5 Ways to Choose Foods for Menopause

1. Make Food Your Medicine

When Hippocrates gave that advice, he wasn't referring to menopause, but you can enlist colorful berries, crunchy nuts, flavorful fish and toasty grains to help ease menopause symptoms. Boost your energy with a breakfast of yogurt and blueberries, lift your spirits with a lunch of minestrone with kale and defend against waist thickening with a dinner of quinoa and grilled salmon. Snack on an occasional morsel of dark chocolate and lift a celebratory glass of red wine; the flavanoids in both fight plaque buildup caused by LDL or "bad" cholesterol. Plan meals, enjoy snacks, shop for food and dine out with these choices at the top of your list.

2. Go Against the Usual Grain

Put rice, pasta and potatoes aside and make room for quinoa and faro. Considered a sacred grain by the Incas, quinoa (KEEN-WAH) is a perfect protein, containing nine amino acids. It's packed with B vitamins and folate, too. The slightly crunchy, chewy texture and nutty flavor introduce an appealing new taste. Rinse 1 cup uncooked quinoa, add 3/4 cup water and cook for eight to 10 minutes. Serve with slivers of crisp red pepper, a sprinkling of toasted cashews and chopped cilantro or use in a cold salad with a zesty lemon vinaigrette and chopped vegetables. Quinoa makes a great breakfast cereal, too. Add chopped dried cranberries, a dash of cinnamon and a sprinkling of brown sugar and top with a fillip of soy milk. Also an ancient grain, faro delivers a healthy dose of fiber, magnesium and vitamins A, B, C and E. Soak faro overnight, rinse and cook like rice. Stir in fresh tomatoes, oregano and a grating of pecorino cheese for a tasty meal or side dish.

3. Go Green

Swap your customary peas or corn for kale or chard. Your body needs 1,500 milligrams of calcium daily to keep your bones sturdy, and leafy green vegetables deliver healthy amounts of this essential mineral. Sautee 1 pound of kale or chard in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Toss in some ginger, cumin and turmeric for kick. Stir 1 cup of thinly sliced kale into canned or homemade soup to add a beautiful green accent and 90 milligrams of calcium. Make mustard, turnip or collard greens a nutritious, bone-building choice. Steam until just crisp-tender, and toss with heated olive oil, garlic and lemon.

4. Reel in Benefits from Fish

Trade your traditional burger for one made with water-packed tuna or salmon. Along with calcium, canned salmon with bones provides omega-3 fatty acids, which can lower your risk of heart disease after menopause. Fish may help avoid depression, and eating fish regularly is credited with sharper memory and lower stroke risk. For four sizzling sea burgers, combine two 6-ounce cans of salmon or tuna with chopped fresh dill or basil, one egg white, 3/4 cup bread crumbs, 1/4 cup chopped onion, a generous squeeze of lemon and salt and pepper. Shape into burgers and cook for four minutes on each side in a frying pan coated with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Serve as steaks or on whole-grain buns with red onion, tomato, lettuce and garlicky mayonnaise.

5. Tame Hot Flashes with Soy

All the evidence isn't in, but some small studies show that foods with soy may diminish hot flashes. Try soy milk on cereal or in coffee, or toss colorful, crunchy edamame (green soy beans) into salad. Quickly stir-fry tofu in a little sizzling chili oil with minced garlic. Serve with quinoa, faro or bok choy cooked with green onions and ginger. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Don't go overboard with soy foods, though, because soy contains isoflavones that can mimic estrogen's effects in the body. Too much estrogen can cause symptoms, just like too little. One or two servings a day consisting of 1/2 to 1 cup of soy food is plenty.