What is the best diet for menopause. How can certain foods alleviate menopausal symptoms. Which foods should menopausal women avoid. What are the key components of a menopause-friendly diet.

Understanding Menopause: Symptoms and Dietary Impact

Menopause is a natural phase in a woman’s life, typically occurring around the age of 51. It’s characterized by the cessation of menstrual periods for 12 consecutive months. The menopausal transition, or perimenopause, often begins about four years before the last menstrual cycle.

During this time, women may experience a range of symptoms due to hormonal changes, including:

• Hot flashes and night sweats
• Mood swings and irritability
• Vaginal dryness and decreased libido
• Sleep disturbances
• Weight gain
• Decreased bone density

While these symptoms can be challenging, adopting a menopause-friendly diet can help alleviate many of these issues and promote overall well-being.

The Mediterranean Diet: A Menopause-Friendly Approach

The Mediterranean diet has gained recognition as an excellent dietary approach for menopausal women. This eating pattern, prevalent in countries like Greece and Italy, is rich in vegetables, fruits, fish, and olive oil, while limiting red meat consumption.

Why is the Mediterranean diet beneficial for menopausal women?

• It’s naturally anti-inflammatory
• Provides essential nutrients
• Supports heart health
• Aids in weight management
• Promotes brain health
• May reduce menopausal symptoms

Trista Best, RD, a registered dietitian at Balance One Supplements, emphasizes, “The traditional Mediterranean diet is void of processed foods like refined carbohydrates and integrates healthy fats. Both of these characteristics are excellent for women going through menopause.”

13 Essential Foods to Include in Your Menopause Diet

A well-rounded menopause diet should focus on foods rich in calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids. Here’s a list of 13 foods that can help alleviate menopausal symptoms and promote overall health:

1. Dark green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale)
2. Yogurt
3. Cheese
4. Milk
5. Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, tuna)
6. Flax and chia seeds
7. Broccoli and cauliflower
8. Blueberries and other dark berries
9. Grapes
10. Dark fruits (plums)
11. Black tea
12. Chickpeas and other legumes
13. Soy products (tofu, tempeh, soy milk)

The Power of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids play a crucial role in managing menopausal symptoms. Research indicates that these essential fats can reduce the frequency of hot flashes and the intensity of night sweats. Dr. Soma Mandal, a women’s health specialist and author, recommends obtaining omega-3s primarily through food sources like fatty fish, flax seeds, and chia seeds.

The Benefits of Phytoestrogens

Phytoestrogens are plant-based compounds that can mimic the effects of estrogen in the body. Including foods rich in phytoestrogens, such as broccoli, cauliflower, dark berries, chickpeas, and soybeans, may help alleviate some menopausal symptoms.

4 Foods to Avoid During Menopause

While certain foods can help manage menopausal symptoms, others may exacerbate them. Here are four types of foods that menopausal women should limit or avoid:

1. Processed foods
2. Refined carbohydrates
3. Sugary foods
4. Alcohol

Dr. Mandal advises, “The rule of thumb I tell patients is to eat as close to the natural state as possible. If it comes in a bag or plastic wrapper, try to avoid those kinds of foods because most likely those are very processed foods.”

The Role of Calcium and Vitamin D in Menopausal Health

Calcium and vitamin D are crucial nutrients for menopausal women, particularly due to the increased risk of osteoporosis. The decline in estrogen levels during menopause can lead to decreased bone density, making it essential to focus on foods rich in these nutrients.

How much calcium and vitamin D do menopausal women need?

• Calcium: 1000-1200 mg per day
• Vitamin D: 600-800 IU per day

While it’s best to obtain these nutrients through diet, some women may benefit from supplements. Always consult with a healthcare provider before starting any new supplement regimen.

Managing Weight Gain During Menopause

Weight gain is a common concern for many women during menopause. Hormonal changes, decreased metabolism, and loss of muscle mass can contribute to this issue. However, adopting a balanced diet and maintaining an active lifestyle can help manage weight during this transition.

Tips for managing weight during menopause:

• Focus on nutrient-dense, low-calorie foods
• Incorporate regular physical activity
• Practice portion control
• Stay hydrated
• Get adequate sleep

Remember, sustainable weight management is about making long-term lifestyle changes rather than following restrictive diets.

The Impact of Soy on Menopausal Symptoms

Soy products have garnered attention for their potential benefits in managing menopausal symptoms. Rich in isoflavones, a type of phytoestrogen, soy may help alleviate hot flashes and support bone health.

Common soy products to consider including in your diet:

• Tofu
• Tempeh
• Edamame
• Soy milk
• Miso

While soy can be beneficial, it’s important to consume it in moderation and consult with a healthcare provider, especially if you have a history of hormone-sensitive conditions.

Hydration and Menopause: Why It Matters

Proper hydration is crucial during menopause, as it can help alleviate several common symptoms. Adequate fluid intake can help with:

• Managing hot flashes
• Improving skin elasticity
• Supporting digestive health
• Reducing bloating
• Maintaining cognitive function

How much water should menopausal women drink? While individual needs may vary, a general guideline is to aim for about 8-10 cups (64-80 ounces) of fluid per day. This can include water, herbal teas, and water-rich foods.

The Benefits of Herbal Teas

Certain herbal teas may offer additional benefits for menopausal women. For example:

• Black cohosh tea: May help reduce hot flashes
• Chamomile tea: Can promote relaxation and better sleep
• Ginger tea: May help with digestive issues
• Green tea: Rich in antioxidants and may support bone health

Always consult with a healthcare provider before incorporating new herbal remedies into your routine, as some may interact with medications or have contraindications.

The Role of Fiber in Menopausal Health

Fiber plays a crucial role in maintaining overall health, and its importance becomes even more pronounced during menopause. A high-fiber diet can help with:

• Weight management
• Digestive health
• Blood sugar control
• Heart health
• Reducing the risk of certain cancers

How much fiber do menopausal women need? The recommended daily intake for women over 50 is 21 grams per day. Good sources of fiber include:

• Whole grains
• Legumes
• Fruits and vegetables
• Nuts and seeds

When increasing fiber intake, it’s important to do so gradually and drink plenty of water to avoid digestive discomfort.

The Connection Between Diet and Mood During Menopause

Mood swings and irritability are common symptoms of menopause, often exacerbated by hormonal fluctuations. However, diet can play a significant role in managing these emotional changes.

Foods that may help stabilize mood during menopause include:

• Complex carbohydrates (whole grains, legumes)
• Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids
• Dark chocolate (in moderation)
• Fermented foods (yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut)
• Foods high in vitamin D

Conversely, certain foods and substances may negatively impact mood:

• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Refined sugars
• Processed foods

Maintaining stable blood sugar levels through balanced meals and regular eating patterns can also help regulate mood.

Supplements and Menopause: What You Need to Know

While a balanced diet should be the primary source of nutrients, some women may benefit from supplements during menopause. Common supplements that may be recommended include:

• Calcium and vitamin D
• Omega-3 fatty acids
• Magnesium
• Vitamin B complex
• Black cohosh

It’s crucial to note that supplements should not be used as a substitute for a healthy diet. Always consult with a healthcare provider before starting any new supplement regimen, as some may interact with medications or have contraindications.

The Importance of Individualized Approach

Every woman’s experience with menopause is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. It’s essential to work with a healthcare provider or registered dietitian to develop a personalized nutrition plan that addresses your specific needs and symptoms.

Lifestyle Factors That Complement a Menopause-Friendly Diet

While diet plays a crucial role in managing menopausal symptoms, it’s important to consider other lifestyle factors that can complement a healthy eating plan:

• Regular physical activity: Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week
• Stress management: Practice relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises
• Adequate sleep: Prioritize getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night
• Limit alcohol and caffeine: Both can exacerbate hot flashes and sleep disturbances
• Quit smoking: Smoking can increase the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease

Incorporating these lifestyle changes alongside a menopause-friendly diet can significantly improve overall well-being during this transitional period.

Navigating Eating Out and Social Situations During Menopause

Maintaining a healthy diet during menopause doesn’t mean you have to avoid social situations or eating out. Here are some tips for navigating these scenarios:

• Review menus in advance and plan your choices
• Opt for grilled, baked, or steamed dishes instead of fried options
• Ask for dressings and sauces on the side
• Choose vegetable-based sides instead of high-carb options
• Practice portion control
• Don’t be afraid to ask for modifications to suit your dietary needs

Remember, occasional indulgences are part of a balanced lifestyle. The key is to make mindful choices most of the time while still enjoying social gatherings and special occasions.

The Future of Menopause Management: Emerging Research and Trends

As our understanding of menopause continues to evolve, researchers are exploring new avenues for managing symptoms and promoting overall health during this life stage. Some emerging areas of interest include:

• The role of gut microbiome in menopausal health
• Personalized nutrition based on genetic profiles
• The potential of adaptogenic herbs in managing menopausal symptoms
• The impact of intermittent fasting on menopausal health
• The use of technology in tracking and managing menopausal symptoms

While these areas show promise, it’s important to approach new trends with caution and always consult with healthcare professionals before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.

In conclusion, navigating menopause can be challenging, but a well-planned diet can significantly ease the transition. By focusing on nutrient-dense foods, staying hydrated, and making mindful lifestyle choices, women can manage their symptoms effectively and maintain overall health during this important life stage. Remember, every woman’s journey through menopause is unique, and what works best may vary from person to person. Don’t hesitate to seek guidance from healthcare professionals to develop a personalized approach that suits your individual needs and preferences.

13 foods to eat and 4 to avoid

Hot flashes, irritability, weight gain, and mood swings—put together, they make menopause a dreaded phase of a woman’s life. You’ve likely heard a lot of negatives about “the change.” Counter those messages with this primer on the things that can help you get through this transition more easily, primarily by following a menopause diet and making lifestyle changes.

What is menopause?

Menopause is a normal part of a woman’s aging process. Menopausal transition, or perimenopause, usually begins four years before last menses. Perimenopause is characterized by irregular menstrual periods, mood changes, and hot flashes. Menopause is when a woman does not have a menstrual period for 12 months. The median age of menopause is 51.4 years.  PerimenopauseI menopause is due to a complete, or near complete, depletion of ovarian follicles followed by a state of low estrogen and high follicle-stimulating hormone levels.  

These hormonal changes trigger the following subtle and not-so-subtle symptoms of menopause according to the National Institute on Aging:  

• Mood swings and irritability
• Hot flashes 
• Night sweats
• Vaginal dryness
• Decreased sex drive
• Urinary incontinence 
• Sleep problems
• Memory problems
• Heart palpitations
• Weight gain
• Poor bone health or density
• Decreased muscle mass

Fortunately, not every woman will have every symptom. Making dietary changes, decreasing stress, exercising, and getting enough sleep can help to alleviate these issues.  

What is the best diet for menopause? 

The Mediterranean diet, popular in Greece and Italy,  is a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, fish, and olive oil. The Mediterranean diet includes rare red meat consumption, which helps to reduce saturated fat. The plant proteins (such as walnuts) increase antioxidants. 

The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health reports that the Mediterranean diet is excellent for heart health, blood pressure, brain health, and weight loss. And, it just so happens it may decrease menopausal symptoms, too.

“The traditional Mediterranean diet is void of processed foods like refined carbohydrates and integrates healthy fats,” says Trista Best, RD, a registered dietitian at Balance One Supplements. “Both of these characteristics are excellent for women going through menopause because it is naturally anti-inflammatory and loaded with beneficial nutrients. ” 

13 foods to eat during menopause 

A menopause diet plan involves a few key steps:

1. Eat a well-rounded diet rich calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D. Increase your consumption of fruits, greens, colorful vegetables, and dairy products—such as yogurt, cheese, and milk. “The decline in estrogen as women go through menopause obviously increases their risk for certain things like osteoporosis, so getting foods rich in calcium is very important,” says Soma Mandal, MD, women’s health specialist and author of Dear Menopause, I Do Not Fear You.
2. Consume omega-3 fatty acids. Research shows that omega-3s can decrease the frequency of hot flashes and the intensity of night sweats. “There are times when you can supplement omega-3s, but I really encourage my patients to get their omega-3s first through food, which includes fish such as salmon, mackerel, and tuna and vegetarian sources like flax seeds and chia seeds,” says Dr. Mandal.
3. Add foods containing plant estrogens, or phytoestrogens. Broccoli, cauliflower, dark berries, chickpeas, and soybeans can help mimic estrogen and reduce some menopausal symptoms, says Dr. Mandal.  

The following foods can help strengthen bones and relieve menopause symptoms:

1. Dark green leafy vegetables, especially spinach and kale
2. Yogurt
3. Cheese
4. Milk
5. Fish like salmon, mackerel, and tuna
6. Flax and chia seeds
7. Broccoli and cauliflower
8. Blueberries and other dark berries
9. Grapes
10. Dark fruits like plums
11. Black tea
12. Chickpeas and other legumes
13. Soybeans or foods like tofu, tempeh, and soy milk 

If you find you can’t take in enough of these nutrients through a healthy diet alone, “a calcium and magnesium supplement may be beneficial during this time as well,” says Best.

4 types of foods that can make menopause worse 

“Diet can impact a woman’s menopause symptoms in both a positive and negative way,” says Best. Eliminating, or cutting back on, the following things can help improve how you feel. 

1. Processed foods: “The rule of thumb I tell patients is to eat as close to the natural state as possible,” says Dr. Mandal. “If it comes in a bag or plastic wrapper, try to avoid those kinds of foods because most likely those are very processed foods.”
2. Refined carbohydrates: For instance, white rice, pasta, and potatoes, are linked to spikes in blood sugar and an increase in insulin resistance—and hot flashes. Instead, opt for whole grains such as brown rice. Cut back on sugary foods like cookies, cakes, and candy.
3. Alcohol: It can exacerbate menopausal symptoms. “If you’re drinking more than one alcoholic beverage a day—more than five ounces of wine or 12 ounces of beer—that can not only make hot flashes worse but make you prone to the mood swings and irritability that can happen with menopause,” says Dr. Mandal.
4. Spicy foods: They aren’t necessarily bad for you, but they can bring on hot flashes for some, so women may try cutting back on spicy foods if they notice worsening symptoms after eating them.

Dealing with weight gain during menopause

When estrogen levels decline in midlife, many women may have weight gain, despite no change in their day-to-day habits. During menopause “you have to be that much more careful of what you’re eating and drinking,” says Dr. Mandal.  

Some tips for managing body weight during menopause include:

• Fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables. Use portion control when adding the starches and proteins that complete your meal.
• Move your body daily whether you consider it exercise or just a walk. The more active you can stay, the better for weight control. Any physical activity counts, even housework and gardening.
• Reduce stress. The more stressed you are, the more difficult it will be to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. The stress hormone cortisol is highest when you’re under duress, and it’s linked to heart disease, diabetes, and worsening menopause symptoms—including weight gain.
• Prioritize sleep. If you’re not sleeping well, which in itself is a symptom of menopause, it can impact hormone levels even further, explains Dr. Mandal. And it can make it much more difficult to lose weight. When you’re sleep deprived, your body craves simple carbs to replenish low energy.

