Eating Tips to Ease Menopause Symptoms
Did you know that certain foods prevent hot flashes? Are you aware that everything you eat affects your mood? During menopause, nutrition has a huge impact on your physical and emotional health. Thus, it's important to eat the right foods, stay hydrated, and make small adjustments to your diet. Research shows that menopausal women following a Mediterranean diet are 20 percent less likely to report night sweats and hot flashes than those who eat typical American food. Good nutrition can help prevent or ease menopause symptoms, lift your mood, and improve your overall health. Follow these eating tips to look and feel better during menopause:
Avoid Stimulants The first thing you should do is to avoid foods that are likely to trigger hot flushes and sweats. This includes chocolate, coffee, alcohol, chili peppers, and spicy meals. If you can't eliminate them from your diet, eat them before noon. These foods will worsen your symptoms, making you feel uncomfortable.
Eat the Right Foods During menopause, it's recommended to consume foods that promote liver health such as beet greens, sweet potatoes, green leafy vegetables, deep sea fish, walnuts, goji berries, and black beans. Due to their high mineral
content, seaweeds are a great choice too. They increase vaginal elasticity and help you control menopause symptoms. You should also eat soy products, which boost estrogen levels and help reduce hot flashes. Tempeh, mizo, and tofu should play a key role in your diet.
Get Enough Fiber Menopause affects every system in your body, including digestion. Many women experience constipation, cramps, and stomach upset at this point in life. To prevent these problems, increase your daily fiber intake. Eat whole grains, leafy greens, fruit, brown rice, and multigrain bread. Drink a glass of water with psyllium husk once or twice a day.
Get More Calcium As you age, you lose muscle mass. Your bones become lighter and less dense, which increases your risk of fractures. Fragile bones lead to osteoporosis. When you're going through menopause, it's important to eat more calcium to keep your bones strong and flexible. Aim for at least 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day. This mineral can be found in dairy products, broccoli, kale, canned salmon sardines, legumes, and soy foods. Those with severe calcium deficiency should consider taking supplements.
Battle Mood Swings Menopause causes mood swings, depression, anxiety, and tension in most women. The best way to prevent these symptoms is to eat foods rich in essential fatty acids and B vitamins. These compounds will lift your mood, ward off depression, and boost energy levels. Your daily meals should include lean meat, liver, flaxseeds, salmon, tuna, avocado, lentils, and whole grains.
Reduce Weight Gain The loss of muscle mass during menopause can lead to weight gain. Now it's more important than ever to watch your diet and exercise daily. Gaining
weight during and after menopause can increase your risk of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and insulin resistance. To keep your weight under control, avoid highly processed foods and eat fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, fish, and lean meat. Fill your plate with fiber-rich foods and watch your portions.