Menopause, often referred to as "the change," and the preceding period of perimenopause can bring about a range of challenging symptoms for women, including hormonal weight gain, mood swings, digestive issues, and sleep disturbances. Jacqui Justice, a Functional Nutritionist, addresses these concerns with her unique approach, focusing on identifying and eliminating the root causes of weight and wellness issues. This article explores the principles of Jacqui Justice's menopause diet and how it can help women navigate this transitional phase with greater ease and vitality.
Understanding the Challenges of Menopause
Peri-menopause, generally occurring between the ages of 38 and 55, marks the transition leading up to menopause. During this time, women often experience a constellation of symptoms that can disrupt their lives, impacting energy levels and self-confidence. Common hormonal shifts can trigger weight gain, mood swings, poor digestion, brain fog, insomnia, and hot flashes. Abdominal bloat and belly fat, often referred to as the "menopausal middle," are particularly bothersome symptoms.
These symptoms are natural reactions to fluctuating hormones. Women are demanding answers and are finally being heard, but there is still a ways to go… Jacqui Justice offers real, sustainable solutions, emphasizing that women are not destined to live in hormonal havoc.
The Jacqui Justice Approach: A Root-Cause Perspective
As a Functional Nutritionist, Jacqui Justice adopts a root-cause approach to wellness, delving deeper than symptoms to uncover the body's true needs for healing and thriving. Whether it's balancing hormones during perimenopause or andropause, supporting digestion, or addressing weight loss resistance, she helps individuals create personalized paths back to feeling like themselves again.
The 4-Step Blueprint to Lasting Wellness includes:
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- Hormone-Balancing, Anti-Inflammatory Eating Plan: This plan is designed to be enjoyable and sustainable, with clients often experiencing relief and noticeable results within the first 1 to 2 weeks.
- Targeted Testing: Identifying hidden inflammation, gut issues, nutrient deficiencies, or hormone imbalances to get to the core of what's been standing in the way.
- Lifestyle Factors: Addressing daily lifestyle factors such as sleep, stress, and movement, and incorporating simple, powerful daily rituals to accelerate healing.
- Customized Wellness Plan: A plan based on all of the findings - designed to address and heal specific root causes for quick and lasting results.
Key Principles of the Jacqui Justice Menopause Diet
Eating for Hormonal Balance
What we eat and when we eat throughout the day can either help balance our hormones or cause unpredictable and rollercoaster-like imbalances. Hormone-unfriendly, inflammatory, and toxic foods such as sugar and refined foods wreak havoc on our hormones. Skipping meals or waiting too long between meals and eating too few calories can further imbalance our hormones causing blood sugar fluctuations, fatigue, moodiness, increased cravings and a decreased metabolism. Here are some general tips for helping you to naturally balance your hormones through your diet.
- Prioritize Protein: Protein is essential for balancing blood sugar, nourishing adrenal glands, repairing DNA, and making hormones. It also acts as a natural diuretic, helping to reduce bloat and rev up fat-burning metabolism. Aim for 1 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily, spread evenly throughout the day. Examples include lean poultry, grass-fed meats, eggs and egg whites, wild fish, legumes, nuts and seeds, and high-quality protein powders.
- Don't Be Fat Phobic: Healthy fats are crucial for satiety, blood sugar balance, inflammation reduction, and hormone production. Consume a portion of healthy fats with each meal, such as raw nuts and seeds, nut butters, organic oils (olive, avocado, coconut), avocados, olives, and wild fatty fish (salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel).
- Fill Up On Fiber: Fiber aids in elimination, gut health, and hormone balance. It binds to excess hormones in the body, facilitating their removal through the colon. Aim for at least 25 grams per day, increasing slowly with adequate water intake.
Foods to Limit or Avoid
- Sugar and Refined Foods: These foods can cause blood sugar spikes, leading to weight gain, exacerbated hot flashes, and sleep disturbances.
- Processed Foods: Foods high in artificial ingredients, chemicals, artificial colors and flavors, and hydrogenated oils can contribute to inflammation and hormonal imbalances.
- Conventional Meat, Dairy, and Poultry: These products may contain antibiotics and hormones that can disrupt hormonal balance.
- Genetically Modified Foods (GMOs): GMOs, particularly corn and canola oil, can be hormone disrupters and sources of inflammation.
- Alcohol: Alcohol can interfere with hormone balance and liver function.
The Importance of Gut Health
Most menopausal issues are intricately connected to what is going on in the gut. Jacqui Justice emphasizes the importance of gut health in managing menopausal symptoms. She recommends taking a probiotic (the right kind and the right dosage) and avoiding foods that aggravate the gut lining.
Liver Detoxification
The gut and the liver are important to natural hormone balancing. The liver plays a crucial role in hormone metabolism and detoxification. A sluggish liver can hinder fat-burning capabilities and lead to a buildup of toxins, slowing down thyroid function and hindering weight loss. Jacqui Justice often incorporates a natural detox shake with liver-nourishing nutrients, herbs, and amino acids to support liver detoxification.
Addressing Stress
The stress hormone cortisol tells the body to store fat in the belly. Someone can improve their gut health and detox their liver, but if they are not doing anything to improve their stress, they’re not going to get results. Managing stress is crucial for overall well-being and hormonal balance. The adrenals, have the big job of balancing out our blood sugar and also pumping out our stress hormones - but they can become exhausted by all different kinds of stressors.
Thyroid Health
Thyroid hormones are really the superstars of the blood chemistry panel. Subclinical hypothyroidism can slow metabolism, contributing to weight gain and fatigue. In depth testing can reveal underlying thyroid issues that may be contributing to menopausal symptoms.
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The SHED IT! Program
Jacqui Justice has created online courses, including the SHED IT! DIY Plan, to help women shed belly fat, bloat, and other menopausal symptoms. This 30-day plan is designed to kickstart hormone balancing and weight shedding, with a focus on sustainable results.
Key Features of the SHED IT! Program
- Therapeutic Recipes: Designed to target menopausal middle and naturally balance hormones.
- Emphasis on Mindset: Recognizing the importance of mindset in achieving long-term weight loss results.
- Support System: A built-in support system, with guidance from Jacqui Justice and a Discussion Group for women on the same journey.
Success Stories
Women who have worked with Jacqui Justice have reported significant improvements in their menopausal symptoms, including weight loss, increased energy, and improved mood. They praise her extensive knowledge, realistic advice, and unwavering commitment to their success.
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