Although menopause is a natural stage in a woman's life when she stops ovulating and menstruating, it can produce severe side effects. Menopausal symptoms often include hot flashes, mood swings, anxiety, irritability, insomnia, memory or concentration problems, vaginal dryness, fatigue and irregular menstruation. Your diet could influence these menopausal symptoms as well as reduce your risks for osteoporosis and bone loss associated with menopause. Talk with your doctor before changing your diet.
Food to Add
Following an overall healthy diet can help reduce your menopausal symptoms as well as your risks of osteoporosis, some types of cancer and heart disease, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Enriching your diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains while avoiding fatty foods can help ease menopausal symptoms. Plant-based substances that have estrogen-like effects in the body, called phytoestrogens, also can help reduce menopausal symptoms, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Soy is one of the best sources for phytoestrogens, but you can also get these substances from eating flaxseeds, legumes, whole grains and tempeh. You can get phytoestrogens, specifically soy isoflavones, from consuming soy products like soy nuts, tofu, soy milk and other soy food products, according to the University of Michigan Health System.
Key Nutrients
Calcium and vitamin D are especially important nutrients when you're going through menopause, due to your increased risk for bone loss and osteoporosis, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. You can get calcium and vitamin D by eating more dairy, dried beans and leafy green vegetables, as well as almonds. Other key nutrients for menopause include omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in cold-water fish and fish oil and which can help reduce heart disease and high-cholesterol risks associated with menopause. Vitamins C and E are also important to easing menopausal symptoms and promoting overall health, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Menopausal women also might need additional boron and dehydroepiandrosterone, or DHEA. But consult your doctor before taking any supplements.
Avoid
If you're going through menopause, you should avoid saturated fats and cholesterol in your diet, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Doing so can keep your LDL or "bad cholesterol" and triglyceride levels low, as well as keep your body weight healthy. Also avoid or limit your intake of alcohol and caffeine, because they can worsen your menopausal symptoms, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Alcohol and caffeine can cause or exacerbate calcium loss, anxiety and insomnia in menopausal women.
Considerations
In addition to your diet, other lifestyle changes can play an important role in your menopausal symptoms. For example, smoking can worsen your menopausal symptoms or even trigger early menopause, as well as increase your risks for osteoporosis and heart disease, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Stress can increase your menopause-associated anxiety and irritability. Regular exercise can help reduce your hot flashes, mood problems and memory loss associated with menopause, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Exercise also can help keep your cholesterol at healthy levels and promote strong bones.
Warning
Don't begin any special diet or make significant changes to the foods you eat before talking with your physician or a registered dietitian. You should also consult your doctor before beginning a new exercise regiment or taking any dietary supplements. The phytoestrogens in soy could have an effect similar to estrogen therapies on certain hormone-sensitive cancers, so if you have or are at risk of developing breast cancer, your physician might advise against enriching your diet with soy and other foods containing phytoestrogens.
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