Foods To Treat Symptoms of Menopause
Reduce the Risk of Disease With Supplements and Nutrition
Oct 31, 2009
Hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, for the relief of menopause symptoms is a combination of synthetic or natural estrogen and progesterone prescribed by doctors to replenish reduced hormone levels.
However, HRT has to be taken consistently to maintain results and recent studies show that though it is effective in relieving symptoms of menopause, there may be risks associated with long-term use.
Additionally, despite marketing promises, hormone replacement therapy will not help women maintain youth and keep wrinkles at bay. Most physicians recommend that when HRT is required, it be used for the shortest period of time possible and at low doses.
To reduce symptoms and to avoid chronic disease, a healthy lifestyle, dietary changes, exercise, and herbal remedies are alternatives to HRT. Menopause is not a condition or a disease, but a phase that requires varying dietary and supplement needs, just as the body requires different nutrients in childhood or other phases of life.
Foods for Menopause
Making important changes in your diet during menopause and post-menopause can help alleviate symptoms, prevent disease and keep the body functioning optimally.
- Follow a whole foods diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, raw nuts and seeds, pulses, whole-grain baked goods and pasta, and salads topped with unrefined oils.
- Include phytoestrogens (phyto- means derived from plants) in your diet. Food containing phytoestorgens are good natural alternatives to hormone replacement therapy to regulate hormone levels. These include soya beans and soya products such as tofu, tempeh, miso, soya milk, and linseeds.
- Sweet potatoes contain natural progesterone, which may help reduce menopausal symptoms.
- Prevent osteoporosis by eating low-fat dairy products, sardines, green leafy vegetables, almonds, Brazil nuts and figs: all foods rich in calcium and some that contain vitamin D, which is important in the absorption of calcium. Almonds are also a great source of vitamin E.
- Nuts, seeds, soya products, and whole grain cereals also contain the mineral magnesium, which is also important for bone health.
- Add one or two tablespoons of ground flaxseed a day. Flaxseed is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for your heart and contain a type of phytoestrogen called lignans, which reduce hot flashes. Grind the seeds and add to cereal, yogurt, salads, stews or soup.
- Limit caffeine.
- Avoid trigger foods that may worsen symptoms in some women - coffee, tea, chocolate and spicy foods.
- Avoid processed foods high in sugar and hydrogenated fats.
It is very important to remember that all the body's hormones, including the reproductive hormones, are made from nutrients supplied by the food we eat. Healthy, balanced functioning of the body at all ages depends on food nutrients. A healthy diet can help ease the symptoms of menopause and reduce the risk of disease during and after menopause.
Related Articles
 |