“If you’re not taking care of yourself, if you’re not eating properly, sleeping properly, you’re stressed out, then your cortisol levels will be higher, and your menopausal symptoms, including weight gain, may be worse,” says Dr. Mandal. Prioritizing a healthy lifestyle can help to eliminate some of the negative parts of your menopause experience.

Diet Tips for Postmenopausal Women: Lessons from the Women’s Health Initiative

Alice Langford, Susan Dudley, PhD, and Jacqueline Britz, National Center for Health Research

What is the Women’s Health Initiative?  

The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) is a extensive study of postmenopausal women that was started in 1993.  Funded by the National Institute of Health (NIH) and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the goal was to study more than 160,000 women in the real world – what they eat, what their health habits are, and what medications they take to find out what habits and medications are most effective to keep women healthy.  The study was supposed to end in 2005 but was extended until 2020.

As part of the study, 19,541 women participated in the low-fat diet trial: one group was encouraged to continue eating as they always had, while women in the other group received training that encouraged them to modify their diets by reducing fat and increasing their consumption of fruits, vegetables, and grains.

After the first eight years, the results were surprising:  Women who ate a better diet did not have better health outcomes. A lower fat diet did not reduce the chances of developing colorectal cancer or invasive breast cancer.^[1],[2] Eating more vegetables, fruits, and grains did not reduce the chances of developing cardiovascular disease, stroke, or coronary heart disease. ^[3]  Even so, there were some important trends. The women in the diet modification group who had the lowest total fat intake had a lower risk of invasive breast cancer compared to women with higher total fat intake. Additionally, the women who ate less saturated fat and ate more fruits and vegetables had lower blood pressure, and cholesterol.^[2] This would be expected to lower their chances of heart attacks or stroke.  

The results were more encouraging five years later.  Approximately 64,000 postmenopausal women were observed for almost 13 years, and the women who had a high quality diet were 18-26% less likely to die and also were less likely to develop cancer and cardiovascular disease.^[3]

What We Learned About What We Eat

When the study was initiated, we knew less about different types of fat than we know now.  In addition, the women were not urged to lower their calories, but only to change what they ate.

• Not all dietary fat is alike. We now know that saturated fats and trans-fats are dangerous but that certain fats – such as those found in walnuts or some fish oils – can be beneficial.^[4]
• The women who were trained to improve their diet were less successful than the researchers had hoped. The “low-fat” group for this study averaged 29% of calories from fat instead of the targeted 20%. The 29% of calories from fat is not much lower than the average U.S. adult who gets 33% of his or her daily calories from fat. In addition, the women didn’t make big changes in consumption of fruits, vegetables, or grains. Perhaps if they had improved their diet more, there would have been clearer health benefits.^[4]
• We now know that being overweight increases the risk of breast cancer, heart disease, arthritis, and many other diseases. The women in the WHI were not encouraged to reduce their overall calories, and that might be why there were no differences in health outcome.
• Dietary changes are easier said than done. The results are more encouraging when you compare women with different types of dietary habits, rather than comparing women who were trained to have better dietary habits but might not have complied.  

So What Should I Eat?

Most women will benefit from a well-balanced diet that is low in sodium, added sugars, and saturated and trans-fats, and is high in fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and unsaturated fats.  A well-balanced diet includes only moderate amount of dairy products and meat protein. The USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest that women should strive to consume between 1.5 and 2 cups of fruit each day, between 2 and 2.5 cups of vegetables, and 3 cups of low fat milk products.  They should eat approximately 5-6 oz. of grains each day (with a minimum of 3 oz. coming from whole grains), and between 5 and 5.5 oz. of meat/beans. “Good” fats, found in fatty types of fish (i.e. salmon, herring, sardines), plant oils like extra-virgin olive oil, avocados, seeds, and nuts, are also an essential part of a healthy diet and have been found to help prevent disease. ^[5]

General guidelines for healthy eating may need to be modified for each individual. For example, people with high cholesterol may need to change their diet to specifically help reduce cholesterol.  Helpful guidelines on healthy eating for women are provided by the Office on Women’s Health.^[6]

Also, calories matter. In order to lose weight, it is important to burn more calories than you consume.  Diet and exercise are both important to lose weight and to maintain a healthy weight,

Remember that serving size and portion size are not the same thing. Serving size is a standardized quantity of food that we use to measure nutrients. Portion size is the amount we put on our plates.  Keep in mind that one serving of cooked vegetables is usually about one-half cup (about a hand-full!) and a serving of meat is about the size of a deck of cards. This means that most people can fit in all those recommended servings of fruits and vegetables every day while still reducing their total calorie intake and losing weight.  But it also means that the portions you serve yourself may be much higher in calories than the standard serving size would be.

And don’t forget that beverages have calories too!  Try to limit your intake of high calorie or sugary drinks as well as alcoholic drinks. They should be consumed in moderation, or not at all. It is recommended that women limit alcohol intake to a maximum of one drink per day (i.e. 12 fl. oz. beer, 5 fl. oz. wine, or 1.5 fl. oz. 80-proof distilled spirits).^[6]  More resources regarding a healthy diet for women can be found here.

All articles are reviewed and approved by Dr. Diana Zuckerman and other senior staff.

References:

[1] Beresford SAA, Johnson KC, Ritenbaugh C, et al. Low-Fat Dietary Pattern and Risk of Colorectal Cancer The Women’s Health Initiative Randomized Controlled Dietary Modification Trial. JAMA. 2006;295(6):643–654. doi:10.1001/jama.295.6.643

[2] Prentice RL, Caan B, Chlebowski RT, et al. Low-Fat Dietary Pattern and Risk of Invasive Breast Cancer The Women’s Health Initiative Randomized Controlled Dietary Modification Trial. JAMA. 2006;295(6):629–642. doi:10.1001/jama.295.6.629

[3] Stephanie M. George, Rachel Ballard-Barbash, JoAnn E. Manson, et al.; Comparing Indices of Diet Quality With Chronic Disease Mortality Risk in Postmenopausal Women in the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study: Evidence to Inform National Dietary Guidance, American Journal of Epidemiology, Volume 180, Issue 6, 15 September 2014, Pages 616–625, https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwu173

[4] “Design of the Women’s Health Initiative Clinical Trial and Observational Study.” Science Direct , vol. 19, no. 1, 1998, pp. 61–109., doi:10.1016/s0197-2456(97)00078-0.

[5] “Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015–2020 8th Edition.” Chapter 4 – 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines, health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/.

[6] “Office on Women’s Health.” Womenshealth.gov, 22 May 2018, www. womenshealth.gov/.

Healthy Eating Guidelines For Women with Menopause

Introduction

Menopause is part of the natural aging process of a woman’s body.

Menopause officially occurs 12 months after your last menstrual period. The process leading up to menopause is called peri-menopause. This is the time you begin having menopausal signs and symptoms, even though you still menstruate. Your hormone levels rise and fall unevenly, and you may have hot flashes and other symptoms. Perimenopause can last four to five years or longer. Post-menopause is the time after you have reached menopause.

The physical and emotional symptoms of menopause can disrupt sleep, cause low energy and — at least indirectly — trigger mood swings and feelings of sadness and loss. Because of these symptoms, many women seek treatment in the form of medication, supplements and dietary changes. The following suggestions will help you to feel your best and maintain optimal health as your body changes.

Steps You Can Take

• Eat a healthy and balanced diet by following “Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide”. (For a copy visit www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/canada-food-guides.html). This will help you to meet your nutrition needs, keep your energy levels up and you feeling your best.
• Follow a heart healthy diet. After menopause, your risk of heart disease increases. Limit saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol. Replace these with healthy mono- and poly-unsaturated fat. See the “Additional Resources” section for where to get more information about heart healthy eating.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Weight gain has been found to increase with age, but does not seem to be caused by menopause. Keeping a healthy weight decreases your risk of heart disease and other problems. If you have unwanted weight gain, talk to your doctor, who can refer you to a Registered Dietitian for diet counselling.
• Meet your calcium and vitamin D needs. This is important to maintain healthy bones and prevent bone loss that can happen after menopause. Good food sources of calcium include dairy products (milk, yogurt and cheese), fortified soy and rice beverages, fortified juices, and fish canned with the bones. Good food sources of vitamin D include milk, fortified soy and rice beverages, fortified juices, and fatty fish. If you do not eat these foods every day, discuss the use of a daily supplement with your doctor or registered dietitian. Canada’s Food Guide recommends that all adults over the age of 50 years take a daily vitamin D supplement of 400 IU. For more information about calcium and vitamin D, refer to “Additional Resources” below.
• Be physically active every day. Physical activity helps to maintain a healthy weight, keep bones strong and energy levels up, and to decrease risk of heart disease and other age-related complications. When you exercise, think FIT: “F” for frequency, “I” for intensity or pace, and “T” for time. All are important, but frequency comes first so aim for a small amount of exercise every day. As you get used to moving more, you can quicken the pace and keep going a little longer.

What about soy and flax?

Both soy and flax contain phytoestrogens, estrogen-like compounds found in plants. The level of estrogen in the body decreases in menopause. This causes the unpleasant side effects of menopause. Women often try soy and flax in food or pills to help relieve these side effects. So far, however, studies have not proven that soy and flax in food or pills help. Even though they may not help to reduce menopausal symptoms, soy and flax seeds are healthy foods. You may still want to include them in your diet*.

*If you have had breast cancer, talk to your doctor or registered dietitian before adding soy or flax foods to your diet.

Additional Resources

HealthLinkBC File #68a Heart Healthy Eating www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthlinkbc-files/heart-healthy-eating

HealthLinkBC File #68e Food Sources of Calcium and Vitamin D www. healthlinkbc.ca/healthlinkbc-files/sources-calcium-vitamin-d

Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines www.csep.ca/home

Dietitian Services Fact Sheets available by mail (call 8-1-1) or at www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthy-eating:

• Resources for Healthy Lifestyles

Menopause and U: www.menopauseandu.ca

Last updated: September 2011

6 best foods to eat and 5 to avoid

Ease menopause symptoms and feel your best by adjusting your diet. We explore what to eat more of and which foods to avoid when it comes to menopause diet.

Menopause may be a natural transition, but it’s not always the easiest. During this time, we experience a huge number of physical and mental changes, which begin during the years leading up to our last period – known as perimenopause – and continue for some time afterwards.

In fact, there are more than 30 different menopause symptoms, which range from night sweats, anxiety, and problems concentrating, to vaginal dryness, joint stiffness, and even accelerated hair growth. The good news is, a few smart lifestyle choices can make this testing midlife transition a far smoother experience.

Tweak your diet to restore balance

istetianaGetty Images

Tweaking your diet is one of the easiest and most powerful changes you can make to restore balance to your body, and best of all, it’s never too early (or too late) to start. Look at “the whole picture, rather than individual nutrients”, says Komal Kumar, lead dietician at The Lister Hospital, which forms part of HCA Healthcare UK, and fill your shopping basket with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and high-quality protein and dairy products.

Consider menopause as your own personal M.O.T. alert. “Your body is reminding you to prioritise yourself and give yourself the attention you deserve,” Kumar explains. “Nutrition and lifestyle changes can help to gear you up for the next stage in your life, allowing women to feel equipped to wear the many different ‘hats’ they have to put on. ”

When it comes to ‘how often’ and ‘how much’ you eat, there are no hard and fast rules. However, if you’re concerned about weight gain during menopause, you may benefit from working with a dietician, who can identify and share your personalised nutrition targets for carbohydrates, proteins and fats, suggests Kumar.

Consider menopause as your own personal M.O.T. alert.

“Weight gain is quite common during menopause,” she explains. “This is partially due to more sedentary living, which results in a slower metabolism. Changes in muscle mass after menopause can also lead to lower energy requirements. To identify your personal targets, get a dietitian review – this way, you get the right nutrition working in your favour.”

And for women struggling with anxiety, eating little and often may provide relief, explains Dr Patricia Zabala, gynaecologist at Institut Marquès Assisted Reproduction Clinic, by preventing “blood sugar crashes which can drop your levels of adrenaline and cortisol, leading to anxiety-related symptoms”.

Below, we’ve compiled a list of nutritious and healthy menopause diet foods you should eat more of – along with a handful of those you should avoid where possible – to make sure you look and feel radiant every single day.

Foods to Include in Your Menopause Diet

Your overall focus should be on broadening your diet in the menopause, says Laura Southern, nutritional therapist at London Gynaecology. “The nice thing about supporting hormone health when thinking about the menopause is we can focus on including lots of foods, rather than removing them,” she says.

Turkey

The decline in your oestrogen levels is associated with decreased muscle mass and bone strength, so getting enough protein is key, says Southern. “In women, oestrogen is a ‘builder’, so we need to ensure our body has enough ‘building blocks’ from other sources, and protein acts like this.” This could be through plant-based protein sources, such as nuts, seeds, legumes and pulses, or animal-derived such as eggs, meat and fish. Gram for gram, turkey has more protein than chicken, and contains less than 1 per cent saturated fat per breast.

Greek Yoghurt

Greek yoghurt is a high-quality source of calcium, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium, says nutritionist Libby Limon of LinkNutrition.com, which are all important for bone health. “As dairy is also high in the amino acid glycine it may also be good for reducing sleep disturbances associated with menopause,” she says.

Taking a vitamin D supplement is especially important during menopause, because it helps your bones to absorb calcium. “After women have experienced the menopause, they may have lost up to 20 per cent of their bone density, therefore it’s vital to increase your uptake,” adds Dr Zabala.

Oily Fish

Healthy fats, such as those found in olive oil, avocado, and oily fish like salmon and trout, should be enjoyed daily. They help to manufacture your hormones and they support your brain, heart, and joint health, says Southern. “Plus, they keep you fuller for longer, so can help reduce sugar cravings,” she says.

Omega 3 fatty acids, found in oily fish and flaxseeds, may help to reduce menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes and the severity of night sweats, says Limon.

Soy

Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring plant compounds that are structured similarly to oestrogen, explains Dr Zabala. “They can really help to soften the symptoms caused by a drop in your hormone levels,” she adds.

Miso soup with tofu is a great way to boost phytoestrogens

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Phytoestrogens are found in many plant foods, but are particularly high in unprocessed soy products, such as edamame beans, tofu and miso. You’ll also find them in chickpeas, kidney beans, ground flaxseed, pomegranate seeds and berries.

Oats

Fibre supports your microbiome, which is the name given to the bacteria that reside in your digestive tract. “Your microbiome has an important role in binding and excreting old circulating hormones,” says Southern. “If your microbiome cannot do this efficiently then old, denatured hormones get reabsorbed, which can lead to hormonal symptoms.”

