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Menopause diet |
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Nutritional experts generally agree that a well-balanced diet featuring a variety of nutrients is very important for good health at midlife. A diet rich of whole grain, fruits, vegetables with moderate servings of protein, is a wise idea at any time of life. At midlife, it is also important to increase your calcium intake to maintain healthy bones and reduce consumption of fat to lower your risk of heart disease, the number one killer in women. Sticking with a well balanced, low fat diet may help smooth out the decline in your body’s production of estrogen. Women are never totally out of estrogen, since adrenal glands and body fat continue to produce low levels of estrogen even after menopause. Few nutritionists advocate a vegetarian diet as a natural prescription for menopause; you can certainly arrange your meals to incorporate foods abundant in plant estrogens. These include apples, carrots, barley, alfalfa, cherries, garlic, chick peas, oats, peas, green beats, sweet potatoes, and rye. These should not be eaten to the exclusion of other foods. However they may help moderate your body’s hormonal fluctuations at menopause. Carbohydrates provide most of the fuel for a healthy body, but it is important to choose the right ones, especially at midlife, when your body’s metabolism becomes more sluggish. The best choice is complex carbohydrates, found in corn, potatoes, beans and whole wheat that are digested more slowly and are healthier for your body. You can add complex carbohydrates to your diet by purchasing whole-grain bread instead of the usual white bread, brown rice instead of white, rolled oats instead of instant, and crackers instead of saltines. Add fresh or frozen beans and peas to your diet and look for whole-wheat pasta in the stores. You should also avoid donuts, cake, cookies, white bread, etc. A boost in calcium intake is very essential in women with menopause, as well as exercising. Without these measures, your chances of developing osteoporosis rise dramatically. This debilitating disease affects 25 million Americans, mostly women causing fractures in about 50% of all women over 50. The ideal way to obtain calcium is through foods such as milk, cheese, yogurt, canned salmon or sardines with bones, and dark green leafy vegetables like broccoli and spinach. A risk of heart disease begins to rise at menopause. To compensate, it’s more important than ever to adopt a diet that is low in total and saturated fats, cholesterol and high in complex carbohydrates. Most scientific studies that have examined the role of nutrition on cancer suggest that a diet high in vegetables and fruits; especially those rich in Vitamin A or beta-carotene may provide some protective effects. These foods include cantaloupe, carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, citrus fruits, juices, and leafy green vegetables. In addition these foods are also major sources of dietary fiber, which helps prevent constipation. You should cut down on coffee because caffeine has been implicated in breast changes, such as fibrocystic disease, in osteoporosis, and in the rise in serum cholesterol associated with heart disease. The use of tobacco and alcohol must be cut or eliminated. Heavy smokers also tend to have an earlier menopause, which has been linked to higher rates of heart disease and osteoporosis. Alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer and high blood pressure, especially at menopause period and it causes weight gain. Remember that maximizing your intake of nutritious foods and minimizing your reliance on empty calories will prepare you to appreciate the joys of menopause without suffering its sorrows.
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| Category |
Women's Health
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| Related Searches |
weight loss diet menopause, diet during menopause |
| Date Submitted |
07-Aug-2005
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