Good Morning,
Struggling with night sweats that wake you up like clockwork? It might not be just hormones, excess salt hidden in everyday “healthy” foods could be turning up the heat.
Even on a plant-based diet, sodium sneaks in through processed favorites like canned soups, fake meat and cheeses, meat substitutes, sauces and even store-bought breads. And here’s why it matters: high sodium intake can disrupt your fluid balance, raise blood pressure and make it harder for your body to regulate temperature, especially at night.
* Research shows that reducing sodium, without medication, can lead to noticeable improvements in blood pressure, energy and sleep in just days. And it’s not just about table salt, most of the sodium we consume comes from processed and packaged foods, not the salt shaker.
What to Eat Instead:
Simple, whole foods support both hydration and hormone balance:
- Steamed greens (like spinach or kale)
- Baked sweet potato with a balsamic glaze drizzle
- Lightly steamed broccoli with a squeeze of lemon or lime
Flavorful, satisfying and naturally low in sodium.
Remember, when doing your home cooking add in salt at the end of a soup to bring the flavors together or on top of your meal as you eat it. You will use way less rather than including it AS you cook.
Here’s to sleeping cooler, waking clearer and thriving through menopause, one delicious plant-powered meal at a time.
Stay cool & plant-strong!
* Salt: The Scapegoat for the Western Diet, Dr. McDougall
I started out several years ago watching Forks Over Knives, decided to “try out” the plant-based meal plan and had shockingly incredible results. I’ve never turned back. I have lost nearly 50 pounds, and that is just one side effect that me, my family, friends and clients have experienced after making the change.
Having been an incredible cook my entire adult life, I started my own personal chef service, NuYu Nourish, to extend my help to others. I interned under a celebrity chef, became a celebrity chef myself and have been expanding my reach and goals ever since! My plan follows strictly and simply those of Dr. Mcdougall, Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Esselstyn.