Oats are high in both essential vitamins and fibre, adds Limon – a study of 11,000 postmenopausal women revealed those who ate around five grams of whole grain fibre each day reduced their risk of early death by 17 per cent.

Find great recipe ideas involving oats here!

Broccoli

Since they’re packed with a wealth of menopause symptom-soothing vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants, vegetables should take over half your plate at every mealtime, suggests Limon. A study of more than 17,000 menopausal women found those who ate more fruit and vegetables experienced a 19 per cent reduction in hot flushes and night sweats.

“Cruciferous vegetables including broccoli, kale, spinach, pak choy and watercress are of particular note,” she continues. “They upregulate the healthy detoxification of oestrogens, having a potentially protective effect against oestrogen-driven cancers.”

Foods to Avoid in Your Menopause

Certain types of foods have the potential to trigger or worsen menopause symptoms, while others – for example, ultra-processed or refined foods like crisps and biscuits – may prevent you from feeling your best if enjoyed too frequently. There’s no need to eliminate them entirely, but it’s wise to enjoy these foods in moderation to support your changing hormones, maintain a comfortable body temperature, and stabilise your energy levels and mood.

Biscuits

Try to resist dipping into the biscuit tin. Sugar causes your blood sugar levels to rocket, which has a negative impact on your hormones, says Southern. “Your body puts its resources into manufacturing insulin and cortisol to balance your blood sugar – because this is essential for ‘survival’ – which means the production of hormones like oestrogen and progesterone can suffer,” she explains.

“Blood sugar dysregulation has been found to make menopause symptoms worse, including hot flushes and night sweats,” Limon adds. And left unchecked, it can lead to insulin resistance. To keep your blood sugar levels from fluctuating too much during the day, snack on a piece of fruit and a handful of nuts between meals.

Switch that afternoon biscuit for a piece of fruit and nuts

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Fried Chicken

It may be quick and convenient, but fast food is often packed with saturated fats, which are known contributors to health disease – a condition that women are at greater risk for after menopause. Instead, focus on incorporating heart-healthy foods like oily fish, unsalted nuts, beans and pulses at least once or twice each week, says Kumar.

“Fruit and vegetables provide antioxidants that also protect the heart,” she continues. “Aim for a minimum of five portions a day of all kinds – fresh, dried, tinned – in a variety of colours. High-fibre foods also help with heart health, including whole grain breads, oats, wholegrain cereals, lentils, chickpeas and beans.”

Coffee and Tea

Caffeine can also disrupt hormone levels, as well as being linked to an increase in hot flushes, according to a study published in the journal Menopause . By interfering with calcium absorption, consuming “more than two cups of coffee a day has also been shown to weaken bones,” says Southern. “This is a concern post-menopause, when your skeleton loses the protective building benefits of oestrogen and osteopenia or osteoporosis can occur.”

When you’re feeling fatigued and craving a hot drink, sip a peppermint tea instead. Alternatively, take a brisk 15-minute walk to perk yourself up without reaching for a caffeine boost.

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Chillis

They may taste delicious, but spicy dishes can trigger the symptoms of hot flashes, night sweats, and other temperature issues associated with menopause. That doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice flavour, though – switch out those chilli flakes for the likes of cumin, turmeric and sweet paprika.

Wine

Not only does alcohol negatively impact your blood sugar levels, but it can also increase hot flushes, disrupt sleep and can affect the liver, says Southern. “If your liver is working hard to detoxify alcohol, this can impact its ability to detoxify old hormones, which can recirculate and cause issues.” If you’re partial to a glass every now and again, stick to NHS guidelines and drink water in-between sips.

Now you have a list of dos and don’ts, it’s time to cook them up with our healthy recipes.

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Midlife Nutrition — Helping Women Over 40 Overcome Nutrition Challenges

March 2014 Issue

Midlife Nutrition — Helping Women Over 40 Overcome Nutrition Challenges
By Maryann Jacobsen, MS, RD
Today’s Dietitian
Vol. 16 No. 3 P. 30

“I never had a weight problem until I turned 40. The weight just doesn’t come off like it used to.”

If you work with women aged 40 and older, this complaint probably sounds all too familiar. The challenges facing female clients in midlife regarding nutrition and overall health can seem insurmountable to them. Whether it’s unwanted weight gain, the loss of lean body mass, bone health concerns, or other issues that occur during the years leading to menopause and beyond, there’s much dietitians can do to help these women remain healthy and stronger than ever.

Culprits Behind the Weight Gain
One of the most irksome challenges facing women in midlife is unwanted weight gain. According to 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data, the largest jump in the percentage of women who become overweight or obese occurs between the ages of 20 and 39 (51.7%) and 40 and 59 (68.1%).1 Research indicates that hormonal changes are  responsible for the increases in body fat, especially in the midsection. The female hormone estrogen begins to decline during perimenopause, the time during which a woman’s body makes its natural transition to menopause, although erratically, and it decreases further along with progesterone when menstruation ends. Perimenopause usually begins in a woman’s 40s but can begin as early as the mid-30s, according to the Mayo Clinic website.

Menopause occurs one year after the last period, typically at age 51. These hormonal changes increase the rate at which women store visceral fat, which surrounds the vital organs deep within the abdomen, and precipitate changes in insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism, putting them at increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.2 Emerging research has revealed that changes at the cellular level cause menopausal women to store more fat with a diminished ability to burn fat.3

“Due to a loss of estrogen, fat is metabolized differently,” says Colleen Keller, PhD, regents professor and director of Arizona State University’s Center for Healthy Outcomes in Aging. “It’s actually laid down differently in the body as subcutaneous fat.”

Keller argues that these changes associated with midlife aren’t to be feared but to be accepted as a normal part of aging. She believes arming women with strategies to decrease weight gain and chronic disease risk is key in helping them anticipate physiologic and metabolic changes.

Research shows estrogen therapy helps prevent some of these age-related changes4; however, it’s no longer recommended for all women because of potential adverse effects such as an increased breast cancer risk.5 It’s important for women to talk with their physician about hormone therapy, as it can be beneficial for some women, including those who experience premature menopause (before age 40).5

Physical Activity
The good news is that there’s a not-so-secret weapon that can help women fight the inevitable weight gain: exercise. Physically active women who enter menopause are leaner than inactive women and have a decreased risk of developing metabolic disease.6 According to a longitudinal study that included the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation cohort, women whose activity decreased the most packed on the most pounds overall as well as in the midsection. Those who maintained their weight throughout the study participated in an average of 60 minutes of activity per day, the same amount recommended for the average adult by the Institute of Medicine (IOM).7

“Women in midlife begin to start suffering from a new STD: sitting-to-death disease,” says Bonnie Roill, RDN, MBA, CPT, CWC, owner of Aspire2Wellness, who counsels women in midlife. “I recommend a standing desk or standing while on the phone. Setting the alarm on the computer to remind the person to stand up and walk around a bit.”

Lean Body Mass
Research has shown that while changes in fat distribution can be attributed to hormonal shifts experienced by women in midlife, overall weight gain that occurs with age (about 1 lb per year) primarily is due to the effects of aging, such as decreased activity and a loss of lean body mass, which is more metabolically active than fat.6

“Loss of lean body mass starts in the 30s and 40s,” says Douglas Paddon-Jones, PhD, a professor in the department of nutrition and metabolism at The University of Texas Medical Branch. “Women need to understand the impact diet has on muscle loss the same way they understand how diet affects osteoporosis risk.”

Paddon-Jones explains that after age 40, women lose about 1% of their lean body mass per year if they’re inactive. He says all types of exercise are important to maintain and build muscle, from cardio and strength training to yoga. For example, cardiovascular exercise, such as brisk walking or jogging, strengthens the heart and lungs, helps improve the blood sugar and insulin response, and strengthens large muscle groups, while strength training helps build lean body mass in the arms, legs, and upper and lower back.

Protein Intake
In addition to participating in physical activity to maintain and build muscle, women in midlife also should strive to eat protein during meals to promote muscle-protein synthesis, which is essential to the body’s ongoing growth, repair, and maintenance of skeletal muscle, according to Paddon-Jones.

In his research, Paddon-Jones has found that as much as 25 to 30 g of protein is needed at each meal to optimally stimulate muscle-protein synthesis.8 For example, in one study, subjects who received 90 g of protein evenly distributed among three meals (30/30/30) experienced a larger anabolic response to the meals after 24 hours compared with those who received a more uneven distribution (10/20/60).9 Another study, published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, found that, in a single meal, 30 g of protein had the same anabolic effect as 90 g, showing that after about 30 g, protein synthesis is maxed out.10

What’s behind this may be the amino acid leucine, which is needed to “turn on the protein-synthesis machinery” as people age, Paddon-Jones explains.

“This is a big change for many people who have toast for breakfast and a salad for lunch followed by a big chicken breast for dinner,” says Nancy Clark, MS, RD, author of Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook. “They need to redistribute their protein evenly throughout the day.”

Paddon-Jones adds that if women skimp on protein after workouts, it’s a missed opportunity to help build muscle mass. He says dietitians can help clients find creative ways to boost their protein intake, especially at breakfast, during which the average American gets only about 10 g.11

In addition to eating sufficient protein and balancing intake across the day, eating the proper amount and type of carbohydrate can help cut calories and control blood sugar. Roill recommends swapping high-glycemic foods such as frappuccinos and cookies for those with a lower glycemic index, such as an apple with cheese or peanut butter, since many of her female clients approaching menopause have been diagnosed with prediabetes. She suggests women eat in reverse: the larger meal at breakfast and the lightest meal at dinner, and reduce calories from beverages such as alcohol, coffee drinks, and smoothies, which tend to be calorically dense. “The reduction in caloric needs as we age coincides with a time in many [women’s] lives when they have the income and time to socialize, vacation, etcetera,” she says. “These activities are closely tied to dining out and the opportunity for consuming excessive calories.”

Bone Health
Another concern for women is the depletion of bone density, which often occurs after menopause when the ovaries stop producing estrogen. Women can lose as much as 20% of their bone density five to seven years after menopause.12 The best case scenario, experts say, is for women to enter menopause with sufficient bone density to minimize subsequent losses.

“There’s a critical window for bone loss, which occurs one to two years before a woman’s last period and five years after that,” says Diane L. Schneider, MD, author of The Complete Book of Bone Health. “Between waning hormones, weight gain, and changes in physical activity, there’s a synergistic effect on bone in women as they age.”

Schneider says calcium, vitamin D, adequate protein, not smoking, and exercise are key components to decreasing the amount of bone loss. In one study, researchers estimated that women aged 80 who don’t smoke, are physically active, and have a BMI of 25 will lose 25% to 38% less bone than women of the same age who smoke, are sedentary, and are thin.13

Low BMI is a known risk factor for osteoporosis and fractures. In a 2005 meta-analysis, those with a BMI of 20 had almost double the risk of hip fracture compared with those with a BMI of 25. 

After age 50, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for calcium climbs to 1,200 mg/day, which makes meeting calcium needs challenging, especially since calcium supplements now are recommended less often because of potential heart disease risks.

Schneider suggests a food-first approach to increasing calcium intake and using supplements as a way to fill in the gaps. “One day you may need to supplement, and another day [you may not],” she says. “And women should take no more than 500 to 600 mg at a time, since more than that isn’t utilized by the body.”

Schneider says vitamin D supplementation should be based on an individual patient’s blood levels. There’s debate about what the optimal vitamin D blood levels should be for bone health. The IOM’s 2010 report, based solely on vitamin D’s role in bone health, states the baseline target should be 20 ng/mL,14 while the Endocrine Society recommends a target of 30 ng/mL.15 Schneider says the best recommendation for optimal vitamin D levels to maintain muscle and bone health is no lower than 30 ng/dL. “It takes at least 1,000 to 2,000 IU of vitamin D to maintain levels over 30,” she adds.

Just as physical activity is important to maintain lean body mass, it’s also vital for preserving bone health. Weight-bearing exercises such as jogging and walking and resistance training are beneficial because they add force to the body, which sustains bone density. “Recommendations for exercise jump from 30 minutes per day of activity to 60 minutes per day when transitioning to menopause,” Schneider says. “Without exercise, stem cells are more likely to become fat cells.”

Keeping track of daily activity by wearing a pedometer and tallying the number of steps taken while adding resistance exercise works well for busy women, she adds.

Roill, who feels strongly that women in midlife should embrace resistance training, suggests RDs recommend their clients purchase a set of dumbbells and instructional DVDs to get them started, especially if they have no previous experience with exercise. “The goal is for clients to work out with weights a minimum of two times per week,” she says.

Other lifestyle factors that can negatively affect bone health include excess alcohol consumption and a family history of osteoporosis. Certain drugs such as proton pump inhibitors for acid reflux disease, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for depression, and certain diabetes and breast cancer medications also can deplete bone density. In addition, diabetes can increase osteoporosis risk because the disease decreases the rate of bone turnover, Schneider says.

Women who have a family history of diabetes or other risk factors should have their first bone density test during the perimenopausal years, Schneider says. Women at low risk of osteoporosis should discuss the best timing for a bone density scan with their primary care physician.

Hot Flashes and Sleep Disturbances
Along with concerns of bone health, women in midlife can experience sleep disturbances as they transition to menopause. According to the National Sleep Foundation, up to 61% of postmenopausal women report symptoms of insomnia, which include trouble falling or staying asleep for three or more nights per week for one month.16

The decline in estrogen and progesterone, which leads to hot flashes in about 75% to 85% of women, contributes to insomnia.16 Hot flashes can disrupt sleep because body temperature dramatically rises, leading to night sweats that cause sudden waking. Most women experience hot flashes for about one year, but some experience them for up to five years. Anxiety and depression at midlife also may contribute to sleep problems.16

It’s important for dietitians to address sleep quality with clients and patients because sleep loss interrupts appetite regulation by elevating levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin and decreasing the satiety hormone leptin, which can raise the risk of weight gain.17 Recommendations from the Harvard Medical School Division of Sleep Medicine can help dietitians advise their clients to improve sleep quality and include refraining from drinking caffeinated beverages four to six hours before bedtime and alcohol within three hours of bedtime, practicing a regular sleep routine, eating a light evening meal, exercising early in the day or at least three hours before bedtime, and going to bed only when tired.18

There are other options for peri- and postmenopausal women who are having trouble sleeping. “I focus on the importance of sleep, and an effective way to get rid of night sweats and hot flashes is to take a very low (non-therapeutic) dose of the antidepressant Effexor [venlafaxine hydrochloride),” Clark says of the prescription medication. “It works like a charm. Once a woman gets enough sleep, she has the energy to exercise and to eat better.” Sleep disorders such as restless leg syndrome and sleep apnea also can contribute to poor sleep quality, so making sure patients get treated for these conditions is important.

