The Right Menopausal Diet For You

The best way to ameliorate the symptoms of menopause is with a proper menopausal diet. When menopause arrives, so many changes are going on in a woman’s body, it can leave her quite unsettled and unsure about her well-being. Worst of all, she starts gaining weight in a very unhealthy manner and her hormones are completely out of whack. With a diet fit for a queen, these problems can be solved.

The fat one puts on, at and after menopause, is a different kind of fat than one normally gets. Instead of storing subcutaneously, it stores viscerally, that is, around the organs. They directly interfere with the organs processes and are directly tied to several nasty diseases, like diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and coronary artery disease.

You might be tempted to restrict food intake as weight starts to creep on, but this would be a mistake. First of all, when going through menopause, the estrogen levels are going crazy, fluctuating irregularly. It might interest you to know that fat cells produce hormones and will actually help the hormonal process of providing estrogen as the reproductive organs start shutting down. Restricting food intake at menopause is not a good idea, as the body will think famine has set in and start hanging on to what fuel stores—the fat—it has to get through the shortage.

So a good menopaual diet is not a restrictive diet at all. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. A healthy menopausal diet is probably more food than you normally eat. This may sound a little backwards in thinking, but more food that is healthy and actually good for you will help you lose weight, not gain it.

Lean meats and beans for protein, unprocessed fruits and vegetables for minerals, vitamins and roughage, whole grain products instead of refined white flour, no excessive sweeteners like corn syrup or sugar and watching the fat intake—these are all just part of your healthy menopausal diet regimen. Let’s go into more detail.

Dwindling supplies of estrogen lead to bone loss—osteoporosis. Quality sources for calcium must be added to the menopausal diet. 1200 to 1500 milligrams of calcium per day is recommended for menopausal women. In order for the body to absorb calcium properly, Vitamin D is required. But getting plenty of Vitamin D is as easy as standing in the sunshine. Dairy products, of course, are excellent sources of calcium and so are broccoli, asparagus, bok choy, lettuce, mushrooms and a whole slew of vegetables.

Magnesium is an excellent mineral to combat the mood swing problem many women encounter all through their adult lives, not just at menopause. By including it in your menopausal diet, you are heading off a source of misery. So add those legumes, beans, nuts and whole grains to your menu.

Getting those dreaded “hot flashes?” One way to prevent them is to avoid spicy foods in your menopausal diet. It won’t eliminate them altogether, but by avoiding spicy foods, you will at least not add to the problem, because spicy foods seem to exacerbate the issue. It won’t be forever. You’ll be able to eat spicy food again once menopause is over. You’ll know that has happened when you have not had a period in 12 months, as that it when menopause is considered to be officially over.

This menopausal diet guideline would be remiss not to mention the fats and sugars in your diet. Avoiding them is best, as much as possible. Fat intake should be no more than 30% of your daily caloric intake as they lead to increased risks of heart disease. Hidden sugars, like corn syrup and glucose should be carefully watched, as they—and all sugars—will lead to an increase in insulin production. As mentioned above, the kind of fat cells that develops in a woman’s body at and after menopause is visceral and is already making the heart disease and blood sugar issues difficult. Avoiding bad fats and sugars in the diet lessens the chances of developing those diseases.

If you take care of your body with the right menopausal diet, you’ll be able to fight this unwanted menopause belly fat that quite often shows during menopause. Simply follow healthy diet and you won't have to worry about gaining weight in menopause.

Related articles:
Menopause Weight Solution.