Weight gain is a common occurrence during menopause. Hormone fluctuations may have something to do with putting on a few pounds during menopause, but the problem is often compounded by poor eating habits. Your own menopause experience doesn't have to be the same old story. You can maintain or even lose weight during menopause by making smart dietary choices.
Healthy Eating Vs. Dieting
Healthy eating during menopause has benefits beyond just losing weight. Eating the right foods may help you combat some of the symptoms associated with menopause, like hot flashes, night sweats, bloating and mood swings. Restricting foods may help you achieve some short term weight loss, but you can keep the weight off and manage your menopause symptoms if you focus on healthy eating plans that you can stick with.
What to Eat During Menopause
If you add any food to your diet, add soy. Though the reasons are not known, according to the Mayo Clinic, many women claim that they experience fewer hot flashes when they add soy to their diets. Further, soy is linked to lower cholesterol and reduced risk of heart disease, according a study by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Cholesterol and heart disease risk often increases during menopause, so soy is a great way to offset the dangers. Replace animal proteins with tofu in some of your meals, add soy milk to cereal and coffee and use soy protein powder in smoothies.
Fruits and vegetables that contain phytoestrogens are ideal dietary picks for weight loss since they are high in fiber and low in fat and calories. There are additional benefits in these foods for menopausal women, however. A study by the Cochrane Database of Systematic Review, the phytoestrogens in the food helps to compensate for the drop in estrogen during menopause. The increased estrogen helps ease symptoms. See the Additional Resources section of this article for a list of fruits and veggies with high phytoestrogen levels.
Other smart food choices that will help with weight management and menopause symptoms include eating more whole grains and fiber, choosing calcium rich foods and skipping high fat and high sugar foods.
Diet Plans
Some menopausal women have had success following a low glycemic index (Low GI) diet, as it emphasizes foods that are helpful in both managing menopause symptoms and calorie intake. However, there is no agreement in the medical community about a specific diet plan that will work for all menopausal women. The Mayo Clinic recommends healthy eating and exercise for weight loss, weight maintenance and coping with changes brought on by menopause.
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