Gastrointestinal Changes
Other issues that women in midlife may face include changes in digestion. Fluctuations in ovarian hormones may contribute to belly bloating and sluggish intestines, says Kate Scarlata, RDN, CDN, author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Well With IBS. The same gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms that occur during pregnancy, premenses, and menses—bowel discomfort, abdominal pain, bloating, and altered bowel patterns—also occur during perimenopause and menopause. Researchers believe it’s the fluctuations in ovarian hormones that contribute to GI distress.19

Scarlata says that gut microbiota changes with age,20 with a decline in the number and variety of protective microbes, but she says researchers aren’t sure how that specifically impacts GI issues in midlife. Dietitians can counsel women who have endured chronic antibiotic use, and therefore a decrease in beneficial gut bacteria, about probiotics that can help bring their gut flora back into balance.

Some women develop lactose intolerance as they age, so incorporating lactose-free milk, cottage cheese, and yogurt into their diet will enable them to continue to eat dairy products and help them meet their calcium needs.

Scarlata recommends clients follow a low-lactose diet if gas and bloating are related to milk consumption. And she advises patients drink six to eight 8-oz glasses of water daily and eat adequate amounts of fiber (approximately 25 g/day) that are less gassy, such as chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, strawberries, and baked potatoes with the skin on vs. choosing inulin or whole wheat fibers, which can cause more GI distress. 

Changing Nutrient Needs
When it comes to nutrient needs, women who have reached menopause don’t need as much iron as they used to because they no longer menstruate; the RDA drops from 18 to 8 mg/day.

Folic acid, which helps protect unborn children against neural tube defects in the womb, no longer is a concern since postmenopausal women can’t get pregnant. Some research suggests that too much folic acid from fortified foods and supplements may increase the risk of certain cancers,21 so discussing folic acid supplements and fortified foods with postmenopausal women is important.

Because the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and weight gain rises after menopause, helping women choose a diet rich in nutrients but lower in caloric density is key, as is choosing healthful fats, lean sources of protein, low-fat dairy or dairy alternatives, and plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Final Thoughts
While women in midlife face many challenges, such as hormonal changes that lead to weight gain, loss of bone and muscle mass, and digestive issues, there’s much they can do with the help of dietitians to begin a healthful transition into the postmenopausal years. Counseling clients about the importance of evenly distributing protein among meals, eating nutrient-dense foods, consuming fewer calories because of reduced energy needs, getting adequate amounts of vitamin D and calcium, and engaging in physical activity such as aerobic and strength training exercise will help burn unwanted fat, build muscle and bone, and prevent metabolic disease.

 Dietitians can help women realize that bodily changes start well before midlife, and that they can benefit from knowing what to expect beforehand and how best to prevent the negative effects of aging. RDs are in the perfect position to empower women before, during, and after menopause so they can live their healthiest lives and let them know that the best is yet to come. 

— Maryann Jacobsen, MS, RD, is a freelance writer based in San Diego.

References
1. Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Curtin LR, McDowell MA, Tabak CJ, Flegal KM. Prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States, 1999–2004. JAMA. 2006;295(13):1549-1555.

2. Keller C, Larkey L, Distefano JK, et al. Perimenopausal obesity. J Women Health (Larchmt). 2010;19(5):987-996.

3. Santosa S, Jensen MD. Adipocyte fatty acid storage factors enhance subcutaneous fat storage in postmenopausal women. Diabetes. 2013;62(3):775-782.

4. Davis SR, Castelo-Branco C, Chedraui P, et al. Understanding weight gain at menopause. Climacteric. 2012;15(5):419-429.

5. Hormone therapy: is it right for you? Mayo Clinic website. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/in-depth/hormone-therapy/ART-20046372

6. Sternfeld B, Dugan S. Physical activity and health during the menopausal transition. Obset Gynecol Clin North Am. 2011;38(3):537-566.

7. Sternfeld B, Wang H, Quesenberry CP Jr, et al. Physical activity and changes in weight and waist circumference in midlife women: findings from the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation. Am J Epidemiol. 2004;160(9):912-922.

8. Paddon-Jones D. Lean body mass loss with age. Abbott Nutrition website http://images.abbottnutrition.com/ANHI2010/MEDIA/14-110th AN Conf Paddon-Jones Final.pdf. Accessed December 27, 2013.

9. Paddon-Jones D, Rasmussen BB. Dietary protein recommendations and the prevention of sarcopenia. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2009;12(1):86-90.

10. Symons TB, Sheffield-Moore M, Wolfe RR, Paddon-Jones D. A moderate serving of high-quality protein maximally stimulates skeletal muscle protein synthesis in young and elderly subjects. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009;109(9):1582-1586.

11. Layman DK. Dietary guidelines should reflect new understandings about adult protein needs. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2009;6:12 .

12. National Osteoporosis Foundation. Hormones and Healthy Bones. Washington, D.C.: National Osteoporosis Foundation; 2009.

13. Wilsgaard T, Emaus N, Ahmed LA, et al. Lifestyle impact on lifetime bone loss in women and men: the Tromso study. Am J Epidemiol. 2009;169(7):877-886.

14. Ross AC, Taylor CL, Yaktine AL, Del Valle HB (eds). Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press; 2011.

15. Holick MF, Binkley NC, Bischoff-Ferrari HA, et al. Evaluation, treatment, and prevention of vitamin D deficiency: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. J Clin Enocrinol Metab. 2011;96(7):1911-1930.

16. Menopause and sleep. National Sleep Foundation website. http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-topics/menopause-and-sleep. Accessed December 28, 2013.

17. Shlisky JD, Hartman TJ, Kris-Etherton PM, Rogers CJ, Sharkey NA, Nickols-Richardson SM. Partial sleep deprivation and energy balance in adults: an emerging issue for consideration by dietetics practitioners. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2012;112(11):1785-1797.

18. Twelve simple steps to improve your sleep. Harvard Medical School Division of Sleep Medicine website. http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/getting/overcoming/tips. Accessed December 31, 2013.

19. Heitkemper MM, Chang L. Do fluctuations in ovarian hormones affect gastrointestinal symptoms in women with irritable bowel syndrome? Gend Med. 2009;6 Suppl 2:152-167.

20. Mariat D, Firmesse O, Levenez F, et al. The firmicutes/bacteroidetes ratio of the human microbiota changes with age. BMC Microbiol. 2009;9:123.

21. Shelke N, Keith L. Folic acid supplementation for women of childbearing age versus supplementation for the general population: a review of the known advantages and risks. Int J Family Med. 2011;2011:173705. doi: 10.0055/2011/173705.

6 Tips for Eating Well During Menopause and Beyond – Cleveland Clinic

Ice cream, chocolate and cookies — a trio of snacks that can be tempting under stressful conditions. Or maybe you prefer salty and crunchy snacks when you want to indulge.

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A bad day at work, a restless night of sleep, a fight with a friend or spouse — these can all trigger food cravings. Trouble is, for women during menopause and in later years, the negative health consequences of these choices, when made in excess, are intensified.

Hot flashes, sleep disturbances and mood swings — all a part of “the change” — can have women reaching for something sweet or salty to curb their discomfort.

The double-punch is that menopause occurs at a time in a woman’s life when her metabolism is slowing significantly, as part of the normal aging process. Turning to high-calorie comfort foods may make a woman feel better in the short term, but these foods can also cause weight gain that’s harder to burn off.

Still, there are ways to fight back and offset the tendency toward weight gain. Here dietitian Andrea Dunn, RD, LD, CDE, offers 6 tips:

1. Think heart-healthy.

Focus your diet on the less-processed foods like veggies, fruits, whole grains and lean meats. Also include some nuts, seeds and plant-based oils, like olive oil.

2. Mind your minerals: calcium and magnesium.

Calcium and magnesium are especially important for healthy bones in mid-life. Eat two to three servings of dairy each day for calcium. Eat nuts, beans, broccoli, spinach and whole grains for magnesium.

3. Avoid grab-and-go choices.

Quick, prepackaged foods are often high in calories that can add up quickly. When it comes to nuts and trail mix, the calories easily add up — think of one-quarter cup as a serving size or choose items that are 150 calories or less for a snack.

4. Combine food groups.

Examples of tasty and healthy food combos include an apple with one to two tablespoons of peanut butter, whole-grain crackers and cheese (1 oz.), or a quarter cup of hummus (or cottage cheese) on whole-grain toast.

5. Veg out!

Include vegetables at two or more of your meals (or snacks) each day. Try adding tomatoes or avocado to your breakfast plate. At lunch have raw vegetables with salsa as a dip. With your dinner meal have a half plate of cooked vegetables or salad. (Have you ever heard of anyone overeating vegetables?)

6. Remember that small diet choices can turn into permanent changes.

If you haven’t already been eating a variety of foods, it can be frustrating to think about making all of these changes at once. I tell my patients to make one change at a time — for example, pack a vegetable with your lunch. Each time you experience success, it will motivate you to take the next step.

Top 8 Tips to Lose Weight During Menopause — Diet Doctor

By , medical review by – Updated June 17, 2021

Are you a woman in your mid-40s to mid-60s? Have you found that your belly is getting thicker? Are you gaining weight no matter what you do?

Maybe you’ve been dieting and exercising but the pounds are stubbornly hanging on?

We’re here to help.

This guide tells you what you need to know about menopause, plus how to manage (and potentially lose) weight during the menopause transition. In short, a low-carb diet and certain lifestyle changes can greatly help.

Millions of women around the globe are currently going through “the change.” When looking at the years lived after age 60 — called postmenopause — it’s estimated that close to 1 billion women in the world today are going through menopause or are postmenopausal.

Given that most women spend one-third of their lives in this non-reproductive state, it helps to understand what is going on with your metabolism and hormones.

What changes can you make that will help prevent or even reverse any menopausal weight gain? How can you best protect your health?

Here are our top 8 tips:

1. Eat a low-carb or ketogenic diet. This can help keep insulin low and maintain metabolism.
2. Eat enough protein. This helps maintain lean muscle mass and decrease hunger.
3. Lift weights or do resistance training. This also helps maintain and build more muscle.
4. Introduce time-restricted eating, such as skipping breakfast. This helps keep insulin low for longer stretches and may be an easy way to decrease caloric intake.
5. Avoid excess consumption, especially snacks, nuts, and alcohol.
6. Prioritize sleep. This can decrease cortisol and reduce insulin resistance.
7. Manage stress with relaxation techniques. Yoga, exercise, and meditation can all help.
8. Talk with your doctor about a trial of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) if you are having a very difficult menopause transition.

For more details about what happens during menopause and why these eight tips can help, read on.

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First, what is menopause?

Menopause marks the end of a woman’s menstrual cycles. It is defined as a full 12 months without a menstrual period for women over the age of 40. While the average age in North America is around 52, the hormonal changes can start in a woman’s early 40s and last into her 60s.

Research shows that the timing of menopause is a complex mix of genetics, ethnicity, geography, socio-economic status, and lifestyle factors.

The symptoms of menopause are well known: hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, brain fog, headache, disrupted sleep, vaginal dryness, bloating, and more. Unfortunately, weight gain and increased body fat, especially around the abdomen, are very common complaints.

It’s estimated that most women, without changing anything in their diet or lifestyle, gain an average of 2 to 5 pounds during the menopausal transition. However, some gain much more than this.

Hormonal changes

Why do these symptoms and weight gain occur? Blame your hormones.

Estrogen and progesterone – a woman’s reproductive hormones – change dramatically at menopause. The change in estrogen is the one thought to be related to most of the symptoms of menopause. Secreted from the follicles of a woman’s ovaries and called estradiol, or E2, it declines because the follicles have been depleted.

The decline of estrogen can be erratic.
About one-third of women first experience a sharp rise in E2 in their mid-40s (called perimenopause) and then a sharp decline. Others just have a steady, slow decline. But by the time of the last menstrual period, all women have experienced a large decrease in estrogen levels.

During menopause, some women will also experience a significant increase in the secretion of the stress hormone cortisol, especially during the night. There is weak evidence suggesting that this may contribute to increased hunger and weight gain, especially around the middle.

Why cortisol secretion sometimes increases during menopause is not completely understood. It appears more likely to be related to internal physiologic changes, as opposed to a response to social stressors, but the data are inconclusive.

In summary, the hormonal changes seen during menopause have the potential to impact a woman’s metabolism, body composition, and, all too often, her weight.

The weight-loss challenge of menopause

Losing weight can be hard for anyone. Do menopausal women have an especially tough time?

While most women believe it’s definitely more difficult for them to lose weight during “the change,” among researchers it is a bit controversial whether or not menopausal women face unique weight-loss challenges.

Some studies have suggested that women’s weight gain in midlife is simply a factor of aging — which impacts both sexes — more than menopausal changes in hormones.

Others note, however, that declining estrogen at menopause decreases women’s energy needs, slows down metabolism, and shifts body-fat accumulation from the hips to the abdomen. Even these studies, however, recognize that the trajectory of weight gain seen in mid-life doesn’t usually change during the menopause transition. Rather, it’s the body composition – with greater accumulation of body fat – that tends to change the most.

These factors contribute to a number of metabolic and body composition changes that make it easier to gain fat and harder to lose it, including:

Loss of muscle mass, increased body fat

At the start of the menopause transition, a woman’s rate of fat gain doubles and her lean muscle mass declines. This phenomenon, researchers say, is related to hormonal changes of menopause and not simply age. It lasts until about two years after the final menstrual period and then stabilizes.

Sarcopenic obesity

Loss of muscle mass and reduced muscle strength combined with increased fat has a specific name, sarcopenic obesity. This is a new field of study, with a number of challenges regarding definitions and consistent research approaches.

However, there is an emerging consensus that sarcopenic obesity is associated with a number of health problems, including weakness and falls, reduced mobility, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and higher rates of death from all causes.

Insulin resistance

Insulin resistance can develop for a number of reasons. In menopause, specifically, it may increase due to declining estrogen, increased abdominal fat, aging, and of course genetic factors.

As insulin resistance increases, the pancreas works harder to produce more insulin in an effort to keep blood sugar levels normal. Higher insulin levels promote the storage of fat, keeping it locked up and harder to burn as fuel.

Metabolic syndrome

When a collection of concerning health measurements and biomarkers are found together — insulin resistance, obesity, high blood pressure, and lipid problems — this is called metabolic syndrome. Having these risk factors puts people at higher risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Unfortunately, menopause increases the risk of developing metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome in women is present if three or more of the following five criteria are met: waist circumference over 35 inches, blood pressure over 130/85 mmHg, fasting triglyceride (TG) level over 150 mg/dl, fasting high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level less than 50 mg/dl and fasting blood sugar over 100 mg/dl.

