Yahoo News The best foods to eat in the menopause
Ease menopause symptoms and feel your best by adjusting your diet. We explore what to eat more of and which foods to avoid when it comes to menopause diet.
Menopause may be a natural transition, but it’s not always the easiest. During this time, we experience a huge number of physical and mental changes, which begin during the years leading up to our last period – known as perimenopause – and continue for some time afterwards.
In fact, there are more than 30 different menopause symptoms, which range from night sweats, anxiety, and problems concentrating, to vaginal dryness, joint stiffness, and even accelerated hair growth. The good news is, a few smart lifestyle choices can make this testing midlife transition a far smoother experience.
Tweaking your diet is one of the easiest and most powerful changes you can make to restore balance to your body, and best of all, it’s never too early (or too late) to start. Look at “the whole picture, rather than individual nutrients”, says Komal Kumar, lead dietician at The Lister Hospital, which forms part of HCA Healthcare UK, and fill your shopping basket with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and high-quality protein and dairy products.
Consider menopause as your own personal M.O.T. alert. “Your body is reminding you to prioritise yourself and give yourself the attention you deserve,” Kumar explains. “Nutrition and lifestyle changes can help to gear you up for the next stage in your life, allowing women to feel equipped to wear the many different ‘hats’ they have to put on.”
When it comes to ‘how often’ and ‘how much’ you eat, there are no hard and fast rules. However, if you’re concerned about weight gain during menopause, you may benefit from working with a dietician, who can identify and share your personalised nutrition targets for carbohydrates, proteins and fats, suggests Kumar.
“Weight gain is quite common during menopause,” she explains. “This is partially due to more sedentary living, which results in a slower metabolism. Changes in muscle mass after menopause can also lead to lower energy requirements. To identify your personal targets, get a dietitian review – this way, you get the right nutrition working in your favour.”
And for women struggling with anxiety, eating little and often may provide relief, explains Dr Patricia Zabala, gynaecologist at Institut Marquès Assisted Reproduction Clinic, by preventing “blood sugar crashes which can drop your levels of adrenaline and cortisol, leading to anxiety-related symptoms”.
Below, we’ve compiled a list of nutritious and healthy menopause diet foods you should eat more of – along with a handful of those you should avoid where possible – to make sure you look and feel radiant every single day.
Foods to Include in Your Menopause Diet
Your overall focus should be on broadening your diet in the menopause, says Laura Southern, nutritional therapist at London Gynaecology. “The nice thing about supporting hormone health when thinking about the menopause is we can focus on including lots of foods, rather than removing them,” she says.
Turkey
The decline in your oestrogen levels is associated with decreased muscle mass and bone strength, so getting enough protein is key, says Southern. “In women, oestrogen is a ‘builder’, so we need to ensure our body has enough ‘building blocks’ from other sources, and protein acts like this.” This could be through plant-based protein sources, such as nuts, seeds, legumes and pulses, or animal-derived such as eggs, meat and fish. Gram for gram, turkey has more protein than chicken, and contains less than 1 per cent saturated fat per breast.
Greek Yoghurt
Greek yoghurt is a high-quality source of calcium, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium, says Limon, which are all important for bone health. “As dairy is also high in the amino acid glycine it may also be good for reducing sleep disturbances associated with menopause,” she says.
Taking a vitamin D supplement is especially important during menopause, because it helps your bones to absorb calcium. “After women have experienced the menopause, they may have lost up to 20 per cent of their bone density, therefore it’s vital to increase your uptake,” adds Dr Zabala.
Oily Fish
Healthy fats, such as those found in olive oil, avocado, and oily fish like salmon and trout, should be enjoyed daily. They help to manufacture your hormones and they support your brain, heart, and joint health, says Southern. “Plus, they keep you fuller for longer, so can help reduce sugar cravings,” she says.
Omega 3 fatty acids, found in oily fish and flaxseeds, may help to reduce menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes and the severity of night sweats, says Limon.
Soy
Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring plant compounds that are structured similarly to oestrogen, explains Dr Zabala. “They can really help to soften the symptoms caused by a drop in your hormone levels,” she adds.
