- Halle Berry changed her diet to include more carbs during menopause.
- Weight training also became part of her routine, as well as taking creatine.
- Berry says that menopause can be “your best chapter” if you have the information to understand it.
Menopause is no longer a taboo topic. Now that many of our favorite A-list stars are hitting that time of life, they’re coming out of the woodwork to talk about their experience—and how they’re adjusting to the change. In her interview with Vogue’s The Run-Through podcast, Halle Berry shared some of the tips that have helped her feel her best during menopause.
After gushing about her beloved bed cooling system, which helps with hot flashes, the Oscar winner started speaking about changes she made as she got older, especially as she noticed that Hollywood was a challenging place to be over 40. Now that she’s about to turn 60, Berry feels more confident in her identity—but the first step was coming to terms with menopause once she reached it.
“Nobody ever talked to me about menopause,” Berry said. “My ego made me think I was gonna skip it … [I thought,] If I just exercise and eat right and stay conscious, I will just miss this menopause thing.”
That attitude changed in her mid-50s, when Berry was misdiagnosed with herpes when, in fact, she was experiencing perimenopause symptoms. “Doctors don’t really understand the menopausal body,” she said, due to it being one small section of medical school training. “These are all things we can deal with if we have the proper information,” she added.
Once Berry got an accurate diagnosis from her doctor—and that proper information started falling into place—she was able to make changes that made her feel stronger than ever. Those changes started with embracing carbs.
“Everything has changed the way I do my life,” she said. To help symptoms, Berry first changed the way she eats. She gave up her keto-style diet and now eats more carbs to help her power through the day. “I need a little carbs,” she said and added that she tries to get most of them through vegetables, though she also enjoys rice.
She also began lifting weights (after years of sticking to cardio) and says she’s going heavier than she did in the past, which was a surprise to her at first. This tip is definitely backed by research—studies have suggested that strength training can be a great addition to your routine as you get older, since strength training may help you maintain bone density and avoid injury.
Along with other vitamins and supplements like magnesium and peptides, Berry started taking creatine, which she says has helped her avoid brain fog. Research has backed up some of the brainy benefits of creatine—in fact, a review of 16 clinical trials found that taking creatine may improve memory, attention time and information processing speed in adults. Still, it’s a good idea to check in with a health care professional before you add a supplement to your routine.
These changes to her diet, exercise routine and supplement regimen have helped Berry embrace her aging and feel most like herself. As Berry said in the interview, menopause “can be your best chapter yet”—and her experience is a great example of that. Want to try some recipes that can help you approach menopause with all the nutrients you need to power through? Try something like our weeklong, high-protein meal plan for menopause.
