The Psycho-Nutritional Intervention Approach (PNIA) for Mood Swings and Depression in Menopausal Women: A Holistic Lifestyle Framework
Author : Dr. Anoop Poomadam
Abstract :
Menopause is often described as a natural stage of ageing, yet many women know it less as a milestone and more as a time of unpredictable mood swings, irritability, and persistent sadness. In India and elsewhere, these problems are frequently left unnamed or dismissed as “normal.” Medication is available—hormone replacement or antidepressants—but side effects, uneven access, and reluctance to use long-term drugs leave a large gap in care.
The Psycho-Nutritional Intervention Approach (PNIA) was designed as a practical response. It combines five elements that are already familiar in daily life but rarely brought together in a structured way: a plant-forward diet, gentle yoga and breathing, group-based cognitive and mindfulness practices, guided use of music, and simple counselling on sleep and lifestyle.
To test this model, we carried out a 12-week randomised trial among peri- and postmenopausal women reporting mood instability or mild depression. Women were placed either in the PNIA program or in a comparison group that received information leaflets and monthly calls. Change was tracked through depression scores (PHQ-9), the psychological subscale of the Menopause Rating Scale, and secondary measures of stress, sleep, and quality of life.
The PNIA group showed meaningful improvements: lower depression scores, reduced stress, better sleep, and stronger self-reported well-being. Some participants spoke of “feeling like myself again.” PNIA does not replace medical care but adds a culturally rooted, low-cost layer of support that many women found both acceptable and sustaining.
Keywords :
Menopause, Depression, Psycho-Nutritional Intervention Approach (PNIA), Mood Swings, Holistic Lifestyle Framework.
