Women’s Nutritional Dietary Guidelines will help reduce menopause symptoms, keep bone density, reduce the risk of heart disease and keep other related diseases under control.
“Just when you get used to PMS, they tell you your’ve got PRIMENOPAUSE :)”
MARIANA BOTHA
Short Overview
It is a natural decline in reproductive hormones when a woman reaches her 40s or 50s.
Menopause is signalled 12 months after the last menstruation.
Common symptoms are hot flashes and vaginal dryness day and night. There may also be sleep disturbances. The combination of these symptoms can cause anxiety or depression.
Menopause is a natural process with treatments that focus on symptomatic relief with medications or nutritional foods and supplements.
Menopause comes with a lot of ups and downs. As your estrogen levels decrease, things like your body temperature and weight may increase.
I see menopause as integral health care for menopausal women and should therefore emphasize lifestyle assessment and counselling to counterbalance the negative effects as well as the lifestyle adaptation to the Post-menopausal period. You have to change nutritional habits that concern all women, can be modified, and impact longevity and quality of life.
Menopause Symptoms can be controlled with Nutrition and Natural Nutritional Supplements. Minimize Calories, Fat, SUGAR in your daily intake. Get a note book and monitor all meals. This will help with weight control.
There Are Four Stages Of Menopause
- Pre-Menopause
- Peri-Menopause – years before the final menstrual period
- Natural Menopause – spontaneous, permanent stop to menstruation. Confirmed by 12 consecutive months after the final period
- Postmenopause – time post menopause
- Common age – 45 to 55 years
Cause: The activity of estrogen and progesterone becomes inconsistent. Eventually, levels of hormones drop below those needed to stimulate ovulation.
Pre-Menopause
Pre-Menopause is commonly associated with mid-life discomforts but it does not have anything to do with hot flashes, fertility loss, and other characteristics of the mid-life transition, about 30 years.
Pre-Menopause is one of the longest phases in a woman’s life and is actually the most fertile phase in their life. Regardless of whether motherhood is planned or not, maintaining optimal health care should be a priority to prevent later years of unbalanced nutrients.
Pre-Menopause Symptoms
There are no specific symptoms of Pre-Menopause. Mostly, during each month certain discomforts around the periods and ovulation times. You can experience very mild or no discomforts so-called periods-pain such as cramps, bloating and breast tenderness, starting a day or two before a period.
There are Three Types of Menstrual Disorders:
- Irregular Periods
- Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
- Premenstrual (PMDD)
Peri-Menopause
Sometimes when you hear women talk about menopause, they unknowingly refer actually to called Peri-Menopause.
Peri-Menopause can be seen as the battlefield of the entire stages of the menopausal transition, where the most intense hormonal fluctuations and severe symptoms occur.
Peri-Menopause comes after Pre-Menopause which is a women’s prime reproductive years, typically in the mid-40s and can last from a few months to over 10 years.
Peri-Menopause officially ends after a year of not having periods for 12 months in a row, around the age of 51 on average. Intensity and frequency will vary from woman to woman. There is no way to know for sure when a woman will enter into Peri-Menopause and reach her final period.
Peri-Menopause Symptoms
- Irregular periods
- Hot flashes
- Mood swings
- Loss of libido
- Night sweats
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Sleep disorders
- Weight Gain
Risk Factors
Certain factors make it more likely to begin at a younger age, like surgery, Radio or chemotherapy, family history, chromosomal abnormalities, autoimmune conditions, smoking, alcohol and malnutrition.
If you undergo an oophorectomy or surgical removal of the ovaries then menopause will start immediately and will not experience Peri-Menopause then these instances are referred to as surgical menopause.
The choice of menopause medications will depend on the type and intensity of symptoms. Women may be offered hormone replacement which is associated with health risks later.
It is crucial to choose the proper Menopause Treatment
The most commonly used Peri-Menopause treatments include the following:
- Healthy Habits
- Alternative Therapies
- Herbs and Natural Supplements
- Psychotherapy
- Lifestyle Change
Natural Menopause
What is Natural Menopause?
Natural Menopause is a point in time when a woman did not have a period for 12 months in a row and can no longer get pregnant. This means that her ovaries no longer contain eggs that could be used for conception.
At What Age Does Menopause Happen?
The average age of Menopause is between the ages of 45 and 55. However, a small percentage of women menopause can come earlier. Early Menopause occurs between the ages of 40 and 45 and Premature Menopause when the final period happens before a woman’s 40.
Can You Confirm Menopause?
When most women pass their mid-40s and the absence of their period for 12 months – medically known as amenorrhea – is enough to confirm menopause.
Several Menopause Tests can be done:
- Vaginal pH swab (pH above 4.5)
- Blood Tests (Low estradiol and high FSH) (FSH – Follicle-stimulating Hormones)
- PicoAMH Elisa test (measures hormone levels)
Please take note: If a woman did not have her periods for 12 months before reaching her mid-40s, a doctor may use additional tests to rule out other potential causes leading to menopause-like symptoms, including thyroid disorders.
Natural Menopause Symptoms:
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- sleep problems
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Memory lapses
- Incontinence
- Hair loss
- Weight Gain
Postmenopause
“WHAT NOW?”
Mariana Botha
After a long road and turbulent arrival of Menopause, I wonder, Then will it be over?
With many of us still experiencing pesky symptoms, we do have a valid concern about our well-being after Menopause.
Postmenopause is the final stage of the menopausal transition. This means that it covers the years from menopause when a woman did not have her period for 12 months in a row and onwards.
Postmenopause is a natural result of the ovaries ending their reproductive functions and shutdown production of estrogen and progesterone causing low levels of said hormones.
