Do you often forget a lot of things all the time? For example, when you walk into a room do you forget why you came there in the first place? Do you forget someone’s name immediately after they introduce themselves? Or perhaps you forget what you need to shop for right when you are already in the store?

No worries since that is a very human thing to do and it happens to the best of us! However, what we must watch out for is that sometimes, too much forgetfulness might be a sign or early-onset dementia. As women, we must know the importance of oestrogen and progesterone for our brain health. For instance, did you know that oestrogen and progesterone both help in protecting nerve cells? Oestrogen also aids in the regions of our brain related to memory as we age with progesterone also helping in the modulation of neurotransmitter systems.

As we go through perimenopause the amounts of these hormones that we have tends to dip or be erratic. This can impact our brain health too according to many studies and this is why we must pay special attention to it as we age.

Hence, here are some of our tips on how you can easily take care of your brain health as you go through perimenopause and menopause:

• Oily fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and these omega-3 fatty acids are crucial in the development of membranes in our neurons so if you want to keep a healthy brain, then you should opt to eat fish like salmon or mackerel, and nuts or seeds in our diet regularly.
• Include egg yolk, tofu, beef, oily fish, and fatty cheese. These foods contain nutrients that help our neurotransmitters have better communication with each other. A better connection between our brain cells ensures that our brain’s performance doesn’t degrade or slow down.
• Parmesan, lean beef, salmon, pumpkin seeds, cod, and pinto beans are some examples of food that are rich in phenylalanine which helps in increasing our alertness, attention, and focus.
• Take amino acid supplements especially those rich in tryptophan and glutamine. These are some of the things that help our brain produce Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) which is a major inhibitory neurotransmitter in our brain. These amino acids can be found in foods such as poultry, nuts, seed, and avocado.
• Foods like tofu, soya, linseed, nuts, apples, celery, beans, peas, carrots, red peppers, cabbage, and sage are rich in phytoestrogens that are useful in improving memory.
• B vitamins which help improve memory too can also be found in brown rice, eggs, cereals, fish, chicken, and asparagus.
• Vitamin C is not only good for the immune system, but can also be a great antioxidant that fights off free radicals that damage our brain cells. We can get this via citrus fruits most of the time.
• Speaking of antioxidants, other antioxidants such as flavonoids that can be found in berries, celery, and turmeric are great for brain protection.
• L-theanine, found in green tea, is great for relaxation and improving concentration.
• Keep hydrating! Being dehydrated can affect your concentration and focus.
• Keep moving because exercising and moving around can have a positive effect on your blood circulation.
• Surround yourself with nature as studies have shown that being in nature’s scenery can have a great impact on our brain.
• Keep doing mind exercises as these can truly have a great impact on our brain’s elasticity. Try brain games: ‘use it or lose it!’

Aside from the brain, protecting our gut is also a great idea as we age and go through perimenopause and menopause. The best and easiest way we can do this is by eating lots of vegetables that are rich in fibre. You can slowly add these vegetables into your diet as time goes by or you can cook them to avoid bloating. Now when it comes to the brain, foods like dairy and gluten can sometimes affect our stomach, however, be wary of how gluten can affect your concentration too. We are all individuals, but gluten and dairy can have an opioid-like effect on the brain.

Therefore, if we want to have a healthy brain, then we must feed ourselves healthy foods so it has a great source of brain-boosting lifestyle hacks!

A little reminder of some fabulous ways that you can work with me….

Private one-to-one consultation book your free discovery call

Perimenopause/menopause 1:1 signature 12-week programme

Download your free copy of my menopause guide link to mental and emotional well-being during perimenopause and menopause ebook

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Louise xx