The Best Menopause Diet Plan

Menopause is a tough phase in any woman's life as she goes through various physical and psychological changes. Menopause can affect mood, digestion, memory and sex drive and it can also affect bones and heart. Some of the symptoms of menopause can be treated without taking any medications however, some women choose to go for hormone replacement therapy to reduce mood swings, hot flushes and bone loss. This therapy however is controversial and it is better to treat these symptoms without any drug treatments. The natural treatment to alleviate the menopausal symptoms is to follow a menopause diet plan and indulge in daily moderate exercise.

Menopause Diet Plan

Menopause is an end of woman's capability to reproduce and is accompanied by shutting down of ovaries. This leads to drop in the estrogen levels causing many psychological and physical changes. Menopause is a natural process and understanding it well can help you take the assertive action to change your lifestyle. Pre menopause is the phase in woman's life just before onset of menopause and is a good time to start taking pre menopause diet as it will make dealing with aches and pains much easier during pre menopause and menopause period.

An ideal menopause diet plan should consist of 3-5 servings of fruits and vegetables everyday as this helps in digestion and avoids gas, constipation and bloating during menopause. To prevent the formation of gallstones, it is advisable to consume almost 10 g per day of dietary fat such as butter each day. You can just heat a tablespoon of unsalted butter and sauté your fresh vegetables in it. Total fat intake should not exceed 40g/day.

Knowing about ideal menopause diet plan helps women deal with physical, emotional and spiritual changes in a better way. While designing a menopause diet plan, it is important to be meticulous in the food consumption and include foods that are suitable for their age such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, carbohydrates and proteins. Following this menopause diet plan also helps to deal with the symptoms of menopause much before they become worse.

Fruits like bananas and melons are rich in potassium and vegetables like yam, spinach, broccoli and cabbage are full of nutrients. Include as much soy as you can as it contains phytoestrogens, a chemical that reduces the possibilities of hot flushes. Consume lots of fibre and avoid junk food. Choose sweet potatoes or pasta over regular potatoes and opt for canola, live, wheat germ or flaxseed oil. Salmon or mackerel are rich in omega-3 fatty acid and must be a part of your regular diet. Avoid alcohol, colas and smoking as they increase the intensity of hot flushes.

Preparing and following a menopause diet plan not only helps maintain optimal health but also all reduces the risks of developing other complicated illnesses caused by hormonal changes in the body.