Weight & Healthy Living During Perimenopause & Menopause

Episode Overview

Join Ayurveda practitioner Dr. Chitra and Chinese medicine specialist Clarissa as they discuss the complex topic of weight management during perimenopause and menopause. The discussion explores how ancient wisdom from Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine offers practical solutions for understanding weight redistribution, healthy digestion, and maintaining balance during hormonal transitions. The hosts emphasize that weight gain during menopause. They talk about constitutional body types, digestive health, emotional processing, and the sacred role of adipose tissue in supporting women's health.

Key Topics & Practical Solutions

The episode covers essential strategies for healthy weight management including the importance of eating dinner before sunset, incorporating all six tastes (sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, astringent) into daily meals, and using warming spices like cumin, cinnamon, and cardamom to support digestion. The hosts discuss why cold foods and drinks can impair digestion, leading to dampness and weight accumulation, and recommend warm, cooked foods over raw salads and smoothies. They also address the overemphasis on protein in modern diets, explaining how excess protein without adequate exercise converts to fat, and advocate for a balanced plate: 50% vegetables, 25% quality carbohydrates, and 25% protein.

Mindful Eating & Holistic Approach

Beyond dietary changes, the discussion emphasizes mindful eating practices such as tongue scraping to assess digestive health, eating with gratitude and full sensory awareness, and stopping at 80% fullness. The hosts stress that weight management during menopause requires addressing emotional health, stress management, adequate sleep, and appropriate movement. They encourage women to view their changing bodies with compassion, understanding that fat redistribution is a natural part of the menopausal transition that serves important protective and hormonal functions. The episode concludes with a call to make food sacred again—from mindful preparation to grateful consumption—as part of a holistic approach to health during life's transitions.

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