Nutritionist reveals food for menopause: what to eat and what to avoid

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Nutritionist reveals food for menopause: what to eat and what to avoid. Most women would agree that menopause is no fun. Just as changing hormones can cause acne and mood swings during adolescence, declining estrogen can have serious physical and mental effects.

During menopause, women tend to gain fat while losing muscle mass. But the problem isn’t the extra visceral fat that’s the problem, but the visceral fat that surrounds your organs. “Increased visceral fat puts you at risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, and insulin resistance, which can lead to diabetes,” says Halle Saperstein, M.D., a clinical dietitian at Henry Ford Health. The good news is that eating a balanced diet that includes plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains can not only help prevent weight gain, but may also help ease menopausal symptoms.

Whether you’re experiencing hot flashes, insomnia, irritability or other bothersome symptoms, what you eat has a big impact on the severity of your symptoms. “As estrogen levels start to decline, we need to be more mindful of what and how much we eat,” says Halle Saperstein, a clinical dietitian at Henry Ford Health. “We need to make sure we’re getting a variety of nutrients to protect our bones and vital organs,” she says.

Nutritionist reveals food for menopause: what to eat and what to avoid

Foods that menopausal people should eat

1. Fruits and vegetables. Many fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants, which help protect against cell damage. Examples include dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and broccoli, as well as bell peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, หากคุณสนใจเล่นพนันออนไลน์ที่ดีที่สุด สามารถสมัครสมาชิก UFABET ได้ที่นี่ พร้อมรับโปรโมชั่นพิเศษสำหรับสมาชิกใหม่ and carrots. Brightly colored fruits like mangoes, cherries, and berries are also rich in powerful antioxidants.

2. Fatty fish: Several studies have linked the heart-healthy fats in fish, called omega-3 fatty acids, to improvements in mood and brain function. Omega-3 fatty acids also help control blood pressure. Normal blood pressure can help control hot flashes. Fatty fish, such as salmon, are also one of the few sources of vitamin D, a nutrient important for both mood and bone health.

3. Protein: To help your body stay strong and have strong muscles, you should eat foods that are high in protein, such as fish, poultry, nuts, grains, and seeds.

4. Cooling foods , including apples, bananas, spinach, broccoli, eggs, and green tea, may help you feel cooler, according to traditional Chinese medicine. As an added bonus, these foods are rich in nutrients and antioxidants that help fight disease.

5. Water Drinking enough water during menopause is very important. Not only will it help control your weight, but it will also help your body flush out toxins and absorb nutrients better.

Foods that menopausal women should avoid

While it’s important to focus on getting the nutrients you need during menopause, it’s also important to limit foods that can make your symptoms worse. Here are some foods to watch out for:

1. Spicy Foods: It’s no wonder that spicy foods can make hot flashes worse. If you feel your body temperature is high or you have high blood pressure, you should avoid spicy foods like chilies, chili peppers, and black pepper.

2. Alcohol. A couple of glasses of wine a week may not make a big difference to your symptoms. But if you drink more than one glass a day (that’s about 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of hard liquor), your health could suffer. Alcohol interferes with sleep and can make hot flashes, anxiety or depression worse. If drinking causes you to lose control and reach for food, it can also cause you to gain weight.

3. Oily foods, except fatty fish and nuts. Other high-fat foods such as fast food, fried food, cookies, cakes, and processed snacks should be avoided.