Planning a Healthy Diet for Menopausal Women

When women hear the word menopause, they feel a bit of fear growing at the back of their minds. Menopause, after all, brings about a drastic change in hormone production, and adjusting to these fluctuating hormone levels can bring about the following symptoms:

• Irregular periods
• Hot flashes
• Vaginal dryness
• Night sweats
• Thinning hair
• Dry skin
• Weight gain and slowed metabolism
• Loss of breast fullness
• Decreased libido
• Vaginal atrophy
• Depression and mood swings
• Sleep problems or insomnia

Menopause makes growing old look more like a punishment than an outstanding achievement. However, there are a lot of things women can do to prepare themselves for this phase of life. Aside from exercising and visiting a doctor, eating right can help relieve the difficulties that come with menopause. In addition to making women feel great, sticking to a proper diet can also help ladies drop the extra pounds and inches around the waist.

Food and Drinks to Stay Away From

It is not easy to give up some of your favorite snacks and drinks. But if you are concerned with your health, you should refrain from consuming the following:

• Alcohol
• Food with a high-fat count (e.g. bacon, fried meat, etc.)
• Refined carbohydrates (e.g. white bread, pasta, potatoes)
• Spicy dishes
• Coffee
• Hot food (e.g. soup)
• Non-homogenized dairy products

Moderation is Key

Keep your salt and sugar consumption in check. These are major contributors to weight gain, and the onset of menopause may aggravate the effect of these substances on the body. This isn't to say that you have to settle with flavorless dishes and unsweetened beverages, though. What you have to do is moderate the amount of salt and sugar that you put in your food, and practice self-control whenever you are hit by the urge to eat junk food and desserts.

Make a Habit of Eating Healthy

Now, here comes the easy part. Making these healthy ingredients a part of your regular diet will help you achieve the best of health. In addition, these can also help your body cope with the hormonal changes that come with the menopausal phase. Include a meal made with these items the next time you plan your menu:

• Fish (at least two servings per week to reduce the risk of heart disease)
• A combination of fruits and vegetables
• High-calcium products (e.g. low-fat milk, yoghurt, etc.)
• Iron-rich foods (at least three servings a day)
• Fiber and whole grains (21 grams a day)
• Food with vitamin D
• Phytoestrogen and soy-based food (e.g. soya milk, linseeds, tofu, and rhubarbs)
• Iced herbal tea

The Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Option

Despite minutely planning your next meal and diligently following your diet plan, there are still times when you can be inconvenienced by the negative effects of hormonal imbalance. In this situation, your best bet is to get hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Clinics in Beverly Hills administer this treatment in a holistic way by providing their clients with menus specially made for menopausal women. It's best for you to find an institution with such an approach so you can receive expert and well-rounded advice as to how to make your menopausal year your best one yet.

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