Resting energy expenditure

The loss of muscle mass, the decline in estrogen, and the increase in body fat create another problem: a woman’s resting energy expenditure (the speed of her metabolism) goes down. This naturally happens to everyone with advancing age, but menopause itself amplifies the process.

8 top tips for managing weight at menopause

Has reading this far made you depressed and discouraged? Don’t be. While you cannot prevent menopause, you can prevent some of its negative health impacts through diet and lifestyle changes.

Remember, however, good health is more than simply a number on the scale. As we have noted in other places on our site, you do not have complete control over how much weight you lose, how fast you lose it, and what body parts you lose it from. Managing these expectations is part of long-term success. Make sure you read our guide on setting expectations.

That said, these eight tips all have scientific evidence behind them and can help improve your health while letting your body find the weight that is right for you during menopause.

Many of these steps will improve body composition and keep fat gain to a minimum. They may even help you lose body fat.

Each point below links to our more in-depth guides – which include plenty of research citations – that you can explore for further details.

1. Eat a low-carb diet

The carbohydrates you eat digest to glucose, which raises insulin. To reduce insulin levels and possibly reverse insulin resistance, simply cut out sugar and high-carb foods like rice, potatoes, bread, pasta, and baked goods that rapidly convert to sugar. When insulin is low, your body can access your fat stores to burn for energy.

Low-carb diets might even increase metabolism – potentially increasing fat burning – by between 200 and 500 calories per day.

How low you go is up to you; even cutting out sugary drinks and added sugar can be a first positive step. Our guides will tell you how.

2. Eat enough protein

Getting enough protein at every meal maintains lean muscle mass and helps counteract the muscle loss of aging and the increase of sarcopenic obesity. Critically, it is also the most satiating macronutrient, meaning that eating protein is the best way to turn off your brain’s desire to eat.
Simply adding an egg to a meal will increase your protein.

Our protein guides give lots of other tips for how to add protein and how to calculate how much you need.

3. Lift weights or do bodyweight resistance training

You’ve heard the phrase “use it or lose it?” Well, this applies to your muscles. Muscles that aren’t used become weak and flabby. Even simple bodyweight exercises like squats and knee-pushups help maintain and build more muscle.

More muscle not only makes you stronger (and strengthens your bones, too), it can help you maintain resting energy expenditure, improve blood sugar, and reduce insulin resistance.

4. Introduce time-restricted eating

If you are not eating as often, insulin remains low for longer and you consume less food overall. It can be as simple as skipping breakfast. And when you are eating a low-carb diet, skipping a meal is easier to do. Time-restricted eating is just one type of intermittent fasting that may help burn body fat stores and reduce insulin resistance.
Other types of intermittent fasting include eating just one meal a day, or OMAD.

5. Avoid excess consumption, especially snacks, nuts, alcohol and keto treats

When metabolism slows during menopause, even consuming slightly more than you need can add to weight struggles. While a low-carb diet can help you keep consumption in check by reducing cravings and increasing satiety between meals, you can still go overboard on keto-approved foods.

Paying attention to food and drinks that contain little nutrition and/or lots of calories is important for women in menopause. That means be careful with keto desserts, fat bombs, bulletproof coffee, MCT oil, alcohol, low-carb fruits, and nuts. If you’re really struggling, try eliminating dairy, such as eating lots of cheese and cream. Understanding hunger signals helps control excess consumption, too.

6. Prioritize sleep

Successive nights of bad sleep are as bad for your health as a poor diet and can lead to weight gain.

Consistently good sleep, however, may help decrease cortisol and reduce insulin resistance, making weight management easier.

If menopause is making you lose sleep at night, try the tips for good sleep hygiene: have a cool, quiet room; create a relaxing sleep routine; reduce stimulants and alcohol; and turn off screens at least an hour before bed.

7. Manage stress with relaxation techniques

Diet, sleep, and exercise are not the only things that influence weight. Daytime stress and life-stress can raise cortisol, possibly making it harder to drop those excess pounds. Though it’s hard to prove, we believe that yoga, relaxing exercise like Tai Chi, meditation, and relaxing hobbies can all help.

8. Try HRT

Some women have such severe symptoms during menopause that taking hormone replacement therapy helps them sleep, deal with hot flashes, and better manage the weight and body composition changes. Talk with your doctor about a trial of HRT if you are having a very difficult menopause transition.

Summary

No question about it: Hormonally, things change for a woman during the menopause transition. Not only does this come with many uncomfortable symptoms, it changes a woman’s health risks and body composition. These changes include increased abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, muscle loss, and difficulty losing weight.

But you are not alone – millions of women are dealing with the same issues. And with the adoption of a low-carb diet, as well as a few other lifestyle tweaks, you can still have good health and vitality, reaching the right weight for you, in menopause and beyond.

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Menopause menu: nutritional rules for women over 50 | Proper nutrition | Health

50 years for a woman is a transitional age, a period of significant hormonal changes in the body, which takes place against the background of an age-related slowdown in metabolism. If you want to alleviate the hardships of menopause, take this time line as a signal that it is time to change your taste habits.

So, let’s get started …

Reducing calories. Overweight women are much more difficult to tolerate hot flashes than their thin peers. In addition, being overweight is a big load on the legs, which means the risk of developing varicose veins. If you have excess savings in the waist and hips, try to part with them. No need to go on rigid diets.

The body can brutally take revenge for being kept in hunger, even more weight gain. But you will have to give up sweet, fatty foods, baked goods and other fast-digesting carbohydrates.

Decrease the amount of portion. We put on our plate 2/3 or even half of our usual portion, but we eat more often – up to 5-6 times a day. We also try to eat the most satisfying dishes in the first half of the day, then the body will quickly “burn” these calories. For dinner, we have a light snack – fruit or salad, seasoned with lemon juice instead of sour cream or mayonnaise.

We eat more fish. Fish and seafood are an excellent source of protein, moreover, they are few in calories, but there are a lot of omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which protect us from atherosclerosis.

Try to choose low-fat varieties such as perch, pike perch, cod, pike, and eat boiled, stewed, baked. Salted herring, sprat, capelin are also useful.

Meat – only lean. Pork, lamb and beef – only on holidays. There is too much cholesterol in these types of meat, which is not good for our vessels and threatens the waist. We replace them with chicken breasts.

We are not frying anything. Dishes fried in oil are much higher in calories than those cooked in any other way.In addition, carcinogens are formed during frying. So we take the frying pan out of use.

A steamer and a multicooker should take its place. You can also bake food in the oven. We limit smoked: for this, the liver will say special thanks to us.

Replenish calcium deficiency. During menopause, the production of the female hormone estrogen decreases, which leads to leaching of calcium and loss of bone mineral density. Bones become brittle, like dry branches that cannot withstand the usual stress.To reduce this threat, it is necessary to eat more cheese, dairy products rich in this element, sea fish with soft bones, sesame seeds.

Reducing alcohol. Alcoholic drinks are very high in calories, in addition, they provoke hot flashes, so we try not to lean on alcohol. However, from time to time, you can afford a glass of dry red wine. Red wine is an excellent anti-age product. It contains many antioxidants that protect our body from the damaging effects of free radicals.

Reduce the amount of salt. Hypertension is another disease that threatens many during menopause. Therefore, try to limit salt in your diet. In addition, this mineral increases swelling.

Salt the dish already on the plate, not while cooking – this one simple step will significantly reduce your salt intake. Replace it with a variety of seasonings and soy sauce – they won’t make your food taste bland.

Don’t forget about soy. Tofu cheese, soy milk, meat, sauce help to reduce the unpleasant symptoms of menopause.Soy contains a natural analogue of the hormone estrogen, the synthesis of which drops rapidly during menopause.

A study in Japan found that Japanese women who traditionally consume a lot of soy are much more likely to endure the hardships of menopause than European women and American women who practically do not eat soy products.

We lay on vegetables and fruits. They contain useful vitamins and minerals that the body needs so much. In addition, they contain a large amount of fiber, which “cleanses” our body from the inside and protects against intestinal cancer.Every day you need to eat at least 500 g of fresh vegetables and fruits in several sessions.

See also:

90,000 vitamins for menopause, nutrition, diet. Menopause depression

Middle age comes, the woman’s body changes, she is faced with unpleasant sensations. This is a new stage in the hormonal system – menopause …

Each organism is individual and copes with stress in its own way, but very often menopause and depression go side by side.

Why is this happening?

A woman’s life is filled with worries about family and home, she is busy at work.To all this is added poor health, irritability, chronic fatigue, at one point the cup overflows and the woman feels psychologically devastated.

Menopausal depression is characterized by apathy, sadness, low self-esteem and loss of energy. This is a difficult period, but it certainly passes if you pay attention to your feelings. If a woman notes depressive manifestations in herself, she should consult a doctor. The doctor will prescribe a sedative therapy that works to improve sleep, stabilize mood, and combat negative emotions.The goal of therapy is to prevent depression during menopause from affecting the already fragile women’s health.

Proper nutrition is an assistant in the fight against sadness

Nutrition during menopause plays a significant role in the general well-being of a woman. During this period, she should be especially attentive to her diet, it is very important to support the body during menopause.

Climax and diet

During hormonal changes, metabolism slows down, but weight tends to increase, so should limit the use of sweet and flour products , as well as fatty foods .

The diet must necessarily include protein food (fish, meat, seafood, poultry, legumes). Do not forget about possible disturbances in the work of the intestines. Fiber will help prevent undesirable phenomena , vegetables – an indispensable component of a woman’s menu during menopause. In order to prevent osteoporosis, it is necessary to regularly consume foods containing calcium (cottage cheese, kefir, sour cream, cheese)

Nutrition during menopause must be enriched with vitamins, because during this period a woman’s body is especially vulnerable and needs additional support.

Vitamins and minerals are an important component of nutrition

Vitamins during menopause play the role of insurance and help in the fight against concomitant ailments.

The main complaint in most women during menopause is psychological discomfort . Irritability, anxiety, mood swings are true companions of menopause. Magnesium copes with this problem, it has a calming effect.

Very often women are worried about vaginal dryness, vitamin E will reduce this phenomenon.In order for this vitamin to enter the body, it is necessary to include avocado, buckwheat in the diet and do not forget about vegetable oils.

Summing up, it is worth noting that vitamins during menopause play an important role, one should not neglect the basics of rational nutrition .

Climax is a period of stress, at such a moment a woman needs help and support. Gynecologists of ON Clinic will advise the patient on all issues of concern to her and give detailed recommendations.

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Climax.Nutrition during age-related changes

As menopause approaches, the rate of metabolic processes in the body naturally slows down. Against the background of changes in the hormonal background, shifts in carbohydrate and fat metabolism, and water-mineral balance are typical. Not knowing about the age-related transformation of metabolism, without reducing calories and without changing the diet, you can gain weight in a short period. Nutrition issues are far from the last on this list. improper nutrition with menopause can accelerate the onset of age-related changes (skin laxity, wrinkles, osteoporosis, discomfort in the intimate area).It is during this period that we need to be more attentive to what we eat, how much we sleep, whether we need to go in for sports and how much and much more. At times, nutritionists at TN-Clinics can significantly improve a woman’s well-being and appearance only by correcting the diet.

Nutrition for menopause: are there any features?

To maintain youth, physical activity and optimal weight after 40-45 years, a woman needs to revise her diet. The basis of food for menopause is natural, balanced in composition and necessarily tasty products, with a small amount of calories.

Particular attention should be paid to the drinking regime necessary for an active metabolism. With age, body tissues become dehydrated, which leads to skin flabbiness and fine surface wrinkles.

In order to protect our vessels from cholesterol, not to overload the pancreas and not to increase our fat depots, we must first of all think about limiting animal fats and replacing them with vegetable ones. It is necessary to limit the amount of easily digestible carbohydrates, consume fresh vegetables and fruits, coarse dietary fiber in the required amount, saturate our body with the required amount of vitamins and minerals, and normalize the diet.

Diseases such as vascular atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus and obesity, the risk of which increases with age, are nutritionally dependent diseases, that is, they directly depend on what we eat.

Do you need a diet for menopause in women?

If a woman is completely healthy, does not have serious chronic diseases, metabolic disorders (diabetes, urolithiasis, gout), a special diet for menopause in women is not required.A healthy habitual diet, devoid of fatty and carbohydrate foods, as well as foods satiated with food chemistry, is enough.

It is worth taking as the rules:

• fractional meals in small portions, but at least 5-6 times a day,
• most of the diet should be vegetable products, and in fresh form they should be at least half of the total volume,
• The minimum amount of fruit and vegetable products per day is about 400-450 g.

If a woman has weight problems, the TN-Clinic nutritionists do not advise using diets for menopause in women , especially if they are restrictive, strict and tough, with a sharp reduction in calorie content. Such diets will not lead to significant weight loss, and once you quit, you can easily increase the number of pounds gained. This is due to the metabolic stress that builds up in the body during severe dietary restrictions. By releasing cortisol, a stress hormone, the fat burning process is inhibited, the body goes into austerity, and the weight does not go away.Therefore, to combat it, it is not a diet for menopause in women that is needed, but a gradual decrease in the calorie content of the usual diet against the background of an increase in physical activity (energy expenditure).

How to provide youth-preserving nutrition

Due to food, you can significantly increase life expectancy and delay the onset of age-related changes. But for this, the diet must be complete, balanced and varied. The basis of nutrition , preserving youth, are foods rich in vitamin and mineral components, complete protein and antioxidants.Lean meat and fish can provide such a diet, especially seafood and red varieties, as well as seafood in combination with fresh vegetables, whole grains, nuts and vegetable oils. Products should be fresh, not subjected to prolonged heat treatment and storage, so that they do not lose useful components.

In addition, youth-preserving nutrition implies avoiding unhealthy snacks, fast food and convenience stores. They contain a lot of hidden fats, harmful additives that negatively affect the structure of the skin, fat metabolism and the intake of vitamins.Adequate fluid intake is required, but not sodas, sugary juices, or coffee / tea. It is worth drinking clean water or table mineral water, without gas.

It is equally important for nutrition that preserves youth, the intake of a sufficient amount of calcium, which prevents osteoporosis, and magnesium, which affects the functioning of the nervous system, relieves nervous tension and fights stress. Magnesium works especially well in combination with B vitamins.Useful cereals, bran, various types of cereals and cereal side dishes.

Omega acids (especially 3 and 6) are a source of antioxidants. Their main sources are sea fish, vegetable oils (olive, flaxseed), nuts and seeds.

Nutritional advice for menopause

For the development of an individual diet before the onset of menopause and subsequently, especially against the background of existing diseases or metabolic disorders, advice from a nutritionist with menopause will be useful.An experienced specialist of TN-Clinic, based on an analysis of the medical history, habitual diet and taste preferences, will help to draw up an individual nutritional plan.

Especially important advice from a nutritionist with menopause against the background of existing food intolerance, kidney disease or diabetes, hormone treatment. Due to a reasonable combination of products, it is possible to replenish the body’s reserves of all nutrients, as well as the necessary mineral components, vitamins and biologically active compounds.

