Anne Sawyer Recipes

Menopausal Smoothie, from Episode Two of “A Woman with a Very Large Knife.”

The Menopausal Smoothie

(Seriously edited version from podcast. For the full flavor of this recipe, listen to Episode 2 of “A Woman with a Very Large Knife,” which you can find in the podcast section of my website.)

Into your blender put:

  • 3/4 cup of frozen blueberries or strawberries, more or less
  • A frozen banana (it’s better if you take the peel off. I know, crazy. Who knew? Try it. )
  • 3/4 cup of traditional (plain) Greek yogurt
  • 1 cup of water (or, if you’re not worried about spiking your insulin levels, you could use OJ).
  • 1 Tbsp ground flax seeds

See, I read somewhere that ground flax seeds help regulate the wild pony that your estrogen becomes when your body decides that it’s time to shut up shop on the whole baby-business. The seeds contain omega 3 fatty acids, which are good for your heart, and lignans, which sounds impressive and magical.

I started putting the flax seeds in my smoothies about a month ago, and lo and behold, praise Jesus and all his tennis partners, because the hot flashes seem to go away. Or at least be greatly reduced. Now I kick off the covers of the bed only once or twice a night, whereas before I’d wake up in a bed that looked like Alexander Calder had been trying to make balloon animals with the blankets.

A few weeks later, I read something that debunked the whole flax seed thing, but by that time I had been enjoying waking up in dry pajamas every day, so I gave that spoilsport/sciency person the mental raspberry, and still continue to consume my menopausal smoothies.