Foods to include
Osteoporosis aka Brittle Bone Disease
To give your body a much better chance at staving off this debilitating disease you need to make sure you include a diet high in Calcium, Vitamin D, Magnesium and Vitamin K. If you can pick it off a tree/bush or dig it up it tends to be a good indicator that it’s healthy for you. Fish such as Salmon, Mackerel and Tuna all have good sources of Magnesium. Check out Supplements for (Peri) Menopausal women too.
Phytoestrogens need to be one of the vital compounds of what we should be eating at this stage of our lives. They mimic our womanly hormones and will help with such symptoms as hot flushes and night sweats.
So for example Green Beans, Sesame/Pumpkin Seeds, Tofu and Linseeds in particular are amazing during the (Peri) Menopause because they not only contain Omega 6 oils like other seeds but also contain good quantities of Omega 3 oils. Linseeds contain lignans a type of Phytoestrogen that is believed to carry the same benefits of Isoflavones that are in Soya but they have the added benefits of being anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial.
Apparently taking a regular dose of lignans may also be what has helped to lower the incidence of cancer of the colon, prostate, ovaries, uterus and breast. Miso and Soya Milk – although personally I am not a lover of Soya in general, as there are reasons like a lot of things why an over-consumption of something can be a bad thing.
I have found that if you add these foods to your diet, monitor your symptoms and start off slowly you will find what should be the correct level for you.
Mood swings, anxiety and depression can also be problematic at this time in our life, and there again diet can play a massive part in regulating these symptoms. It’s the chemical Serotonin that controls sleep and mood, so eating foods that contain the amino acid Tryptophan will help to produce serotonin to boost your mood. So Milk & Dairy. Turkey, Eggs, Oats, Cottage Cheese, Banana’s, Chickpeas & Nuts to name but a few.
Now let’s talk foods to avoid
So to start with…
Fast food – it’s loaded with massive amounts of Fat and it’s this Fat that can increase your risk of heart disease which women can be prone to in Menopause. It promotes weight gain and unfortunately carrying excessive weight can also exacerbate your Menopausal issues.
Alcohol – Yes ladies sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but apart from the fact that it is one of the things that sparks Hot Flushes, studies have shown that women who drink more than the recommended units of alcohol a week are 1.5 times more likely to be at risk of breast cancer than those that abstain and heavy drinking increases your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Caffeine – A Study was published saying that women who consumed caffeine were more likely to suffer with High Blood Pressure and Night Sweats than those who don’t. There are absolutely loads of fruit teas these days that don’t contain Caffeine. They’re not like they used to be all tasteless and watery. Some of them are actually very nice. Try a company called T2 my closest one is Bluewater and their Tea’s are amazing, you can actually go in there and taste them.
My go-to Drink first thing in the morning is a glass of warm water with a good squeeze of fresh lemon and some fresh ginger if you feel the need to sweeten it, a small teaspoon of honey should do it.
So, I hope that has helped and given you a little bit of an insight into what to include and what to avoid during the (Peri) Menopausal transition.
I would love to invite you into my Free Facebook Group ‘Fabulous 40+Women’ no moaning just uplifting and inspiring!
If you find it a struggle to make that change to a healthier lifestyle then please do not hesitate to get in touch.
sue@sueleehypnotherapy.co.uk
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & LinkedIn – @sueleehypno
Subscribe to my mailing list and receive a free copy of my Stress SOS Pack