Questions still

You can always make an appointment and get detailed information from the specialists of our advisory department by phone:

+7 (495) 210-02-48 +7 (495) 799-02-06

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90,000 Healthy nutrition for hormonal disorders in menopausal women

Dietetics

Dmitry Edelev:

Today we have a second program with a doctor of the highest category, candidate of medical sciences, gynecologist-endocrinologist, associate professor Olga Pavlovna Gerasimova.Today we have the topic “Healthy nutrition for women during menopause.”

In the first part we talked about a healthy diet for women during the reproductive period, the second part is devoted to menopause. When does it come, Olga Pavlovna?

Olga Gerasimova:

I would like to say that menopause, menopause – who calls this period of a woman – is a physiological process. Menopause can occur between the ages of 40 and 60, such a fairly large spread. Menopause under the age of 40 is considered pathological, it should not be so.Physiological menopause occurs after 40 years to 55.

Dmitry Edelev:

Olga Pavlovna, do I understand correctly that menopause is getting younger?

Olga Gerasimova:

Unfortunately, today we can state this fact. If earlier women came more often with the onset of menopause or with the onset of menopause, on average, at 50-55 years old, now women who are only 45 years old, 48 years old began to apply. The climax is so many years younger now.

Dmitry Edelev:

Can menopause come at 35? I ran into this.

Olga Gerasimova:

Menopause may come. It can be for several reasons. It can be a surgical menopause, that is, a woman has had an operation on the pelvic organs, mainly on the ovaries, which causes surgical menopause. Menopause may occur earlier for genetic reasons, when the girl inherited an early menopause from her relatives (from her mother, from her grandmother).This also occurs. Rarely, but occurs. The third point is when a woman is experiencing a lot of stress. Obesity and a sharp decrease in weight in women can also lead to early depletion of the ovaries, which subsequently leads to an early menopause.

Dmitry Edelev:

That is, unhealthy diet, stressful situations, unsettled daily routine – these are the reasons that can cause early menopause?

Olga Gerasimova:

Quite right.The most important thing is that women themselves do not arrange for themselves diets that supposedly reduce weight. They then get quite serious consequences when the ovaries are turned off.

Dmitry Edelev:

That is, refusal to eat healthy causes a refusal in the hormonal system?

Olga Gerasimova:

Refusal to eat healthy. Sometimes, women refuse completely from food for several days, even weeks. There are such. They only drink water. Of course, this is a huge stress for the body, for the entire hormonal endocrine system, which can lead to early exhaustion.

Dmitry Edelev:

Olga Pavlovna, there are three periods of menopause. Can I tell you more? Because nutrition and many life factors that can regulate the situation depend on them.

Olga Gerasimova:

Yes, there are three stages of menopause. The first is premenopause, when hormonal changes are just beginning. As a rule, delays begin first, a woman may be disturbed by emotional disorders, but menstruation may still come.This is premenopause. When we get tested for hormones, we see that our main hormones are changing in the direction of deterioration. The second period is menopause. When there is no menstrual flow during the year, then it is considered that menopause has come, the ovaries completely stop producing female hormones. And postmenopause; a year after the absence of menstruation is called postmenopause.

Menopause could be further divided into physiological and pathological. Under physiological conditions, the body ages slowly but surely, and does not experience obvious stressful situations.The level of hormones decreases slowly and the body gradually adapts, gets used to the new state, the woman does not have drastic changes. This is a physiological menopause. There is a pathological menopause, when there is a sharp decrease in female hormones and the body reacts quite aggressively. What could be? As a rule, these are hot flashes, sweating. These are the first signs of change. Psychoemotional state: women become unstable to stress, become whiny, sleep and appetite are disturbed. Subsequently, the cardiovascular system begins to suffer.The pressure can both increase and decrease. The cardiovascular system may already suffer, changes are already taking place in the heart, women are becoming frequent visitors to cardiologists.

Postmenopausal complaints are more serious. There are already manifestations of osteoporosis, manifestations of musculoskeletal tissue failure. Women are most often referred to (may seem strange) about hot flashes, sweating and weight gain. Their lipid metabolism changes, metabolism changes. Women begin to gain weight, and on this occasion they begin to turn to gynecologists-endocrinologists.With cardiac problems, pressure, of course, they turn to cardiologists, although you can turn to gynecologists-endocrinologists to regulate hormonal levels and improve the quality of life of a woman.

Dmitry Edelev:

Tell me, please, is there an exacerbation of age-related diseases during this period?

Olga Gerasimova:

Very often. If, for example, there was bronchial asthma in childhood, as a rule, it can return with the onset of menopause.Practically, in every cell of the female body there is a receptor for estrogen, for female hormones. As soon as the work of the ovaries begins to deplete, estrogens stop entering our cells. Problems begin precisely in the organ where the sore spot was or where it is weaker.

Dmitry Edelev:

Is the observation of women required during this period? If required, how often should a gynecologist-endocrinologist visit a doctor? Your advice?

Olga Gerasimova:

After 40 years, I recommend visiting a gynecologist-endocrinologist every year, even in the absence of complaints, it is imperative to conduct an examination, to do an ultrasound examination.If delays have already appeared, the slightest changes or, conversely, frequent spotting, or the menstrual cycle has lengthened, the amount of menstrual flow – I think there should be a quick trip to the gynecologist.

Dmitry Edelev:

Please tell me, in this case, after 40 years, what should include, from your point of view, the so-called check-up, that is, the current survey? The woman has come, maybe there are no complaints yet, but she is 40 years old. Which examination do you recommend?

Olga Gerasimova:

First, a gynecological examination, a smear for oncocytology, a study for cancer cells is mandatory.We definitely do a colposcopy, that is, we look at the cervix under a microscope, because an external examination does not always show the pathology of the cervix, which we see only under a microscope and only when we stain the cervix with special solutions. An ultrasound examination is necessary, because when examining with our hands, we do not always see the pathology that occurs in the uterine cavity, inside the ovaries, we cannot correctly assess the follicular apparatus, which is visible on ultrasound. We pay great attention to the mammary glands, of course.We recommend that women have an ultrasound scan of the mammary glands once a year. After 40 years, mammography is mandatory every two years. Ultrasound of the thyroid gland. Unfortunately, little attention is paid to it, but, in fact, with the onset of menopause, the thyroid gland begins to suffer in the first place. On the contrary, if there are problems in the thyroid gland and we do not compensate, do not regulate them, the onset of early menopause is also quite possible. This is a very interconnected system, none of the changes can be missed.

Dmitry Edelev:

What do we do from hormonal research?

Olga Gerasimova:

If the delays have already gone, then you can donate the hormones FSH, LH, estradiol. These are our three main indicators. Also prolactin. Rented for 3-4-5 days of the menstrual cycle. According to them, you can judge how the ovaries work and whether there is already progress towards climacteric changes. Taking medications, vitamins in advance, trying to prevent, warn – of course, this does not need to be done without the advice of a doctor and without examination.

Dmitry Edelev:

That is, an advertisement for a certain drug that periodically appears that it is safe, it does not belong to medical preparations, it is a herbal dietary supplement – after all, this is an advertisement that needs to be approached with caution?

Olga Gerasimova:

It is necessary to approach carefully, because there are hidden diseases. These are fibroids, endometriosis, polyps in the uterus, cancer problems. Even any phytoestrogens, herbs that are used, complex vitamins, especially when they advise complex vitamins with a high content of one or another trace element, everything can, on the contrary, increase, accelerate the growth of these processes, translate into malignant formation much faster than it can happen.

Dmitry Edelev:

Olga Pavlovna, you mentioned the connection between excess weight and menopause. How coordinated are they?

Olga Gerasimova:

As a rule, as soon as the decrease in estrogen begins, low-density lipoproteins increase. These are especially dangerous lipoproteins, their increase indicates a metabolic disorder. Cholesterol, atherogenic index increases. As a rule, here, too, you first need to work as a gynecologist-endocrinologist, restore hormonal levels, prescribe drugs, if necessary, and only then regulate statins and other drugs.Be sure to look at blood biochemistry, liver function tests, bilirubin, blood sugar and, of course, the lipid profile. We look completely, we decipher, because this is one of the important indicators that we must look at and adjust in time.

Dmitry Edelev:

Are you looking at the thyroid gland?

Olga Gerasimova:

It is integral. Ultrasound of the thyroid gland and immediately donate hormones: TSH, T3, T4, and antibodies if necessary.

Dmitry Edelev:

Some of the listeners and spectators, having listened and looked, will say: somehow it winds up. Or not, Olga Pavlovna?

Olga Gerasimova:

Here, the question is about how to properly examine in a timely manner, prevent diseases, and not identify them and treat them. Our task, after all, is prevention, to see in time. If you have done, say, an ultrasound, have been tested for thyroid hormones once a year, then, in principle, they do not need to be repeated six months later.

Dmitry Edelev:

I would like to remind, first of all, for listeners and spectators. In Russia, these statistics are not provided, but, for example, in Israel, it is believed that the annual medical examination after a certain time prolongs the life of men and women, improves the quality of life, extending life by 12 years.

Olga Gerasimova:

I think so. Today we have a fairly large arsenal of both laboratory diagnostics and diagnostics for other diseases.The same ultrasound diagnostics is available today, unlike in previous years. And CT, MRI – please, and mammography. The state organizes many free research programs. Let’s say mammography, osteoporosis testing. Of course, you need to seize opportunities and go through. Not when a complaint has already appeared, pain has appeared, discharge from the mammary glands, or a lump has appeared, but you need to go and do everything prophylactically.

Dmitry Edelev:

Olga Pavlovna, you said that the hormonal background changes, metabolism changes, the need for high-calorie food decreases.Can you talk in general phrases, touch on changes in nutrition and the transition to a different technology of healthy eating?

Olga Gerasimova:

Of course, you need to reconsider your diet. In general, in principle, you need to eat right. But, when it is precisely the pathological menopause that sets in and the question of the urgent use of drugs, especially hormones, is resolved, then first of all it is necessary to decide on the nutrition, whether the patient is eating properly. Maybe, indeed, tell her what products are needed first of all in her life at this period in order to alleviate the situation.Of course, we cannot change the pathological menopause, but at least reduce the symptoms: hot flashes, sweating, vaginal dryness, and so on. That is the main complaint. Advise: what trace elements are contained in what products and what is recommended in the first place.

Dmitry Edelev:

If possible, let’s start with the number of servings. How much should the serving size and meal frequency change?

Olga Gerasimova:

In principle, no one canceled food 4-5 times a day, the amount of food intake remains the same.The last meal also remains 3 hours before. It is believed that there should not be a hearty dinner. As a rule, breakfast, then there is an afternoon snack, lunch, dinner. It is generally believed that it is best to steam food, to exclude completely fatty foods, especially fatty meats, and to exclude fried foods. Steam everything, grill.

Dmitry Edelev:

We also say sometimes that we should limit smoked food as much as possible.

Olga Gerasimova:

It is better to completely exclude smoked food in the climacteric period, because it is believed that, firstly, the enzymatic system suffers, the food is not digested.That’s why. These foods contain a lot of salt. As we know, as I said, during menopause, the cardiovascular system suffers. Any excessive use of salt in foods can lead to changes faster than if everything is followed.

Dmitry Edelev:

Olga Pavlovna, how much is the right advice of a nutritionist to a woman: put your usual portion and then put as much off the plate as you do not mind. How correct is this advice?

Olga Gerasimova:

Rather, a recommendation to put food on a small plate.Yes. There is also such an expression: what goes into the hand, into the palm. This is also there. More than ever, thorough chewing of food is recommended during this period of time. Why? Because, as I said, the enzymatic system also begins to suffer from the lack of a full-fledged hormonal background. When we chew food thoroughly, it is better absorbed and satiety goes faster. Due to this, we get a decrease in the volume of food, its calorie intake, there is no weight gain that occurs during the usual rhythm of life in which we lived before menopause.

Dmitry Edelev:

The main food load in the first half of the day or in the second?

Olga Gerasimova:

In this case, you can distribute it during the day, most of all in the morning hours, but during the day. Why? Because energy is consumed much faster during this period of time. If you give full-fledged food only in the morning and do not add it to lunch and in the evening, then fatigue goes much faster. The emotional background of a woman is already suffering, and if she is still put on the strictest diet and lack of tasty food, then the condition will only get worse.Bad mood, endorphins won’t be enough. Therefore, a woman in the evening will not be very affectionate in the family.

Dmitry Edelev:

We touched on the methods of cooking, said that we completely exclude fried foods. What other restrictions are there on food preparation? Precisely the cooking methods.

Olga Gerasimova:

Mainly steamed, considered correct. Double boiler.

Dmitry Edelev:

That is, steam, boiled, stewed, something sparing?

Olga Gerasimova:

Without frying, let’s say so.It is recommended, practically, to exclude ketchup, mayonnaise, all industrial fats. And plenty of salt.

Dmitry Edelev:

Last meal, Olga Pavlovna, when would you recommend it?

Olga Gerasimova:

3 hours before bedtime.

Dmitry Edelev:

Should a woman get enough sleep during this period?

Olga Gerasimova:

From twelve o’clock to seven in the morning, as I said in the previous lecture, this is a desirable dream, a full sleep.7 o’clock the woman is resting. At least seven hours. It is advisable that the woman go to bed before twelve o’clock in the morning and wake up at six – seven in the morning.

Dmitry Edelev:

Olga Pavlovna, we have already touched on many issues, touched on the diet, and touched on the features of cooking. Let’s go in particular. The first question I would like to ask is fast carbs. Is it possible and in what quantities fast carbohydrates during this period?

Olga Gerasimova:

Fast carbohydrates are allowed, women can eat, but how much – again, depends on how much the woman has at the time of these changes.Lack of weight is one thing, with excess weight, of course, there is necessarily a decrease in carbohydrates. But it is not necessary to cancel and exclude carbohydrates. Sugar is best used. Let’s say, sweet foods for endorphins, I have already said, when there is not enough. You can use marshmallow, marshmallow, marmalade, that is, more natural products. They are even recommended to be used by a woman to raise her mood.

Dmitry Edelev:

Dark chocolate?

Olga Gerasimova:

Dark chocolate is also possible.

Dmitry Edelev:

Great! You have resolved everything, Olga Pavlovna.

Olga Gerasimova:

Yes, otherwise how to live further? I say that menopause is a certain stage in a woman’s life, sometimes, it is even more interesting. Of course, it is not worthwhile to worsen the quality of life with the strictest diets.

Dmitry Edelev:

Menopausal fish?

Olga Gerasimova:

This is even the main product.It is believed that fish during this period is the most important product, since it contains fats that are necessary for regulation and maintenance of hormonal levels. If in a young period of time we recommended fish twice a week, now fish can be recommended to a woman every day.

