Food Sleuth Radio Hillary Wright, MEd, Registered Dietitian, and co-author of The Menopause Diet Plan: A Natural Guide to Managing Hormones, Health, and Happiness.
Dec 18, 2025
Hillary Wright, a seasoned Registered Dietitian and co-author of The Menopause Diet Plan, shares her expertise on managing menopause through nutrition. She discusses how declining estrogen affects metabolism, emphasizing the importance of preparing in your early forties. Hillary debunks myths about carbohydrates, promotes protein for muscle preservation, and highlights the role of circadian rhythms in meal timing. She also addresses the impact of gut health on overall well-being and offers practical resources, urging a compassionate approach to midlife nutrition.
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Menopause Changes Body Composition
- Declining estrogen and aging make it harder to build and maintain muscle, lowering resting calorie needs.
- Estrogen loss also shifts fat to visceral stores, increasing inflammation and chronic disease risk.
Combined Metabolic Risks Rise
- Loss of muscle, increased visceral fat, and lower activity combine to impair blood sugar control and raise cardiovascular risk.
- Estrogen receptors throughout the body explain the broad effects of menopause on health.
Deprivation Drains Willpower
- Chronic dieting depletes decision-making bandwidth and triggers late-day overeating.
- Deprivation conflicts with evolved responses, so strict restriction often backfires by evening.