Simple Hormone-Friendly Strategies to Reduce Bloat, Boost Energy, and Feel Amazing This Season by Leah Cheshire, NBC-HWC, Health & Wellness Coach

The holidays are supposed to be joyful… but for so many women over 40, they come with an uncomfortable secret:

🎄 Bloating after every meal
🍰 Sugar crashes that wipe out your energy
🥱 Brain fog that makes it hard to enjoy the moment
🔥 Hot flashes, irritability, and restless sleep after heavy meals

It’s not that your body is “failing you.”

It’s that hormonal changes in perimenopause and menopause make your blood sugar, digestion, and inflammation more sensitive than ever, especially during the holiday season.

The good news?
You can enjoy the foods you love… without the miserable aftermath.

Let’s break down why holiday meals feel harder after 40. And how simple swaps can help you feel energized, balanced, and confident this season.

🎁 Why Holiday Food Hits Harder After 45

1. Slower Digestion = More Bloating

As estrogen declines, your digestion naturally slows. This can lead to:

Fullness that lasts for hours
Gas and bloating
More sensitivity to heavy, creamy dishes

Your gut is speaking to you, and it needs more support, not more restriction.

2. Blood Sugar Spikes Increase Fatigue & Hot Flashes

Carbs and sugar aren’t the enemy, but in midlife your body becomes more insulin-resistant.

That means:

Higher post-meal blood sugar
A big crash later
Mood swings
Hot flashes that surprise you hours later

Balanced plates = balanced hormones.

3. Inflammation Rises with Certain Holiday Foods

Common holiday triggers include:

Gluten
Dairy
Sugar
Alcohol
Processed oils

Not everyone reacts the same, but many women 40+ notice more swelling, aches, and digestive upset after consuming these.

⭐ The Easy “Happy Hormone Plate Formula”

Instead of restricting your holiday meals, focus on this simple formula using your plate as a guide:

½ Fiber + Color

Fiber calms blood sugar and feeds healthy gut bacteria. Eat more veggies, salad, roasted greens, and berries. Note: if you already have digestive issues, then raw vegetables may make your symptoms worse. So eat mainly cooked vegetables.

¼ Protein

Protein slows sugar spikes and boosts satiety. Plus, protein builds muscles, tissues, and cells including your hair, skin, and nails. As we age, we tend to eat less protein, but really we need more. Focus on eating turkey, chicken, salmon, grass-fed beef, pasture-raised eggs, and plant-based proteins.

¼ Smart Carbs

Pair carbs with a protein to reduce the sugar spike. Things like sweet potatoes, quinoa, rice, gluten-free rolls, and fruit are great for your holiday meals.

Add a small portion of a healthy fat (olive oil, avocados, avocado oil, nuts and seeds, if tolerated) to support fullness and hormone production. Plus, fats help digestion.

This formula stabilizes blood sugar and supports digestion, even at holiday buffets.

Digestive Reset for After Holiday Meals

If you DO overdo it at a meal, here’s how to recover quickly:

✔️ Drink warm lemon water or peppermint tea (one of my faves)
✔️ Take a slow walk (10–15 minutes)
✔️ Avoid lying down right after eating
✔️ Add a probiotic food: sauerkraut, kimchi, or coconut yogurt OR try activated charcoal supplement (ask your own health practitioner first)
✔️ Prioritize protein the next morning and get back on track ASAP
✔️ Get at least 7–8 hours of sleep

Your body bounces back SO much faster with just a few gentle resets.

🎄 15 Smart Holiday Swaps for Women 40+

Here are a few from the full guide:

✨ Instead of: Heavy mashed potatoes

➡️ Try: Mixture of mashed cauliflower + potatoes for lighter digestion

✨ Instead of: Wheat rolls

➡️ Try: Gluten-free almond or cassava flour rolls

✨ Instead of: Sugary cranberry sauce

➡️ Try: Homemade cranberry-orange with monk fruit or pure stevia

✨ Instead of: Cream-based casseroles

➡️ Try: Coconut milk or dairy-free cream soups

✨ Instead of: White sugar in pies

➡️ Try: Pure maple syrup or monk fruit sweetener or pure stevia. Usually you can cut sugar in recipes by 1/3 without even noticing it.

Small swaps = big relief.

You’ll feel the difference in:

✔ Less bloating
✔ More stable energy
✔ Fewer cravings
✔ Better sleep
✔ Less anxiety and irritability
✔ Hot flash reduction

🙏 A Gentle Reminder for This Season

You don’t need a perfect holiday to feel healthy. You need a supported one.

This season, choose:

✨ Foods that help your body feel safe
✨ Habits that nourish your hormones
✨ Joy over pressure
✨ Relationships over perfection
✨ Grace over guilt

Your body is not the enemy. She just needs a little extra care in this season of life.

🎁 Free Download

15 Delicious Hormone-Friendly Holiday Swaps

This is a simple, beautiful guide you can keep on your phone while shopping or planning meals. Click here to grab that.

Work with Me

If you’re craving more peace, energy, confidence and less symptoms, reach out to me to book a Hormone and Wellness Coaching Consult to get personalized support. We will spend 15 minutes to see how we can work together. Click here to schedule that.

Leah Cheshire is a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach and retired speech-language pathologist and homeschooler. After having numerous health issues herself, she embarked on a wellness journey using various nutrition and lifestyle modifications. She then decided to return to school to help others. Leah now works primarily with midlife women who have hormonal problems, weight and digestive issues, pain, brain fog, and fatigue by providing guidance and accountability to help them decrease symptoms and improve their overall health. If you need help from someone who, not only has helped clients but who also has been in your shoes, reach out today to set up a free 20-minute session. Click here to schedule.