Dmitry Edelev:

I have come across a completely pragmatic recommendation in European recommendations: fish – on all working days, meat – on weekends.

Olga Gerasimova:

This is correct, yes, and we have such recommendations.We also say that we need to switch to fish. Moreover, it is recommended to use fatty varieties.

Dmitry Edelev:

Which is better: freshwater fish or sea fish?

Olga Gerasimova:

Sea fish. Most of all contains. Fatty salmon, for example. In Japan, it is believed that a woman does not have menopause as such, and if there is, then it proceeds completely imperceptibly. That is, as a rule, women do not present complaints and their menopause occurs much later.This is due to the fact that Japanese women practically do not eat meat, they only eat fish and seafood.

Dmitry Edelev:

Does eating fish smooth out this process?

Olga Gerasimova:

Smooths. Will not eliminate the pathological menopause, but smoothes it out.

Dmitry Edelev:

To be honest, this is the first time I’ve heard. Thank you, Olga Pavlovna.

What do we do with meat during this period? We said that we serve meat on weekends.Which?

Olga Gerasimova:

Non-greasy. Rabbit and turkey are recommended.

Dmitry Edelev:

Are pork kebabs excluded?

Olga Gerasimova:

I think if you go out into nature and eat a piece of barbecue to cheer you up, it won’t hurt. At normal, at a working moment, it is dry beef, rabbit, turkey, chicken.

Dmitry Edelev:

That is, this is poultry or any dietary meat.

Olga Gerasimova:

Any dietary meat. Veal, beef, but not pork or fatty beef.

Dmitry Edelev:

You touched a barbecue, can you drink some wine?

Olga Gerasimova:

A glass of red wine, probably with a shish kebab, yes. Good red wine, yes, it counts. Dry red wine. Not sweet, not semi-sweet, but dry red wine. It helps to improve microcirculation, improve the state of the cardiovascular system.But don’t abuse it.

Dmitry Edelev:

That is, a glass, but not a bottle?

Olga Gerasimova:

Of course, everything should be in moderation, as well as in food, especially alcohol. Strong alcohol is generally excluded. Carbonated drinks are excluded – Coca-Cola, Fanta, they are completely contraindicated.

Dmitry Edelev:

Tell me, please, what are we doing with fats? Should fats be consumed? What are fats? Some people advise, for example, a small lump of butter.

Olga Gerasimova:

One teaspoon of butter is recommended daily, natural butter is a must for a woman. Flaxseed oil is highly recommended, two tablespoons of flaxseed oil daily. Linseed oil contains a substance – a polymer of plant origin. It is lignin that reduces hot flashes, sweating, and vaginal dryness. This has already been proven.

Dmitry Edelev:

And very high concentration of omega-3.In a common vegetable omega-6.

Olga Gerasimova:

Omega-3, that’s right.

Dmitry Edelev:

That is why, probably, our ancestors used a lot of flaxseed oil.

Flour and pasta, Olga Pavlovna?

Olga Gerasimova:

Even a little, a little, I didn’t say that linseed oil can be used to grease pies, it is recommended. Of course, in principle, and pasta, flour is possible, because bakery products cannot be ruled out.They contain B vitamins, which must enter our body. Coarse fiber should be supplied to improve the functioning of the intestines, intestinal motility. It should be.

Dmitry Edelev:

Please tell me: vitamins and minerals. You said that without a medical appointment and examination, vitamins and microelements are in no way prescribed, but how should we treat them?

Olga Gerasimova:

I think it should be consumed.There is even a motto: not a day without minerals such as calcium, for example. There must be dairy products. Milk should be low in fat content, it contains more calcium. Nuts are definitely recommended. Walnuts are high in calcium. Cottage cheese is also recommended with a low fat content. Low fat yogurt. Not hard cheeses, they are the most important source of calcium. Calcium is one of the main trace elements. This is a good prevention of osteoporosis, early osteoporosis, the most dangerous.We also recommend the microelement boron, which helps calcium to stay in the bones. Calcium itself, as we know, is poorly absorbed, the microelement boron is necessary. It is found in almonds, garlic, blueberries, and raisins. Eating these foods helps us retain calcium in the body.

Dmitry Edelev:

Sometimes the recommendation sounds: 5-10 almonds per day.

Olga Gerasimova:

Even, it is considered, 100 grams of nuts per day.First, it is a complete vitamin. I think that someone uses, someone does not, it is nonetheless recommended. A few nuts – I think very much. Almonds and walnuts.

Dmitry Edelev:

Almonds and walnuts are the main stops.

Olga Gerasimova:

Basic, yes.

Dmitry Edelev:

Iron, Olga Pavlovna. I know there are hardware problems.

Olga Gerasimova:

Today there is a big problem with the iron content in the blood.We see it both at a young age and at reproductive age, and even more so in the climacteric period. Iron deficiency is associated with formed problems in the gastrointestinal tract, when iron from food is poorly absorbed. It is imperative to monitor this trace element in the blood and contact a therapist in time to replenish it. Iron transports into cells such a basic substance we need as oxygen.

Dmitry Edelev:

Not only transport, but also intracellular transport as well.

Olga Gerasimova:

Intracellular, yes. Provides oxygen to our entire body. When iron is deficient, many cells experience hunger.

Dmitry Edelev:

As far as I understand, iron absorption is also disrupted during this period.

Olga Gerasimova:

Yes, I said that the enzyme system suffers, and, in addition, gastroenterological problems are accumulating, these are gastritis, colitis.Naturally, iron is more difficult to absorb, and we do not get full-value iron.

Dmitry Edelev:

That is, a complete rejection of animal food is still unacceptable? Fish, animal food – where there is so-called heme iron.

Olga Gerasimova:

Absolutely correct. Iron of plant origin is less absorbed, iron of animal origin is absorbed more. Necessary.

Dmitry Edelev:

There is a concept of “heme” and “non-heme”.Heme (animal) is well absorbed. Non-heme is vegetable.

Olga Gerasimova:

Vegetable, yes. A complete rejection of meat and fish, primarily fish, increases the likelihood of a decrease in iron in the blood.

Dmitry Edelev:

Magnesium, an important trace element. Does he also change during this period?

Olga Gerasimova:

Consumption of magnesium during this period, perhaps, not only changes, it increases.Magnesium gives us a sedative effect in the first place. I have already said that a woman’s psycho-emotional state changes with the first changes in the hormonal background. As soon as estrogens decrease, the first thing that the patient, the woman and her environment feels, of course, is that her mood has changed. Therefore, magnesium is naturally the main trace mineral for sedative changes.

Dmitry Edelev:

Olga Pavlovna, for vitamins. Vitamins A, E, group B. Is the need for them increasing? If it increases, then what do you recommend to replenish them in the system of a healthy diet?

Olga Gerasimova:

Vitamin E is our main antioxidant that nourishes the heart and blood vessels.The need for vitamin E is increasing, but I would like to draw your attention to the fact that in this case it is not safe to take vitamins E separately. Vitamin E is a growth factor, and therefore (I have already said), if there are any hidden problems, then high concentrations of vitamin E, which, at times, are contained in complex vitamins, can be harmful. In food, of course, not. We cannot eat such a high quality of vitamin E that would harm our health. Proper nutrition will help maintain vitamin E in the body.

Dmitry Edelev:

We touched the wine a little. Are strong alcoholic drinks acceptable during this period?

Olga Gerasimova:

Not desirable. If possible, they should be discarded.

Dmitry Edelev:

You said about salt, after all, the limitation of salt. How much to limit? Are there any practical tips?

Olga Gerasimova:

First, reduce the amount of salt in cooking altogether.It is even recommended to cook without salt, and salt on top, that is, a small amount only for taste changes. Do not eat canned foods. Preservatives contain a large amount of salt, so they need to be limited.

Dmitry Edelev:

You said the main thing that I would like to hear: salt in a plate?

Olga Gerasimova:

Salt in a plate, yes, that’s right.

Dmitry Edelev:

Please tell me: vegetables during menopause.

Olga Gerasimova:

Vegetables are compulsory. This is fiber. It is primarily necessary, since, as I said, the enzymatic system of the gastrointestinal tract suffers. Vegetables are essential. In addition, fruits and vegetables contain many vitamins and minerals.

Dmitry Edelev:

What vegetables do you prefer?

Olga Gerasimova:

I love cauliflower very much. I love polka dots. For a couple.I add to soups. I make vegetable soups. Love.

Dmitry Edelev:

Legumes: peas, beans with peas. Can you talk about legumes? I know that gynecologists-endocrinologists during this period say: eat legumes. Why, Olga Pavlovna?

Olga Gerasimova:

Firstly, legumes contain a large amount of vitamin E. Secondly, legumes are believed to be phytoestrogens, just what would replace our natural estrogens.But this does not mean that you only need to eat beans, peas, and so on. Overall, it is a natural product that is estrogen-rich. Beans, lentils, corn, peas are the main ones.

Dmitry Edelev:

And what about the fruit?

Olga Gerasimova:

It is necessary to be careful with fruits, because fruits contain a large amount of sucrose and fructose. If there are changes in blood sugar, then fruit can, on the contrary, aggravate the situation. It is recommended to dilute juices with water, do not drink saturated juices.Bananas: We recommend eating bananas because bananas are high in potassium, the main trace mineral for the heart. Like magnesium, potassium is an essential trace mineral. Banana is very high in potassium.

Dmitry Edelev:

Apples, pears, melons?

Olga Gerasimova:

Apples, pears – please, you definitely need to include in your daily diet.

Dmitry Edelev:

How to treat water during this period?

Olga Gerasimova:

As always, the volume of the liquid must be at least 1.5 liters.

Dmitry Edelev:

What liquid? Directly adopted or shared?

Olga Gerasimova:

No, after all. How do I explain to my patients? Put a liter of clean water on the table, and you should drink this bottle during the day. Plus, 300-500 milliliters is a liquid that you consume in the form of juice, soups, tea, coffee, and so on.

Dmitry Edelev:

Please tell me: tobacco?

Olga Gerasimova:

This is generally unacceptable to me.It is believed that tobacco directly reduces the activity of the ovaries even in a young period, and even more so now, when there is clearly a decrease or absence of female hormones. Consuming tobacco is also a path to rapid aging and cardiac problems.

Dmitry Edelev:

That is, smoking cessation is one of the stages of non-drug treatment?

Olga Gerasimova:

It is believed that walking, swimming, smoking cessation, good sleep, reduction of stressful situations reduce the aggressiveness of the climacteric period, and the symptoms of the climacteric period (menopause) are reduced.

Dmitry Edelev:

I know that you are an expert in spices and medicinal plants. They tell me that they bring you spices as a gift and for you this is the most desirable gift.

Olga Gerasimova:

Regarding a specialist, of course, hardly, but I love it. They bring more, probably, teas that contain herbs. Mint, oregano. These are herbs of a more sedative nature. Drinking drinks during this period containing herbs has a calming effect and softens psycho-emotional stress.

Dmitry Edelev:

Chamomile, oregano?

Olga Gerasimova:

Chamomile is a common herb that has an anti-inflammatory effect. Oregano is the same.

Dmitry Edelev:

Not quite the topic of nutrition: modern hormone replacement drugs, hormone replacement therapy. In a nutshell, because people are afraid of these words. But they already exist.

Olga Gerasimova:

At the beginning of the broadcast, I said that there is a pathological menopause and a physiological menopause.If in the physiological menopause a woman feels favorable, there are no complaints, we see that the body does not experience sharp changes, then the use of hormonal drugs during this period of time is not always justified. But when there is a pathological menopause, we see that a woman suffers from hot flashes, she cannot work, cannot sleep, she has insomnia, her blood pressure changes, that is, a woman’s life has changed dramatically for the worse. The use of phytoestrogens is ineffective here, we offer hormone replacement therapy.But in this case, the woman must undergo a fairly extensive examination. These are blood tests for coagulability, biochemical blood test, ultrasound of the mammary glands, thyroid, small pelvis. Consult a cardiologist, do an electrocardiogram. In the case when a woman is fully examined, hormone therapy, correctly selected by a gynecologist-endocrinologist, only improves the woman’s quality of life, improves her health and well-being. To say that hormones are dangerous in this case is categorically wrong.

Dmitry Edelev:

That is, with the correct examination, the correct appointment of the diet, with the correct daily regimen, the selection of hormonal drugs is a relevant topic today, is it safe?

Olga Gerasimova:

Safe. The only thing that we do not let women go for a long time during this period of time, we recommend that they come to us a month after the start of hormonal therapy, then after three, and then we meet once every six months, when we understand that there are no complications, the woman tolerates the drug well, her health, her quality of life has improved.But it is impossible that you appointed – and the woman is gone for a year or two. In this case, hormone therapy can lead to changes, sometimes even irreversible.

Dmitry Edelev:

Olga Pavlovna, a woman in menopause begins to feel bad, she is not in the mood, and so on. She begins to apply on the recommendation of her friends, drinks more coffee, strong tea, that is, she tries to raise her mood and activate herself. How correct is this approach?

Olga Gerasimova:

Heavy coffee consumption, especially at night and in the evening, will only aggravate a woman’s condition.I don’t think it will give her a good sleep. I would also not recommend a lot of tea, especially in the evening. In addition, frequent consumption of coffee reduces the absorption of all trace elements and vitamins in the body. The body is already lacking, we also delay by drinking large quantities of coffee. The vascular system during this period of time is unstable, therefore, excessive consumption of coffee can lead to hypertension. Superfluous.

Dmitry Edelev:

Olga Pavlovna, you have half a minute left to address your patients, listeners and viewers.

Olga Gerasimova:

Dear women! Before making this or that decision, please visit your obstetrician-gynecologist, gynecologist-endocrinologist, consult with him: what you can take, what medications, what food, how to improve your quality of life. I wish you all good health!

Dmitry Edelev:

Thank you very much! I would like to remind you that Olga Pavlovna Gerasimova, a doctor of the highest category, candidate of medical sciences, a gynecologist-endocrinologist, was in our studio.Thank you, dear Olga Pavlovna!

Olga Gerasimova:

Thank you! Goodbye!

90,000 Food at a great age. Menopause. Nutrition with menopause

A woman after 45-50 years is a transitional age! Someone perceives this period as a time of extinction and the inevitable onset of old age, for someone life is just beginning. How to respond to changes in the body, what diets to follow in order to maintain a stable weight – these and other questions worry millions of postmenopausal women, questions that only professional doctors can answer.

About 10% of the entire female population today are postmenopausal women. Every year, 25 million are added to their number, and by 2020 this figure is expected to increase to 47 million. According to WHO experts, by 2030 there will be 1.2 billion women aged 50 and over in the world.

