Menopause and Weight Gain. Diet and Treatment

According to medical diagnosis, menopause occurs after 12 months from the official end of the menstrual cycle.

Some women may experience specific symptoms during the perimenopause period, but the real menopause occurs naturally a year after the last menstruation.

The most common symptoms of reported postmenopausal are: depression, insomnia, hot flashes, hypertension, bone and muscle pain, vaginal dryness and wrinkled skin.

Women experiencing perimenopause, premenopause or menopause are more vulnerable to fattening because of hormonal disorders that occur in their body. Each new extra kilogram can cause muscle, bone and heart disorders, inevitably triggering heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis or breast cancer.

The importance of diet in menopause

Experts warn about the risks of weight gain in menopause, insisting on the importance of following a balanced diet. A diet adapted to the new requirements of the body will greatly improve the symptoms of menopause and help maintain a proper body weight.

The diet of menopausal women should aim especially to maintain a normal weight. This can achieved much easier by following a regular physical activity, which will increase overall body tone.

Recommended foods in menopause

• Whole grains. You can eat dried fruits and vegetables, especially wheat, bran, oats, barley, soybeans, grains, nuts, beans.
• Meat. In this respect, it is good to focus more on fish, at least 2 times a week. Proteins from plant sources are rich in vitamins and nutrients, and are much healthier for menopausal women than meat. But you are free to add any lean meat in your diet.
• Fats. Avoid saturated fats (such as dairy fat) and eat good fats, those found in vegetable oils (olive, canola or primrose) and seeds (especially in).
• Minerals. Regarding the deficits caused by menopause, you should take supplemental calcium and magnesium, or you should consume foods rich in these minerals. This will help maintain a healthy heart and prevent the loss of bone mass. The recommended daily dose of calcium is 1500-2000 mg. It is good to take calcium with vitamin D. When menopause symptoms are treated with hormones for menopause, it is best to consult a nutritionist.

Don’ts in menopause diet

• It is recommended to reduce as much as possible sweets that contain many calories, as well as salty or spicy foods. These lead to the development of heart disease. Instead of unhealthy sweets, you might as well eat fruits or sweet cheese with honey.

• Fried food is highly prohibited. You can steam, boil or bake the food without oil instead of eating French fries.

• It is better to avoid snacks between meals. This promotes weight gain and may cause type II diabetes, obesity, cancer and heart disease.

• Dismiss those weight loss diets that promise miraculous effects, but not enough healthy nutrients. This can lead to serious disturbances in blood sugar levels. Remember that it’s much healthier to eat frequent but small dishes. This way you can keep your hunger under control and thus control your body weight.

Example of proper diet for menopausal women

Breakfast: scrambled egg whites and yolks, a half of onion, one bell pepper and 30 g of fat-free cheese. Meals can be sweetened with a grain muffin, a small orange or a plain yogurt. This first meal contains protein, fiber and potassium. Do not skip the first meal of the day, no matter what happens!

Lunch: 100 g of grilled salmon (or other fish), two crushed nuts, a bundle of mixed herbs and half a strawberry noggin. You can add a vegetable soup served with plain cereal biscuits. This tasty lunch brings an intake of Omega 3 fatty acids, fiber, magnesium and potassium and reduces calories instead.

Dinner: 100 g baked pork chops or any other meat, poultry, lean beef or fish, plus a handful of brown rice with apple sauce and sauteed green beans. At dessert, you can eat five almonds. This meal is rich in lean protein, fiber and magnesium.