A Man's Guide to Perimenopause - here's how YOU can help

Here’s What You Can Actually Do.

At The Nutrition Circle, we work with a lot of women who feel like they’re losing their minds. Hot one minute. Freezing the next. Snapping over nothing. Exhausted. Bloated. Staring into the pantry wondering why they walked in there.

This is perimenopause. It’s messy. It’s real. And if you’re her husband, partner or live-in support act, it’s time to step up.

We’re not asking you to fix it. But we are asking you to stop acting like nothing’s happening. Here’s what’s going on and how you can be part of the solution.

What is perimenopause?

It’s the hormonal chaos before menopause. Oestrogen and progesterone go on a rollercoaster and take everything with them. Think mood swings, poor sleep, brain fog, weight gain, gut issues, and a general feeling of “who even am I?”

Here's what she doesn't need:

• Comments about her mood

• Jokes about her eating or cravings

• Eye rolls when she forgets what she was saying mid-sentence

• Silence

What she does need from you:

1. Don’t talk about her food. Just support it.

She might be eating differently. Less sugar. More protein. Maybe she's stopped drinking. Don’t question it, just go with it.

Do this instead:

• Help cook a meal that’s not from a packet - steak and veg, a roast, a stirfry.

• Join her in eating real food; set out her lunch for the next day

• Keep your Uber Eats order to yourself on the nights she’s trying to care about her nutrition

2. Be useful, not awkward.

Hormones are messing with her sleep, energy and tolerance for nonsense. If you think she’s overreacting, she probably isn’t.

Do this instead:

• Take over something without being asked (like hanging the washing out, organising that kid's birthday present)

• Don’t question her new vitamin stash

• Go for a walk with her even if you’d rather sit on the couch

3. Understand the weight changes are hormonal.

No, she hasn’t “let herself go.” Her body is changing, storing fat differently and her metabolism has slowed down. You pointing it out helps no one.

Do this instead:

• Encourage movement without turning into a personal trainer

• Say yes to the gym membership or Pilates class without a raised eyebrow

• Tell her she’s strong, not “still looks good for her age”

4. She’s not losing it. Her brain’s rewiring.

Memory issues? Yep. Words gone missing? Also yes. But she’s not going crazy. Her brain is trying to adapt to less oestrogen and more stress.

Do this instead:

• Gently remind, don’t patronise

• Help with planning or scheduling if she asks

• Don’t laugh when she uses the wrong word, again

5. Say something kind, occasionally.

It’s that simple. You don’t have to give a TED Talk. Just say something that shows you’ve noticed she’s doing her best.

Examples:

• “You’re doing a lot. I see it.”

• “You don’t have to do everything today.”

• “Want me to cook dinner tonight?”

And if you’re wondering why a dietitian is talking about all this?

Because food, hormones and stress are tightly connected. At The Nutrition Circle, we help women eat in a way that works with their changing body. We support metabolism, sleep, gut health, mood, and strength so they can feel better and think clearer.

And if she has support at home, that work goes a whole lot further.

Want to help her? Point her in our direction - book an appointment HERE