You’ve hit a point in your life where the rules of wellness seem to have changed. The same diet and exercise routine that once made you feel energized now leaves you feeling exhausted, irritable and with a nagging case of brain fog. If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. Many women in perimenopause and menopause find that their bodies are no longer responding the way they used to. The good news? It's not about doing more or eating less, but rather, eating smarter.

According to dietician Isabel Garza, the biggest mistake menopausal women make is "restricting what they're eating and trying to burn calories through exercise." Public health nutritionist Dr. Federica Amati agrees, emphasizing that a woman's metabolic health shifts significantly during this time. Instead of fighting against your body, you can use nutrition as a powerful tool to manage symptoms, regain energy and feel like yourself again.

I interviewed both experts to get their top food recommendations for feeling better via smart food choices.

Meet the Experts

Dr. Federica Amati is the Head Nutritionist at Zoe, a personalized nutrition plan brand including new gut supplement Daily30+. She is also a medical scientist and teaches nutrition to medical students and doctors. Her interest in menopause stems from her clinical work with women and her involvement in ZOE’s menopause research, one of the largest studies of its kind.

Isabel Garza, registered dietician, is the founder of Woman Wise Nutrition and Nutrition Science Advisor at Iris, where she helped create a new hormone-balancing electrolyte drink mix. She specializes in women's health and disordered eating and addresses menstrual issues, reproductive problems, unexplained weight gain and other related physical symptoms such as acne, mood swings and chronic fatigue.

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