The female human form goes through an excruciating albeit inevitable change when it reaches a certain physical age. It is best defined by undergoing hot flashes, random mood-swings, unnecessary and sudden weight gain and surprising bone density. You guessed it right, it is menopause.
Menopause usually hits about a year after a woman’s last period and it accompanies a lot of sleep deprived nights. And a drastic change in the usual diet occurs because it becomes exceedingly difficult to choose what food to eat.
It is often confused with or misrepresented as growing old because the reaction time to most things becomes considerably slower. Though it is a part of the arduous process of growing older, it is very different from it. But that in no way means that one cannot gracefully go through phase of life and live healthily as well.
Though it may often not seem like it, it is fairly easy to manage menopause. The key is to have the best diet that ensures that the body gets sufficiently good nutrition. A healthy body will ensure a healthy mind to tackle whatever life throws your way.
Here is a list of the best food to eat that one can include creating the best diet plan to mitigate the symptoms of and manage menopause:
- Stock up on the dairy –
One of the leading problems that plague women once menopause hits is bone density declines rather rapidly. This occurs because the body reduces its manufacture of hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone. It also signals the rise in the risk of osteoporosis. One of the easiest ways to fight this off is to load up on calcium when you can. Which means increase in the use of dairy becomes an essential part of that best diet. - Manage menopause by consuming more water – Even though it seems like an old wives tale, this fact has been backed by scientists. Most doctors emphasise on consuming at least eight glasses of water which is an integral part of good nutrition.And if drinking regular water is just not your thing, you can add many flavours by soaking your favourite fruits and herbs overnight in water. But you need not stop at that. Consuming fruits and vegetables like watermelons and cucumbers that are high in water content should be added in the necessary food to eat category.
- Eggs are a great source of good nutrition –
Stocking up on vitamins and minerals is the way to go when trying to manage menopause. One of the easiest ways to do this is to consume more eggs, which have a high content of iron, vitamin D and vitamin B. But one thing that is to be taken care of here is that eggs are better when they are organic and not touched by any form of chemicals. It also means that you will most likely be sourcing them locally and will be supporting the local economy. - Omega-3 superfoods should be a part of the food to eat category – One of the easiest ways to fend off those lousy and unpredictable mood swings you encounter in menopause is fish. Adding oily fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines and cod in your regular diet is a great way to manage menopause. Scientists have said that consuming foods like fish which are loaded with Omega-3 is good option. They claim that the fatty acid in these products not just provide more energy but also lower cholesterol and reduce heart risk considerably. Omega-3 also reduces the frequency of hot flashes in menopausal women.
- Good nutrition includes beef, chicken liver and more proteins –
Though not all people have the taste for proteins, scientists believe that such proteins are worth changing your taste palette. Doctors, dieticians and scientists all claim that such proteins should be a part of every menopausal woman’s food to eat list. However, a big part of this is that most of these proteins should be of the grass-fed, zero-hormone added, natural variety. They are a great source of iron, vitamin C complex and many minerals that only help women manage menopause. - Fend off weight gain with a fiber rich diet – One of the unavoidable side-effects of menopause hitting is the inevitable weight gain it brings because of hormonal imbalance. Gaining weight is not just bad for the figure, it is also accompanied with the heightened risk of heart and other cardiovascular ailments. The body even becomes susceptible to various forms of cancer that are not easily detected till much later when they are fatal. And the simplest way to tackle this is to add more fibrous foods like quinoa and lentils to the diet. Fruits and vegetables like apples, oranges, raspberries and spinach are some of the best sources of fiber.
Final Words
Most factors linked to menopause and ageing cannot be changed but they can certainly be curtailed because you are amply forewarned. Keeping yourself well-informed about life and things going on in your body is winning more than half the battle.
To manage menopause may seem like an uphill battle but it is not. It is more of a battle of mind over matter. And it is a fight that can easily be fought with good nutrition and a fair bit of exercise. Navigating menopause is more like a navigating a minefield beyond which lies a next great chapter of your life.
The key of this is to know what food to eat and what all to include in the best diet plan to form to suit your body. That also means that you have to be careful of the amount of salt and sugar you consume.
Just do not forget to work on other aspects of your life as well. Taking up meditation, yoga and light exercises will just compliment all the effort you put into managing your diet. And it goes without saying that curtailing your intake of alcohol is another thing you have to take care of.