From hot flashes and night sweats to weight gain, menopause – and its predecessor perimenopause – can be a wild ride, and not the fun kind. Although treatments like hormone therapy can be useful, lifestyle changes are also essential. In fact, eating a healthy diet may be one of the best tools at your disposal, says Deepali Kothary, M.D., an OB/GYN, at Kaiser Permanente in Burke, Virginia, who is certified by the North American Menopause Society.