A menopause diet is a nutritious diet designed not
only to minimize all the additional medical health risks
of menopause and general aging, but also to lower both
physical and mental symptoms of menopausal life.
These commonly include hot flashes and skin flushing,
night sweats, insomnia andmood swings and irritability.
There is a consensus among health practitioners
that a healthy diet containing a wide variety of foods
will be good for women’s health and well-being during
menopause.
It is also considered a time to lower fat
and increase fruit and vegetable intake to help maintain
weight, and to ensure a daily intake of low-fat
dairy products to keep bones strong.
Women who
suffer from specific menopausal symptoms should
consult a physician for personal dietary advice. For
most women, a menopause diet is considered healthy if
it follows these guidelines:
Increase calcium.
The way to reduce the loss of calcium
from the bones is primarily to increase the
intake of calcium from food. The recommended
daily allowance (RDA) for calcium is 1200mg/day
for women over 50.
Eating and drinking 2 to 4 servings
of dairy products and calcium-rich foods a day
will help ensure that a woman is getting enough
calcium in the daily diet. Calcium is found in dairy
products, clams, sardines, broccoli and legumes.
-Increase iron intake. Eating at least 3 servings of ironrich
foods a day will help ensure that an adequate
amount of iron is present in the daily diet. Iron is
found in lean red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, leafy green
vegetables, nuts and enriched grain products.
-Obtaining enough fiber. Foods high in fiber include
whole-grain breads, cereals, pasta, rice, fresh fruits
and vegetables.
-Eating fruits and vegetables. At least 2 to 4 servings
of fruits and 3 to 5 servings of vegetables should be
included in the daily diet.
-Include essential fatty acids (EFAs) in the diet. EFAs
are found in nuts, seeds and oily fish. The best EFAs
are those from the omega-3 and omega-6 families,
which are found in pumpkin seeds, oily fish, walnuts,
linseeds, dark green vegetables and oils such as sesame,
walnut, soya and sunflower.
-Drinking plenty of water. At least eight 8-ounce
glasses of water a day are recommended.
-Reducing high-fat foods. According to the National
Academy of Sciences, the recommended daily calorie
intake is 2,000 for women. Fat should provide 30%
or less of this total. Saturated fat should be limited to
less than 10% of the total daily calories because it
raises blood cholesterol and increases the risk of
heart disease. Saturated fat is found in fatty meats,
whole milk, ice cream and cheese.
-Moderate use of sugar and salt. Too much sodium in
the diet is linked to high blood pressure.Also, smoked,
salt-cured and charbroiled foods contain high levels of
nitrates, which have been linked to cancer.
-Limiting alcohol intake. Alcohol consumption
should be limited to one or fewer drinks per day (3
to 5 drinks per week maximum) as alcohol can make
hot flushes worse.
Since it has been shown that there is a direct
relationship between the lack of estrogen after menopause
and the development of osteoporosis, it is
believed that the onset of osteoporosis can be delayed
by taking supplements of calcium and vitamin D.
The
National Institute of Aging (NIA) recommends taking
these two supplements if the diet can not provide them
in sufficient amounts. Consultation with a health
practitioner is highly recommended as excessive intake
may cause adverse effects.
-Calcium: Some sources recommend 1500mg/day for
postmenopausal women not taking hormone
replacement therapy. Maximum dose to avoid
adverse effects (kidney problems) is 2000mg/day.
-Vitamin D: The RDA for vitamin D is 10mg/day for
women aged 51–69 and 15mg for women aged 70+.
Vitamin D is present in fortified milk and cereals,
salmon, cod liver oil, and other foods. Vitamin D
deficiency is not uncommon in the elderly and those
with little sun exposure. Maximum recommended is
50mg to avoid vitamin D toxicity.
In some cases, a physician may also recommend
Vitamin B12 and folic acid supplements. The RDA for
vitamin B12 is 2.4mg/day for women.
Vitamin B12 is
present in liver, kidney, fish, poultry, eggs and milk,
and in B12-fortified foods. The RDA for folic acid is
180mg/day for women. It is found in juices spinach,
asparagus, and green leafy vegetables.
The benefits of a healthy menopause diet include
some relief of the unpleasant symptoms and the prevention
of heart disease and severe osteoporosis.
As
for calcium and vitamin D, they have been shown in
numerous studies to specifically prevent osteoporosis
and help slow its progress. Vitamin D stimulate bone
mineralization and the intestinal absorption of calcium
and phosphate.
Calcium also has numerous
functions and is essential for bone formation and
maintenance. Essential fatty acids are considered especially
beneficial in the diet if the skin becomes dry or in
case of joint pains.
They have also been shown to
help in the prevention of vaginal dryness and bladder
infections, as well as increasing overall energy.
Working
together, vitamin B12 and folic acid provide starting
materials for the synthesis of serotonin and
dopamine, two neurotransmitters associated with the
body’s ability to regulate mood.
By supporting the body’s capacity to synthesize appropriate levels of
these two neurotransmitters, folic acid and vitamin
B12 are thought to have mood stabilizing effects.
