Question or comment? Send a one-way text to Age Like a Badass Mother. Include your email so I can answer you back. What should women eat during menopause to protect their heart, maintain strong bones, and build muscle as they age? Registered dietitian and Cooking for Peanuts creator Nisha Melvani joins Lauren Bernick to share practical, plant-based nutrition strategies that make healthy eating delicious, affordable, and easier to maintain. With more than 1.3 million Instagram followers, Nisha is known for her creative vegan recipes, nutrient-packed sauces, and simple ways to get more nutrition into everyday meals. In this episode, she explains how foods like oats, barley, legumes, and psyllium can help lower LDL cholesterol, why cholesterol and ApoB deserve attention during menopause, and how to build meals that support bone health and muscle maintenance. Nisha also shares her approach to getting enough protein from plants, the greens and other foods she prioritizes for bone health, why she eats prunes, and how broccoli sprouts can add a nutritional boost to everyday meals. Plus, we discuss creatine for muscle and energy, the supplements Nisha takes, why she looks for rigorous third-party testing, and how she creates delicious, nutrient-dense sauces without relying on oil. If you want to eat well for longevity without spending hours in the kitchen or sacrificing flavor, this conversation is packed with practical ideas to try. In this episode, we discuss: - How to lower LDL cholesterol through food, including oats, barley, legumes, and psyllium - Why cholesterol and ApoB levels can change during menopause - How genetics influence heart disease risk, even in people who are thin and eat well - How to build plant-based meals that provide enough protein for muscle and bone health - The best plant-based calcium sources, including low-oxalate greens and fortified soy milk - Why Nisha eats prunes and pumpkin seeds for bone health and other nutritional benefits - How broccoli sprouts provide glucoraphanin, which can be converted into sulforaphane - How to make flavorful, creamy sauces using nuts, seeds, and vegetables - Creatine for muscle performance, energy, and body composition - Nisha's approach to supplements and why third-party testing matters - How to eat enough nutrient-dense food during menopause without overly restricting calories - About Nisha Melvani Nisha Melvani, MS, RD, is a registered dietitian, recipe creator, and author of Cooking for Longevity and Practically Vegan: More Than 100 Healthy, Easy, Delicious Vegan Dinners on a Budget. Through Cooking for Peanuts, she helps people make plant-based eating approachable with delicious recipes, practical nutrition advice, and smart cooking techniques. https://cookingforpeanuts.com/how-to-sprout-seeds/ https://cookingforpeanuts.com/links/ https://cookingforpeanuts.com/cholesterol-lowering-meals/ https://cookingforpeanuts.com/strong-bone-foods/ https://cookingforpeanuts.com/menopause-diet/ This episode is sponsored by Grand Teton Ancient Grains Grand Teton Ancient Grains (ancientgrains.com) https://www.ancientgrains.com/?a_aid=agelikeBAmom&a_bid=4130b16b Use code Healthy10 at checkout for 10% off your purchase Websites, Cookbook, and Merch https://wellelephant.com/ecookbook/ https://www.agelikeabadassmother.com/ https://wellelephant.com/ Shop Merch https://age-like-a-badass-mother-shop.fourthwall.com/ Follow us and reach out at: Email: lauren@agelikeabadassmother.com Facebook: @WellElephant Instagram: @agelikeabadassmother https://www.youtube.com/@agelikeabadassmother #NishaMelvani, #CookingForPeanuts, #PlantBasedNutrition, #MenopauseHealth, #HealthyAging, #BoneHealth, #CholesterolManagement, #LongevityNutrition, #SupplementSafety, #AgeLikeABadassMother, #Podcast,
