By Rawya El Gammal
There is endless information out there on ‘what to eat,’ which is not an overnight shift, nor is it a one size fits all journey. Although biologically women go through the same process, each one has a unique experience shaped by age, race, background, culture, lifestyle choices, fears, preconceived ideas, medical history, and biology.
As a therapist who has worked in assessing the body and deconstructing movement I approach the body from the inside out. Our bodies are like plants needing soil, water, and sunlight because they also move through seasons, decades, and even cycles of decline and renewal, as well as rhythms.
Menopause is one of these cycles, and it is approached differently around the world. Many cultures celebrate it with ceremonies or see it as a natural form of evolution. In contrast, the Western world often follows modern Freudian thinking, where women in menopause are made invisible and perceived as lacking purpose. The grandmother hypothesis, which once recognized grandmothers’ wisdom as vital for survival and continuity of life, has largely disappeared.
In Japan, lifestyle plays a significant role. Diets are rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, soy-based foods containing phytoestrogens, isoflavones, rice, fish, and certain fermented foods which support gut health. Their lifestyle incorporates walking, cycling, forest bathing, tea ceremonies, meditation, and short naps for stress management. Japanese women report fewer symptoms and rarely experience hot flashes. Yet this way of life may fit their genetic makeup, and it doesn’t mean everyone should rush to load up on soy. The body needs time to adapt to food changes, and soy can affect thyroid function in those with iodine deficiency. Ethical sourcing, GMO, pesticides are also a concern.
Across some other cultures, menopause is celebrated differently. Some African tribes, shamans, and Mayan traditions see it as a sacred transition. Their diets are herb-based, and their pace of life slower. They believe that to become a wise woman with healing powers, one must pass through menopause. In these communities, women don’t suffer from osteoporosis, and their outlook toward menopause is positive long before its onset.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) views menopause as a second chance at life. The decline in estrogen is seen as an autonomic nervous system imbalance, a form of dis-ease linked with kidney deficiency. The kidneys are considered a yin organ and their depletion creates excess energy heat and dryness, also affecting the liver. Treatments focus on cooling foods, spices, herbal medicine, acupuncture, and practices like Tai Chi and Qi Gong. This doesn’t mean kidney function should be tested through Western medical labs, as the measures do not translate directly. In TCM, the kidney is connected to the heart, liver, and spleen. Depletion affects mental clarity and balance, while nourishing yin clears heat and regulates neuroendocrine function. Hot flashes, for example, are viewed as the liver overworking and the kidneys under functioning.
Instead of only treating symptoms with fans or ice packs, the focus could be on nourishing with cooling foods and cooking methods such as steaming, stir frying and pickling to help disperse heat and restore balance.
Science also shows that lower estrogen alters gut bacteria. Since the gut produces more serotonin than the brain, this imbalance may contribute to anxiety and depression.
In other parts of the world, menopause is often treated as a problem. It carries stigma, remains largely unspoken, is mishandled by medical professionals, and is clouded by misinformation. Convenience compounds the issue. Women are told aging is undesirable, that they lose purpose, or that changes in their bodies, aging skin, belly fat, slower metabolism must be fixed. Some resort to drastic measures such as gastric bypass or weight-loss drugs like Ozempic despite not being classified as obese, bypassing the deeper needs of the body during this natural transition. Some women are recommended to go on HRT and other medical interventions, each experience is unique and deserves individual consideration.
Menopause is a vulnerable phase, yet few doctors are fully informed or provide safe spaces for open discussion. Without that support, some women face shame and neglect instead of care for what is a perfectly natural biological process.
Psychology has also been slow to keep pace due to licensing and scope of practice. Symptoms such as depression or anxiety are sometimes misinterpreted as trauma and medicated unnecessarily. Some menopausal symptoms overlap with grief and trauma, if ethnic inequities are added to the mix, women may feel unseen or go misdiagnosed, with delayed interventions. Psychotherapists must screen women in midlife carefully and work alongside doctors and other professionals. Timely support prevents isolation and despair and ensures women are guided to the right care.
Adjusting nutrition to this stage of life is simple but powerful. Fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables, protein rich breakfasts, and healthy fats can support daily vitality. Hydration is essential, and phytoestrogen-rich foods such as dates, prunes, apricots, soy, edamame, and figs may help balance hormones. On the other hand, hot drinks, alcohol, and spices that create heat can intensify symptoms. Large, sugary meals before bedtime are best avoided, and supplements should only be used after identifying true deficiencies through blood work.
Food is more than fuel, it is medicine. By aligning nutrition with the body’s cycles and needs, menopause can become a time of healing, renewal, transformation, and strength.
As mothers, we hold the responsibility of educating our daughters early, encouraging lifestyle habits and attitudes that make this transition less feared and more understood. By learning from other cultures, fostering community support, and sharing wisdom across generations, we can break stigmas and silence.
It is time to change the conversation.
Sports & Complementary Therapy 