Phytoestrogens are found in many plant foods, but are particularly high in unprocessed soy products, such as edamame beans, tofu and miso. You’ll also find them in chickpeas, kidney beans, ground flaxseed, pomegranate seeds and berries.
Oats
Fibre supports your microbiome, which is the name given to the bacteria that reside in your digestive tract. “Your microbiome has an important role in binding and excreting old circulating hormones,” says Southern. “If your microbiome cannot do this efficiently then old, denatured hormones get reabsorbed, which can lead to hormonal symptoms.”
Oats are high in both essential vitamins and fibre, adds Limon – a study of 11,000 postmenopausal women revealed those who ate around five grams of whole grain fibre each day reduced their risk of early death by 17 per cent.
Find great recipe ideas involving oats here!
Broccoli
Since they’re packed with a wealth of menopause symptom-soothing vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants, vegetables should take over half your plate at every mealtime, suggests Limon. A study of more than 17,000 menopausal women found those who ate more fruit and vegetables experienced a 19 per cent reduction in hot flushes and night sweats.
“Cruciferous vegetables including broccoli, kale, spinach, pak choy and watercress are of particular note,” she continues. “They upregulate the healthy detoxification of oestrogens, having a potentially protective effect against oestrogen-driven cancers.”
Foods to Avoid in Your Menopause
Certain types of foods have the potential to trigger or worsen menopause symptoms, while others – for example, ultra-processed or refined foods like crisps and biscuits – may prevent you from feeling your best if enjoyed too frequently. There’s no need to eliminate them entirely, but it’s wise to enjoy these foods in moderation to support your changing hormones, maintain a comfortable body temperature, and stabilise your energy levels and mood.
Biscuits
Try to resist dipping into the biscuit tin. Sugar causes your blood sugar levels to rocket, which has a negative impact on your hormones, says Southern. “Your body puts its resources into manufacturing insulin and cortisol to balance your blood sugar – because this is essential for ‘survival’ – which means the production of hormones like oestrogen and progesterone can suffer,” she explains.
“Blood sugar dysregulation has been found to make menopause symptoms worse, including hot flushes and night sweats,” Limon adds. And left unchecked, it can lead to insulin resistance. To keep your blood sugar levels from fluctuating too much during the day, snack on a piece of fruit and a handful of nuts between meals.
Fried Chicken
It may be quick and convenient, but fast food is often packed with saturated fats, which are known contributors to health disease – a condition that women are at greater risk for after menopause. Instead, focus on incorporating heart-healthy foods like oily fish, unsalted nuts, beans and pulses at least once or twice each week, says Kumar.
“Fruit and vegetables provide antioxidants that also protect the heart,” she continues. “Aim for a minimum of five portions a day of all kinds – fresh, dried, tinned – in a variety of colours. High-fibre foods also help with heart health, including whole grain breads, oats, wholegrain cereals, lentils, chickpeas and beans.”
Coffee and Tea
Caffeine can also disrupt hormone levels, as well as being linked to an increase in hot flushes, according to a study published in the journal Menopause . By interfering with calcium absorption, consuming “more than two cups of coffee a day has also been shown to weaken bones,” says Southern. “This is a concern post-menopause, when your skeleton loses the protective building benefits of oestrogen and osteopenia or osteoporosis can occur.”
When you’re feeling fatigued and craving a hot drink, sip a peppermint tea instead. Alternatively, take a brisk 15-minute walk to perk yourself up without reaching for a caffeine boost.
Chillis
They may taste delicious, but spicy dishes can trigger the symptoms of hot flashes, night sweats, and other temperature issues associated with menopause. That doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice flavour, though – switch out those chilli flakes for the likes of cumin, turmeric and sweet paprika.
Wine
Not only does alcohol negatively impact your blood sugar levels, but it can also increase hot flushes, disrupt sleep and can affect the liver, says Southern. “If your liver is working hard to detoxify alcohol, this can impact its ability to detoxify old hormones, which can recirculate and cause issues.” If you’re partial to a glass every now and again, stick to NHS guidelines and drink water in-between sips.
Now you have a list of dos and don'ts, it's time to cook them up with our healthy recipes.
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