Nutrition for menopause.

Table Of Content

How to tackle menopause.

The big ‘M’- Menopause.

Known as the final menstrual cycle, menopause it's confirmed when a woman has gone 12 months without having her period.

They say a woman holds the family together through her life, and during menopause, it becomes the family’s responsibility to hold her close.

What to expect?

Symptoms such as vaginal dryness, hot flashes, increased irritability, anxiety, exhaustion, and depressive moods accompany this phase due to hormonal fluctuations. Apart from these, one will notice sudden weight gain.

How does nutrition play a role?

Before I read the book ‘Your Body in Balance- Dr. Neal Barnard’, I did not even know that nutrition plays a role in menopausal symptoms. But here is some statistics for you.

Hot flashes affect around 75% of women over the age of 50 in the United States.

Western women consume four times as much meat and four times as much fat throughout their lives than their Asian counterparts.

Just about 10% of women in rural China, 17.6% of women in Singapore, and 22.1% of women in Japan experience hot flashes.

Studies have found that a high-fat, low-fiber diet raises estrogen levels. Hot flashes can be avoided by eating a diet low in animal products and fat.

SOY (very important), vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, peas, and nuts are examples of plants that make up a balanced plant-based diet. Menopausal symptoms are said to be relieved by a combination of herbal and dietary supplements as well.

I can say from first-hand experience working with my clients, that by just tweaking the diet, women tend to experience lesser symptoms and pain-free menopausal period.

Should you exercise?

Multiple reports have indicated that weightlifting is an excellent choice for postmenopausal women.

Actionable tips

Here are some self-care tips that one should follow:

• Weight training (join a gym!).

• One raw salad per day (fiber up).

• One serving of soy per day (tempeh/ tofu/ miso/ soy milk etc).

• Make sure to take vitamin b12 and d3.

• Add a healthy omega-3 source such as flaxseed daily.

• A handful of broccoli sprouts per day.

Hope this helps!

Loving you always,

Roshni Sanghvi.