Menopause Diet Tips to Help Manage Symptoms

Women going through menopause will experience a lot of different symptoms that are not very pleasant. Menopause causes estrogen and hormone levels to fluctuate up and down causing unwanted symptoms such as:

• mood swings
• hot flashes & night sweats
• weight gain

By introducing certain foods into your diet you can help protect yourself from some of the symptoms women get during menopause.

Mood Swings

During Menopause a woman's hormone levels are changing which will cause a lot of ups and downs in a woman's mood. Mood swings can become a very intense experience for a woman going through menopause, it is possible for some women to even fall into depression. Some foods that can help level out a irregular mood swings are:

• bagels
• cereal
• beans
• whole grain bread

These are important foods because they include a lot of fiber. Including fiber into your diet will help keep your mood up and help you keep a positive attitude.

Hot Flashes & Night Sweats

Menopause causes a lot of discomforts, and hot flashes happen to be one of the worst. You can keep hot flashes and night sweats under control by introducing a few things into your diet such as:

• soy
• water
• potatoes
• carrots

Soy contains phytoestrogens, which will help level out estrogen levels and help you to prevent hot flashes. Water helps to keep your body hydrated and also drinking cold water will help keep your temperatures down, making you feel better when hot flashes do come around. Potatoes and carrots also help to keep your estrogen levels higher so you can balance your hormone levels the best you can.

Weight Gain

No women ever want to think about gaining weight. When estrogen levels decrease your body starts to store fat in places you never thought it would. The best way to keep from gaining weight is as simple as eating healthy and taking in the right kind of fats. Look for healthy foods such as:

• low fat yogurts
• oily fish with omega-3
• leafy green vegetables
• Grains high in fiber

Eating low fat foods will help you indulge in your favorite foods without hurting your diet. Eating grains high in fiber also is a healthy part of your diet because it will help keep you fuller longer. Beans are also a good way to suppress appetite after menopause.

Foods to Avoid

When going through menopause there is a lot of foods that are good to avoid keeping your symptoms to a minimum. Some of the bigger foods to watch for are:

• tea
• coffee
• alcohol
• caffeine
• spicy foods
• smoking

Caffeine is a big thing to restrict because it can cause you to lose some calcium, which women are already losing enough of during menopause. Avoid hot beverages that will bring on fits of hot flashes. Cessation of smoking is important because during menopause your bones already begin to weaken and lack of estrogen is already straining the heart, smoking makes these symptoms progress rapidly. Sources: http://www.webmd.com/menopause/features/manage-menopause-with-diet?page=5 http://www.epigee.org/menopause/diet.html

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