress Contributors

To start with, look at all the contributors to stress in your life and see what you might be able to reduce or eliminate. For the stress that remains get as much support as you can and take care of yourself. As far as diet is concerned, avoid resorting to the quick fix options of sweet foods, carbs or overly fatty foods and of course alcohol. Boost your bodies resources by eating foods high in B vitamins (whole grains, beans, meat, fish, avocado, broccoli and Brussels sprouts) and vitamin C (Berries, kiwi, citrus fruits and broccoli).

Mediterranean Broccoli Salad (Serves 8)

Ingredients

• 5 cups broccoli, cut into small florets
• ½ cup artichoke hearts marinated in olive oil, sliced
• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, roughly chopped (75g) (oil squeezed out)
• ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
• ⅓ cup red onion, diced
• ¼ cup roasted sunflower seeds

For the dressing:

• 2 cups plain, non-fat Greek yogurt
• Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
• Stevia sweetener to taste
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp fresh garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried ground basil
• 1 tsp dried ground thyme
• 1 tsp sea salt
• Ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes

Method

1. In a large bowl, mix together all of the salad ingredients.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together all of the dressing ingredients,
3. Pour the dressing over the broccoli and stir to coat well.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to overnight, so that broccoli can absorb the dressing and develop the flavour.

Guest Writer