FOOD IS YOUR FOUNDATION, HOW SOLID IS YOURS?

Food is your foundation. I've been saying this on repeat for well over a decade now. Nutrition is the first wellness plate I address with women in midlife, because most of them have been trained to under-eat, over-restrict, and ignore their body’s cues. They’ve spent years trying to be “good,” thinking less food equals more success when in fact all it did was increase internal inflammation. Nothing thrives in a deficit, and that especially applies to your metabolism, your gut, and your hormones.

If food is your foundation, inflammation is the wrecking ball. When your body is inflamed, your nutritional needs go up, not down. It’s like trying to rebuild a house that’s on fire. You need more bricks, more support, more energy—not fewer calories. But chronic inflammation suppresses appetite in some, increases cravings in others, and disrupts nutrient absorption in everyone. That means you can be eating all the “right” foods and still be starving on a cellular level. Even if you don't feel hungry.

Inflammation damages the gut lining, where digestion and nutrient uptake happens. So even if you’re choosing healthy proteins, colorful veggies, fibre-rich carbs, and healthy fats, your body might not be absorbing what it needs. That leads to fatigue, hormone imbalances, and constant hunger because the nutrients aren’t actually making it to your cells. And when you’re in perimenopause or menopause, that’s the worst-case scenario. Your body is already working harder to maintain balance, and without the right fuel, it will default to survival mode—storing fat, burning muscle, and sending your energy and mood into the gutter.

The other problem? Most women still think carbs are the enemy. Or fat. Or both. They’re cutting out entire food groups in the name of “clean eating,” but all they’re doing is fuelling the hot flashes. Carbs are not the enemy, they’re your energy. You need them for thyroid health, hormone production, and nervous system regulation. And fat is your friend. It helps absorb fat-soluble vitamins, supports brain function, supports blood sugar balance, and plays a direct role in managing inflammation.

The key isn’t eating less, it’s actually about giving your body more of what it needs. Anti-inflammatory nutrition isn’t about perfection, it’s about protection. That means focusing on whole, nutrient-dense foods that calm the immune system and stabilize blood sugar. Because here’s the truth; every time your blood sugar spikes and crashes, you trigger an inflammatory response. That roller coaster not only makes you tired, anxious, and irritable, it also tells your body to store fat and break down muscle. Not exactly the outcome most women are looking for.

If you’re still skipping meals, surviving on caffeine, and calling a protein bar lunch, your body is going to be inflamed, sluggish, and stuck. You can’t out-supplement or out-exercise that. You have to eat real food. You have to prioritize protein, colorful plants, fiber, and the kind of fats that heal your cells instead of harming them. You have to get more food with value, not just less food.

Inflammation also messes with your hunger and fullness cues. It blunts leptin, the hormone that signals satiety and says, “I'm full”, and increases ghrelin, the one that tells you to eat. That’s why so many women feel “out of control” with food during menopause. It’s not a willpower issue, it’s a hormone and inflammation issue. Willpower is not a strategy. Nourishment is.

When you start feeding your body enough, with the right types of food in the right combinations, inflammation starts to cool. Blood sugar evens out. Cortisol comes down. Sleep improves. Cravings fade. Mood stabilizes. Your body starts trusting you again, because you're no longer keeping it in a reactive state. And the best part? You stop feeling like you’re at war with food.

I’ve worked with hundreds of women who were eating less than 1,200 calories a day and gaining weight. Once we increased their intake with anti-inflammatory, hormone-supportive foods, the weight started coming off, their bloating disappeared, their energy came back, and they felt human again. Why? Because food is not just fuel, it’s information. Every bite you eat tells your body what to do. And when the message is “you’re safe, you’re nourished, you’re supported,” everything works better.

That’s how you get results in midlife. Not by shrinking, but by strengthening. Not by starving, but by supporting. You don’t have to be afraid of food. You just need to understand it. You have to use it to help your body do what it’s trying so hard to do, heal.

Inflammation responds to food faster than it does to anything else. That’s why nutrition is always the first plate we get spinning in the right direction. Once you start eating in a way that calms the internal chaos instead of feeding it, the other plates - your sleep, your stress, your movement - get easier to manage too.

Your body is not broken, it’s inflamed. And the way out is through nourishment. Start building that foundation now, because healing begins on your plate.

Watch my free video to learn how to use food to calm inflammation, stabilize blood sugar, and balance hormones—without dieting or depriving yourself.