Protein at Perimenopause

Let me introduce you to Laverie Valee, also known ‘Charmion’, one of the world’s first strong women as they used to be called. What a hat! I thought she was rather apt for my perimenopause protein post.

Protein is the building block of the body – including the immune system, hormones and lean muscle. There are 9 ESSENTIAL amino acids (proteins) that we must get from our diet. And this is why quality protein sources (eggs, oily fish, fish, lean meats, quinoa, pulses, tofu, nuts and seeds) are SO SO important at perimenopause (well at any time really)…look are how important they are to thwart perimenopause symptoms:

1. Phenylalanine – needed for the neurotransmitters dopamine (needed for motivation), adrenaline and noradrenaline.
2. Valine – BCAAs to stimulate muscle growth and energy
3. Threonine – a structural protein for our skin! For collagen and elastin.
4. Tryptophan – so important as a precursor to our happiness neurotransmitter serotonin and sleep hormone melatonin!
5. Methionine – for metabolism and detoxification plus needed for the absorption of zinc (for our skin, hair, nails, anxiety) and selenium (needed for detoxification).
6. Leucine – BCAA for protein synthesis, muscle repair and blood sugar balancing
7. Isoleucine – BCAA for healthy muscle metabolism
8. Lysine – gets rid of coldsores! Plus helps calcium absorption and the production of collagen and elastin (studies have shown that it may help prevent bone loss with another amino acid arginine).
9. Histidine – to make histamine, crictial first defender of the immune system and for the maintenance of the myelin sheath that surrounds our nerve cells.
So channel your inner Charmion and get eating more quality protein!