In recent years, there has been a tendency to increase the life expectancy of women to 73–75 years. In this regard, a modern woman is almost a third of her life in a state of estrogen deficiency, or in the period of menopause.An increase in life expectancy also entails an increase in the number of diseases and conditions (obesity, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cholecystitis, etc.), a frequent cause of which is the hormonal background changed during this period of life.

Rational approach

No one will be able to avoid the transition period. However, it is within the power of every woman to choose the path to follow. Typically, solutions can be as follows:

• do nothing, wait for the unpleasant consequences of menopause to pass over time;
• go to the doctor, start taking medications;
• self-medicate, use the methods of traditional medicine.

The most rational approach is to anticipate the onset of this period, to know its manifestations and to start preventive measures. To be ready to solve possible problems, you need to have knowledge of the menopause.

The climacteric period is a period of a woman’s life, lasting about 25-30 years, which is a transitional stage from the reproductive period to old age.

The transitional, or climacteric, period begins after 40-45 years, lasts for each woman in different ways and includes the following stages:

• Premenopause – 45 years to menopause.
• Perimenopause – premenopause and 2 years after menopause.
• Menopause – is established 1 year after the last menstruation.
• Early postmenopause (duration 5 years) and late (more than 5 years).

What Happens During Perimenopause

Each of the women, approaching this period of life, is faced with age-related changes occurring in the endocrine organs.

Hypothalamus

• Decrease in dopaminergic and increase in noradrenergic tone.
• Decrease in the activity of beta-endorphins and serotonergic systems.

Pituitary gland

• Increased concentration of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (FSH level above 30 mIU / L is a sign of the onset of menopause).
• Increased levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) (to a lesser extent than FSH).

Ovaries

• Decrease in the number of follicles (prevalence of follicular atresia and increased apoptosis) and decrease in estradiol levels.
• Decrease in estrogen receptors in follicular granulosa cells.
• Decreased sensitivity to gonadotropic stimulation.

Physiology of Menopause

Decreased hormone levels

Cessation of menstruation is associated with estrogen deficiency.In menopause and early postmenopause, the concentration of the most active estrogen – estradiol – decreases to 15-25 ng / ml (compared to 60-1000 ng / ml at different periods of the normal menstrual cycle). The main circulating estrogen in the blood becomes biologically less active estrone, which is formed in the liver and adipose tissue from adrenal androstenedione.

A decrease in the synthesis of progesterone begins with the onset of premenopausal age (at 40–45 years). As a result of anovulation, the main source of progesterone biosynthesis, the corpus luteum, is lost.With a deficiency of progesterone, the activity of aldosterone increases. This leads to an increase in visceral fat, an increase in the reabsorption of sodium ions in the kidneys, an increase in the concentration of antithrombin III and factor VIII, as well as levels of triglycerides and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL C).

The level of testosterone in women decreases by only one third by the age of 50–55. In the liver, the production of globulin that binds sex hormones (SHBG) decreases. It also contributes to an increase in the concentration of free testosterone and an increase in the androgenic effect on metabolism.In recent years, a relationship has been established between insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism. According to many studies, most postmenopausal women, along with insulin resistance, have lower SHBG levels and increased serum free testosterone levels.

Further in the article:

Menopause and obesity

Carbohydrate metabolism

Fat metabolism

Cardiovascular disorders

Metabolic syndrome

Big picture

Table 1. Classification of climacteric disorders

Power Principles

Preventive measures

Table 2. Basic requirements for diet therapy

Requirements for diet therapy

Diet during menopause

Basic variant of the standard diet (ovd)

Building a diet

Diet for metabolic disorders

Low calorie diet option (LDC)

Approximate one-day menu for women during menopause

Individual approach

Nutrient deficiency

What to do then?

Conditions for successful weight loss

Ricochet weight set

Fasting days

Unload, not harm

Convince a woman

Products recommended for daily consumption by women in different periods of menopause

Products not recommended in different periods of menopause

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Slimming products.Healthy food products. Mineral water and drinks. Menopause is a difficult period in the life of every woman, which is accompanied by depression and unpleasant symptoms. Menopause is characterized by hormonal changes in the body. The reproductive system gradually decreases its activity. To maintain the body during menopause, doctors recommend taking hormonal or non-hormonal drugs. Mensa capsules complete the ranking of drugs for menopause. They act as a natural antidepressant.Do not cause adverse reactions, excluding violations of the functions of internal organs. Drugs used for menopause. Slimming. Pharmachologic effect. Anti-climacteric drugs. Lipolytic drugs. Indications for the use of drugs for weight loss in menopause. The names of the various drugs that are used for weight loss during menopause are familiar to many women in connection with the treatment of other symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, menstrual irregularities, irritability, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and others.All these symptoms, including the growth of body fat, are associated with a disruption in the production of hormones in a woman’s body during menopause. Friends, we continue to publish about hormone replacement therapy for menopause. You can read the first part here. Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) is a method. Individual intolerance to the components of the drugs. The safety of therapy directly depends on the window of therapeutic options. How to lose weight correctly during menopause or menopause? The connection between weight gain and thyroid disorders.How to eat? What vitamins should I take? To identify and confirm a significant decrease in estrogen, characteristic of menopause, it is recommended to perform studies: 32-20-003 – Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). 32-20-002 – Luteinizing hormone (LH). Not only does menopause (and perimenopause) cause hot flashes, urinary incontinence, vaginal dryness, and more in some women, it leads to weight gain in almost everyone. Most post-menopausal women can expect some form changes and an ugly layer of fatty tissue, especially around the waist.But not all weight gain is a health threat. Only a significant set of extra pounds in a short time can lead to hypertension, diabetes, heart and vascular diseases. Menopause (menopause) is a natural process in the endocrine system associated with the extinction of reproductive function. Gradually, the synthesis of the female sex hormone estrogen decreases. If possible, butter, ice cream, cream, and whole milk are excluded from the diet during menopause in order to lose weight. 6. How to eat right to lose weight with menopause.One of the most discussed topics on women’s forums: How to lose weight with menopause ?. Nutritionists answer that this is real if you pull yourself together and adhere to simple recommendations: eat fractionally. How to lose weight with menopause: the reasons for weight gain during menopause. Name. Telephone. Gaining excess weight during menopause is primarily associated with hormonal changes in the female body. To prevent this, you need to adjust your diet, exercise and provide yourself with a normal sleep.Weight gain during menopause is associated with hormonal imbalance, a slowdown in metabolism, loss of muscle mass, and other disorders. It is quite possible to eliminate these reasons – for this you need to balance the diet, ensure normal sleep, exercise regularly, and create the right psychological attitude. Contents: 3 reasons for gaining weight. How to avoid weight gain. Diet pills at affordable prices with delivery to the nearest pharmacy in our network – Rigla online pharmacy !.In all these situations, different methods and pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements are chosen for weight loss, but the best solution before buying effective drugs would be to consult a doctor: an endocrinologist and a nutritionist. After examining the work of the cardiovascular system and ultrasound of the abdominal organs, passing tests (blood for hormones, biochemistry, general clinical analysis), you can draw up a plan of measures to reduce weight and choose diet pills. Until the 20th century, the average life expectancy of the female population rarely exceeded the childbearing threshold.With the passage of time, the development of medicine and the improvement of living conditions, the average life expectancy has increased, reaching 70–80 years for the female population. At the same time, a number of problems have appeared associated with the natural aging process of the female body. One of these problems is menopause (from the Greek climax – staircase, translated from English – the highest point, culmination, height), which is the physiological period of the dominance of involutional processes in the reproductive system.

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The Ketogenic Diet and Menopause – KETO-MOJO

How are keto and menopause related? Is the keto diet good for menopause?

Menopause is a natural but often unpleasant and difficult process for women.The hormonal imbalance that usually accompanies menopause causes side effects such as weight gain, hot flashes, brain fog, mood swings, and more. The transition from premenopause to perimenopause and menopause is difficult on its own, but another factor may play a role: insulin resistance.

Insulin resistance is when your cells ignore insulin, which carries sugar from the blood to stores in your cells. When glucose cannot get inside your cells, it stays in your bloodstream, causing high blood sugar levels.High blood sugar signals your body to make more insulin in order to get rid of all glucose. This cycle leads to high blood sugar and high insulin levels (such as hyperinsulinemia), which can worsen menopausal symptoms.

Could switching to a ketogenic diet ease the transition through the menopause cycle? What role does nutrition play in this normal stage of aging? Research shows that low-carb diets improve metabolism, hormonal balance, mood, and mental performance.They even fight insulin resistance, which means the keto diet can be an important tactic in outsmarting your worst menopausal symptoms.

What are perimenopause and menopause?

Reaching menopause does not happen overnight. As women get older and near the end of their menstrual cycle, they go through the years of what is called the “menopausal transition.” Perimenopause, the stage before menopause, occurs when women are between 40 and 50 years old.Perimenopause can last from five to ten years. During this time, your menstrual cycles can become erratic and irregular. Reducing the number of eggs in the ovaries causes the body to produce and excrete less estrogen. The hormones associated with your menstrual cycle, namely follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), then reach abnormal levels. Menopause officially occurs when you are 12 months without a menstrual cycle and the full transitional cycle is completed.But you can feel the side effects of menopause from perimenopause to postmenopause (or time after menopause).

Symptoms of Perimenopause and Menopause

When you first enter perimenopause, you may not realize that the symptoms are related to a change in your menstrual cycle. But somewhere along the way, the obvious signs that your body is undergoing drastic changes become too hard to ignore. The most common symptoms of menopause include:

• Weight gain (especially fat in the lower abdomen)
• Weight loss problems
• Hot flashes and night sweats
• Mood swings, depression and anxiety
• Insomnia

Extreme fatigue

• Thinning hair and dry skin
• Vaginal dryness and low libido
• Poor memory, trouble concentrating and brain fog

These side effects range from annoying to life-destroying.And their impact is reflected in your work, relationships, and mental health. Many women mark these years as the most difficult and depressing years. But you can significantly reduce these negative effects simply by changing your diet.

Keto and Menopause

As acclaimed nutrition coach Thomas DeLauer explains in in this video , the ketogenic diet can reduce symptoms of menopause and improve your quality of life as it puts your body into a permanent state of nutritional ketosis, which means that your body starts working on fat (ketone bodies) instead of sugar (carbohydrates).When you’re in ketosis , your body is struggling with two important problems associated with menopause: hormonal imbalances, which are responsible for weight gain and mood swings, and insulin resistance, which is challenging your health due to high blood sugar levels. blood. Here’s how:

The keto diet improves insulin sensitivity (and decreases insulin resistance)

In the standard American diet, your body gets its energy from glucose, mainly by digesting carbohydrates and sweets.The hormone insulin then transports glucose from the blood to cells for fuel. If you are menopausal or perimenopausal, you may have low estrogen levels (a sign of menopause) and, unfortunately, low estrogen levels can lead to insulin resistance. Ironically, however, high estrogen levels are prevalent in today’s xenoestrogen-rich world. However, the problem is not so much a high or low estrogen level, but rather how the body metabolizes hormones; it depends on the individual depending on the exposure to exogenous estrogen or xenoestrogen (i.e.i.e. synthetic hormones) and epigenetic variability (gene expression), which is complicated by high insulin load. So, whether you are estrogen-predominant or estrogen-deficient, lowering your insulin levels is probably the key to hormone optimization.

But studies show the keto diet lowers insulin resistance and increases insulin sensitivity (which means cells allow insulin to do its job). In addition, while there are not many studies yet showing how the ketogenic diet affects hormones in menopausal women, researchers have used low-carb diets to help women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) improve their insulin sensitivity and hormonal balance.PCOS causes insulin resistance, weight gain, and hormone imbalances in women of fertile age. These results show promising prospects for using the ketogenic diet to address the same problems in postmenopausal women.

In one small study, five women with PCOS followed a very low carb ketogenic diet (less than 20 grams of carbs per day) for 24 weeks. The researchers noted a 12% decrease in body weight, a 36% decrease in LH / FSH ratio, and 54% in fasting insulin.

These results indicate that the keto diet can balance hormones and improve insulin function. Both will benefit women approaching menopause.

The keto diet suppresses appetite

Menopausal women have higher levels ghrelin (aka the “hunger” hormone). Ghrelin alerts your body when you are hungry. But a high level can mean that you always experience bouts of hunger and never feel full.This slippery slope leads to overeating, excess calories and gradual weight gain.

A ketogenic diet lowers ghrelin levels, resulting in greater appetite suppression. According to the study:

• • In one study, participants on a keto diet stabilized ghrelin levels, resulting in a 13 percent loss of body weight and a decrease in overall appetite in just eight weeks.
  • Another study found that limiting your daily carbohydrate intake to 50 grams or less reduces hunger and appetite.
  • Intake of exogenous ketones helped participants reduce ghrelin levels, hunger and cravings in another study.
  • Substituting moderate protein for carbohydrates also provides a satiety effect, which helps to naturally consume fewer calories while maintaining lean muscle mass.

The keto diet helps you lose weight

Along with high ghrelin levels, low estrogen levels lead to weight gain, especially in the lower abdomen.During menopause, it is not uncommon to become “doggy” on the belly and more fat remains in the middle. However, some of these fat deposits can be more dangerous than fat on the thighs or thighs, especially if it is “visceral fat”, that is, fat that fills the spaces between the organs of the abdominal cavity and in a tissue apron called the omentum, which is located under the muscles of the abdomen and covers the intestines. Excess visceral fat increases the risk of heart disease and metabolic syndrome.

As we mentioned, the goal of the ketogenic diet is to achieve ketosis, a state in which your body is actively burning fat stores.Breakdown of fat for energy (known as Breakdown of Fat ) boosts your metabolism. And also turns your problem areas into fuel supplies!

According to one study, women on a low-carb diet lost 23 pounds, 7.6% body fat, and 3.7 inches of waist in six months. In a two-year study in obese postmenopausal women, abdominal fat decreased more with a low-carb diet than with a low-fat diet.

The keto diet lowers inflammation to possibly reduce hot flashes, brain fog and improve mood

Many of us consume foods that cause inflammation (hello peanuts, peanut butter, and for some, dairy). Chronic inflammation increases the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and more. It also causes depression, anxiety, memory loss, and thinking problems. When it comes to menopause, recent research has linked hot flashes to inflammation.

Here’s where keto helps again: The ketogenic diet is anti-inflammatory and reduces systemic inflammation. It eliminates inflammatory foods, including refined carbohydrates, sugars, and processed vegetable oils. Instead, the menu includes anti-inflammatory foods high in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants.

The best part? Ketones not only protect your body from inflammation, but also your brain cells. Science says your brain can use beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), the main ketone body, more efficiently than glucose.Thus, ketones improve mental performance, attention and memory. They also banish brain fog. Lower levels of inflammation can help your body better regulate its temperature to avoid hot flashes.

The last word

Is the keto diet suitable for menopause? The connection between keto as a remedy for menopausal symptoms seems pretty clear.