Four Reasons To Watch Your Diet For Menopause

Diet for menopause is one important component to the overall response to menopause every woman should take.

In this article, I would review some basics for a comprehensive diet for menopause you should use in planning your nutrition in the third age.

Why Watch My Diet?

There are at least four reasons why you would want to watch your diet after menopause

1. Even after menopause, poor eating could still cause chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer. In fact since menopause comes with aging, it is even more appropriate for to continue to watch your diet as you probably did before.
2. Your body needs the nutrients to stay healthy and function properly. Diet for menopause is not trying to put yourself on a dieting plan but making you eat healthy to keep your body to cope with the changes. Diet should not be taken to the extreme however where you loose your “life” to excessively watching what you eat. You should not spend your menopause years mainly watching what you eat! You should not disregard it either.
3. Some food can help reduce symptoms severity. This is specific to the diet for menopause. Some foods have been shown to help with some symptoms so you may want to include them into your regular diet, like Soy products.
4. Some foods can worsen menopause symptoms. These are foods that trigger symptoms especially hot flashes if you have them. Examples include spicy foods, caffeine, and alcohol. Whatever you eat that makes your symptoms worse, it is better to avoid it if possible. Any diet for menopause should be tailored to reduce these triggers.

You will sure not want to watch menopause skyrocket your weight. There is a slight increase in weight that is associated with menopause and if you do not watch your diet, you may blow up. You can read more about weight gain and menopause.

General Guidance

• Get enough calcium. This prevents of osteoporosis. You can get two to four servings of dairy products and calcium-rich foods a day. Calcium is found in dairy products, fish with bones such as sardines and canned salmon, broccoli, and legumes. Above 50 years, you should be getting 1,200 milligrams of calcium per day.
• Boost your iron intake. Iron is found in lean red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, leafy green vegetables, nuts, and enriched grain products. The recommended daily amount in older women is 8 milligrams a day. This can be provided by eating at least three servings of iron-rich foods a day.
• Get enough fiber. Foods high in fiber such as whole-grain breads, cereals, pasta, rice, fresh fruits, and vegetables, are good for general health. Most adult women should get about 20 grams of fiber a day.
• Eat fruits and vegetables. Include at least two to four servings of fruits and three to five servings of vegetables in your daily diet.
• Drink plenty of water. Keep yourself hydrated. Your water needs depends on many things.As a general rule, drinking eight glasses of water every day fulfills most everyone’s daily requirement.

Watch Out For These

• Watch your fat intake. Fat should always provide no more than 30% of your total daily calories. Saturated fat is the bad fat and should be less than 10% of your total daily calories. Saturated fat raises cholesterol and increases your risk of heart disease. Saturated fat is found in fatty meats, whole milk, ice cream, and cheese. Limit cholesterol intake to 300 milligrams (mg) or less per day. Also try to limit your intake of trans fats, found in vegetable oils, many baked goods, and some margarines. Trans fat also raises cholesterol and increases your risk of heart disease.
• Moderate salt intake. High salt causes high blood pressure. Watch out for too much smoked, salt-cured foods that only only contain salt but rich in nitrates that could cause cancer.
• Reduce sugar. Labels should guide you. You should not take too much sugars.
• Moderate alcohol intake
• Watch out the labels on foods. Read labels and know what you are consuming!

What About Supplements?

Menopause is a risk factor for bone loss so supplementing your diet with calcium and vitamin D will do much good to prevent this.

• Calcium. If you cannot get enough foods rich in calcium, discuss with your doctor. You will be put on about 1,500 to 2,000mg calcium a day. Be careful not to take more than 2000mg to cause kidney damage
• Vitamin D. The recommended amount is 400 UI a day for those aged 51 to 70. Those above 70 should get slightly more, about 600 IU. Getting too much will also damage the kidneys and the bones. Do not take above 2,000IU a day. should get 400 IU each day and those over age 70 should get 600 IU.

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