Use Your Diet to Support you Through Menopause!
Posted on by Martin & Pleasance.
Use your diet to support you through menopause!
There is so much we can do to improve our health and wellbeing during menopause and perimenopause – looking at our diet is a great place to start! Did you know that what you eat effects how our body deals with the hormone changes during this time? Minor changes each day will support your energy, sleep and how your body copes with emerging symptoms.
Let’s look at what’s good and why:
Calcium
Why? Calcium is responsible for building and protecting strong bones. When calcium is lost from bones, they can become thin, brittle and break easily, it is for this reason that calcium is well known to guard against osteoporosis.
Where is it found? Dairy: cheese (especially Parmesan and ricotta), yogurt, and milk. Other sources are beans, tofu, canned salmon, nuts, seeds and dark, leafy greens.
Magnesium
Why? Magnesium has a calming effect and helps ease symptoms like irritability, anxiety, mood swings and insomnia. It also helps with calcium absorption, raises the levels of HDL (good) cholesterol, lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol and has a relaxing effect on muscles (including the heart).
Where is it found? Good sources are almonds, cashews, escarole, kale, kelp, and wheat bran. For example, 1 ounce of almonds gives you 77 mg.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Why? Its believed these fatty acids have a positive effect on cholesterol and blood pressure, helping you to defend against heart disease.
Where is it found? Fatty fish such as sardines, salmon, mackerel, and rainbow trout. If fish isn’t your thing you can also try flaxseeds (or flaxseed oil) or walnuts and their oils, but your body may not use them as efficiently.
Vitamin E
Why? It’s a heart protector and is suspected to assist with the relief of hot flushes, breast tenderness, and vaginal dryness. If you have a bleeding disorder or diabetes, or take blood thinning medication, check with your health care practitioner before supplementing with vitamin E.
Where is it found? Asparagus, avocadoes, brown rice, egg yolks, peas, sweet potatoes, and vegetable oils.
Remember! You should always talk to your healthcare professional (dietician, GP, naturopath etc) about your individual vitamin and mineral needs and if supplementation is suited to you.