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April 8, 2025
Ep -
70

How Your Diet and Nutrition Impacts Menopause Symptoms With Sarah Berry

In this episode of SHE MD, hosts Mary Alice Haney and Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi welcome Professor Sarah Berry, a nutrition expert from Zoe. They explore groundbreaking research on personalized nutrition, debunking common food myths, and discussing how diet affects menopause symptoms. Prof. Berry shares insights from large-scale studies that reveal surprising findings about individual responses to food. The conversation also delves into how factors like gut microbiome, genetics, and lifestyle influence our body's response to food. Prof. Berry discusses the importance of meal timing, eating speed, and snacking habits on overall health. Prof. Berry and the hosts also tackle misconceptions about fats, seed oils, and popular diets, emphasizing the need for evidence-based nutritional advice. Stay tuned until the end to get practical tips to improve your diet and manage menopause symptoms.

About the Guest

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Sarah Berry is a Professor at King’s College London and Chief Scientist at ZOE, the science and nutrition company. An academic leader in Nutrition Science, Sarah has run more than 35 human nutrition studies and currently leads the world's largest in-depth nutrition research program, the ZOE PREDICT study. Her research is at the forefront of personalised nutrition, our understanding of fats, and the food structure. Sarah’s recent studies explore topics such as menopause, snacking, and cardiometabolic health.

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PROFESSOR SARAH BERRY’S 5 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Personalized nutrition research shows that individuals respond differently to the same foods based on factors like gut microbiome, genetics, and lifestyle.
  • Eating slowly and avoiding late-night snacking can significantly improve metabolic health and can reduce calorie intake by 15%. Try to finish eating by 8 PM and maintain a 10-hour eating window for better metabolic health
  • Healthy diet for menopause: Improving diet quality, particularly by increasing intake of unprocessed fruits, vegetables, and fiber, can reduce menopause symptoms by up to 35%.
  • Don't fear fats: Seed oils, contrary to popular belief, are not harmful and may have beneficial effects on cholesterol levels when consumed as part of a balanced diet.
  • Eat the rainbow: Aim for 30 different plant-based foods weekly to boost gut health and overall wellness

IN THIS EPISODE:  

  • (00:00) Intro
  • (01:40) Personalized nutrition research with Professor Berry
  • (07:32) How speed of eating affects your body
  • (09:03) Meal timing's impact on metabolism
  • (10:24) Benefits of time-restricted eating window
  • (15:54) Should you fast during perimenopause and menopause?
  • (18:55) The pillars of health that impact how healthy you are
  • (20:51) Basic principles of what we should be eating
  • (23:24) Snacking's impact on health outcomes
  • (32:03) How does diet affect menopause?
  • (37:55) Misinformation about fats and seed oils
  • (40:37) Where to find reliable health and nutrition information

RESOURCES:

Professor Sarah Berry's Instagram

Zoe Instagram

Zoe Website

"Zoe Science & Nutrition" Podcast