A Menopause Diet As A Part Of Women's Health

The reproductive system of female shuts down much before the end of her lifespan. Menopause is a natural process, which means cessation of monthly cycles and fertility. Physical symptoms of menopause are caused due to hormonal changes but there are many emotional changes as well. On an average, menopause occurs at the age of 51 and the symptoms often appear one year after you had your last menstrual period. Some of the most common symptoms of menopause are irregular periods, vaginal dryness, mood swings, hot flashes, thinning hair, decreased fertility, sleep disturbance and loss of breast fullness.

Perimenopause is a time leading to menopause and you start noticing changes related to menopause. This is the time when ovaries start shutting down making less of progesterone and estrogen indicating end of reproductive years. Caloric intake requirements go down, and the need for certain types of nutrition go up. By modifying your diet during menopause, you can ensure that your weight will be maintained at a healthy level, and all of your nutritional requirements can be met.

The Best Menopause Diet

The discomforts of menopause can become quite severe but an appropriate menopause diet can help ease these discomforts. A good menopause diet is about having a balance by consuming certain types of foods while foregoing others. There are some foods that have been proven to alleviate symptoms and help you feel better.

Foods such as melons and citrus are high is potassium and they also balance water retention and sodium. Women going through menopausal symptoms should also include foods like figs, apricots, collard greens, yams and broccoli in their food. Some other beneficial foods that must be a part of menopause diet are seaweed, soy products, tuna and salmon.

Consuming more fruits and vegetables offer many health benefits as they are rich in fibres, minerals, vitamins and are naturally low in fats. Vegetables and fruits should especially be a part of menopause diet as they have phytoestrogens, and they trick our body into thinking that there is more estrogen than there actually is. This helps in alleviating few discomforts of menopause caused due to lower estrogen level.

As much as possible, one must avoid complex carbohydrates and fattening foods. This will provide your body with chemically appealing balance and alleviate few symptoms typical to menopause.

What Foods should be Included in a Menopause Diet?

The general rules of thumb for a menopause diet are similar to the considerations of any healthy and nutritious menu. Make sure that you are eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as foods that are made of whole grain products. For menopausal women who need to be concerned about the risk of osteoporosis, eating plenty of low fat dairy products can also be beneficial, since they are high in calcium and vitamin D. Other high-calcium foods include certain types of fish, particularly those with bones like canned salmon or sardines, and dark-green, leafy vegetables like spinach and broccoli.

It is very important to keep salt-cured and smoked foods like ham and bacon to a minimum in a menopause diet. As a woman ages, high blood pressure becomes more of a concern, and a diet high in sodium can contribute to problems with high blood pressure. These types of meats happen to have a very high salt content, so eating very limited portions is a good idea for menopausal women. It is also a good idea to cut back on sugar consumption, since sugar can contribute to problems with diabetes as well as weight increase. As in any stage of life, eating foods that are low in fat and cholesterol is always a choice for healthy living.