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When Menopause First Gets Your Attention IMPORTANT MENOPAUSE TAGS
Side Effects Of Menopause |
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Menopause and Your DietAuthor : Michael Russell
 
Bring up the issue of menopause to a handful of middle-aged women and you will definitely see at least one woman shivering just at the thought of it. This issue has indeed been fraught with myths and half-truths enough to send a lot of women into a state of panic just thinking that they, too, will have to deal with menopause and its symptoms someday! However, even the most common symptoms of menopause can be dealt with by making a few lifestyle changes. One of the most important factors that can help you in fending off some of the most common symptoms associated with menopause is your diet. Simply make some adjustments in your diet and you can be sure of an easier menopausal experience! Calcium and fat are by far the two most important considerations that play a vital role in easing menopausal symptoms. In a nutshell, the role is to incorporate more calcium in your diet while cutting down on the fat. Accomplish this by following the suggestions given below: Don't forget to take your calcium! As a person gets older, it is inevitable that he or she will lose some of the calcium stored in his or her body. However, this issue is more serious in women than in their male counterparts. It is a well-known fact that the estrogen level decreases significantly, as a woman enters her menopausal years. What is more disturbing is that this particular hormonal change accelerates the rate of bone loss, which can lead to osteoporosis if left unchecked. So, if you are nearing menopause, it would be wise to start preparing for this event.
Just how much calcium do you need? For postmenopausal women on hormone replacement therapy, you need to take at least 1,000 milligrams of elemental calcium daily. For women who are not on HRT, you need at least 1,500 milligrams of elemental calcium daily to meet your needs. How could you get enough calcium? Here is how you do it! - Drink your milk! Your mother has been right all along. Milk, indeed, is very good for you! Aside from being a rich source of calcium, milk is fortified with vitamin D, which facilitates the absorption of calcium. So, drink your milk and you can be sure that you will age gracefully! - Try drinking orange juice - For lactose intolerant people, getting calcium from milk can be quite impossible. In this case, calcium-fortified orange juice can be a wonderful substitute. - Mother said that you can's go wrong with fruits and vegetables! And she’s right! For fruits, consider figs and prunes, which are both rich sources of calcium. Leafy greens such as romaine lettuce, collards and kale can also bring you loads of calcium! - Add beans to your diet - Kidney and pinto beans are great sources of calcium. And don's forget to include the tofu (soybean curd)! - Munch on some broccoli stalks. Raw broccoli stalks are also considered as excellent sources of calcium. Go ahead and munch on some! - Choose nuts. Go for Brazil nuts and almonds. They are simply the best! - Discover the treasures of the sea - Salmon, sardines, mackerel and oysters are all rich sources of calcium. - Try yogurt and hard cheeses - Even if you are lactose intolerant, you should find no problem with these two dairy products! Develop a taste for low-fat diets. Another health complication confronting postmenopausal women is an increased risk for heart disease. During menopause, a woman’s LDL (also called “bad cholesterol”) level significantly increases. To prevent this from happening, you should eat less animal protein and cultivate a taste for less salt in your diet. So, switch on to a diet rich in fruits and vegetables to get more calcium, less fat and more anticancer nutrients! |
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