Here’s what you need before menopause hits

From around the age of 35, you lose about a pound of muscle every year. Unless you do something to counter this – namely diet and exercise – you are going to put on weight.

The diet needn’t be hugely restrictive or extreme in terms of how much you can eat.

To prevent yourself from feeling deprived, healthy snacks are key. Vegetable sticks with hummus, fruit with nuts or even spreading some avocado on a slice of wholemeal toast (top it with a few slices of tomato) make for healthy and filling snacks. That way, you’re not as likely to pig out on all the wrong stuff when you get home from the gym.

And yes, exercise is important – that’s what’s going to help build the muscle that’s going to boost your metabolism. Free weights or machines, swimming and yoga are all good options.

Fats are important

Remember that when you are trying to lose weight, or even trying to maintain a certain weight, fat is still an important component of the diet.

Your body needs certain fats for skin health, hormone production and water regulation, so always remember to eat plenty of nuts seeds which contain essential fats. Without these, you’re going to be more susceptible to water retention, dry skin and mood swings.

Many faddish diets encourage cutting out all fat, and replacing it with sugary ‘ slimmer’s’ foods which are actually high in sugar/refined carbs.

Recent research has confirmed this, showing that women between 40 and 47 whose diets are rich in vitamin C and essential fats have the fewest wrinkles and the least dry skin.

For many, however, this isn’t a time for weight loss; rather, it is the time to beat the clock and have a baby. While fertility levels do drop at this time, this can in part be addressed nutritionally.

As I’ve seen at my clinic, men may also need a helping hand in the fertility stakes at this time.

As well as zinc, easily the most important mineral for fertility, and the nutrients mentioned above, B vitamins from wholegrain foods and vitamin E from avocado and nuts and seeds are all important to support a healthy reproduction system in women.

It’s also crucial to ensure that hormones are behaving the way you want them to.

Your mid-forties are a time when hormones such as oestrogen are switching off.

Not only can lower levels of oestrogen contribute to wrinkling around the neck and chest, but it can also compromise monthly ovulation.

As I’ve seen with patients, this is where herbal hormone balancers like agnus castus can be enormously beneficial.

The author is a clinical nutritionist