Postmenopause Symptoms:
The most common Postmenopause symptoms included, but are not limited to, the following:
- Hot flashes during day and night time
- Vaginal dryness
- Loss of libido
- Dyspareunia (painful sex)
- Incontinence
- Hair loss
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Concentration problems
- Weight Gain
Your Skin And Menopause
Menopause causes many changes to our skin. Our body stops making as much collagen. You lose some fat under the skin and your skin’s elasticity drops. Combined with dryness caused by hormonal changes, cause sagging – especially around the neck, jawline and cheeks. Fine lines and wrinkles you get with menopause and also above the upper lip.
After menopause, your skin gets drier because oil glands aren’t as active. Try to give your skin more moisture. Follow the cleaning skincare steps – especially as you age.
Eating foods with antioxidants may help make your skin stronger from the inside out. Look for brightly coloured fruits and vegetables and try to eat every colour of the spectrum. Nutritional Shakes will be perfect and contains all the nutrients you need for healthy skin.
The Key Menopausal Hormones
There are three important menopause hormones behind mid-life changes with each their own functions:
Estrogen:
Maturing follicles produce it in ovaries. Estrogen is what gives women their feminine characteristics and reproductive abilities. It is also the key to heart health, bone density, mood, and others.
Progesterone:
Released by the corpus luteum after ovulation (produced by empty follicles and egg release on ovulation). On a monthly basis, it prepares your body for pregnancy during conception.
Testosterone:
Testosterone is made by the ovaries and adrenal glands. This plays a role in estrogen production as well as women’s libido, bone health, muscle development and more.
Important: The functioning of these key menopause hormones would not be possible without an array of other hormones, like
- Gonadotropin-releasing hormones
- Luteinizing hormones
- Follicle-stimulating hormones
- Other Hormones
Low estrogen and progesterone – menopause increase the risk of certain health complications:
- Osteoporosis
- Heart disease (Cardiovascular Disease)
- High blood pressure (Hypertension)
- Vaginal atrophy
- Incontinence
- High cholesterol
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Depression
- Anxiety/panic attacks
- Memory loss
- Other complications
How To Balance Hormones During Menopause And Afterwards
Menopause Hormones cannot be restored to their previous levels, thus alleviating many discomforts and imbalances in your body. Therefore a good balance nutrients program needs to be followed at all times. Sometimes you need a little more, like supplements, to keep your body strong and healthy.
Staying in optimal health decreases health risks and diseases that may cause during the time period of your menopause. This should be your main goal.
During your menopause, muscle mass reduces which means that you may need to cut back on calories. Over time this can lead to weight gain.
From the age of about 35, we slowly lose calcium from the bones. Losing Oestrogen during menopause increases the rate of loss, which can increase the risk of osteoporosis. (Vitamin K2, bone density)
Because of hormonal changes, the levels of low-density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides can increase, heightening the risk of developing Cardiovascular disease. (Lean protein and Omega 3 and unsaturated fats). (Vit K2 and Vit D)
The body uses Vitamins B-Complex in various functions, including the production of metabolic energy, synthesis of hormones, synthesis of enzymes, growth of skin and nails, and the metabolism of sugars, amino acids and fatty acids. Vitamins B’s is important for hormonal health.
A well-balanced nutrient meal plan with natural supplements will help reduce your menopause symptoms. As I mentioned before the complicated and chronic diseases that can develop during menopause and Postmenopause phrases a higher urban for older women and those who are frail. As you get older your body requires more nutrients and sometimes nutritional supplements will be required.
A healthy Diet To Manage Your Hormones
NOTE: You should discuss any dietary changes with your doctor, particularly if you’re taking medications that may interact. Be sure your doctor has the full list of supplements and medications you’re taking. Even “natural” supplements can be dangerous if mixed with the wrong medications.
Magnesium
Magnesium is important for improving heart health, reducing blood pressure, decreasing the risk of diabetes, combatting osteoporosis, and particularly if you take magnesium citrate, easing constipation – all issues that increase with menopause. Magnesium glycinate specifically may also help with calming anxiety, reducing joint pain, and improving sleep and hot flashes as well as cold flashes.
Recommended daily intake: 320mg
Food Sources:
- Spinach
- Pumpkin seeds
- Black beans
- Tuna
- Soy milk
- Brown rice
- Nuts – almonds, cashews
- Avocado
- Edamame
- Bananas
- Non-fat yoghurt
Side Effects:
Excessive doses of magnesium could lead to diarrhoea, nausea and cramping. Keep your intake to recommended daily intake
Vitamin A
Your body can get Vitamin A from
- Retinol form comes directly from animal and dairy products
- Carotenoid form, beta carotene from veggie and fruit sources
is converted into Vitamin A in your body. Vitamin A supports your immune system, vision and skin health.
There are not any benefits proven to sustain that Vitamin A has any benefits proven to specifically target menopause symptoms, its role in supporting vision, immunity and thyroid function may play an even greater role during menopause at a time when hormone changes add an additional stress to the body.
Vitamin A is Fat-soluble and your body absorbs it better if it’s eaten with a little healthy plant-based fat (olive oil, fatty fish, nuts and seeds, avocados)
Recommended daily intake: 700mcg
Food Sources:
- Beef and lamb liver
- Butter
- Cheese
- Sweet potato
- Winter Squash
- Kale
- Carrots
- Sweet red peppers
- Mango
- Cantaloupe
- Grapefruit
Side Effects:
Suppose you take Vitamin A more than your daily intake. In that case, it can result in dizziness, nausea, vomiting, headache, or blurry vision and over time could increase your risk of bone fractures and also increase the risk of lung cancer. Consult with your doctor if you are taking any blood thinning or retinol medications.
Vitamins B6 And B12
Vitamin B6 is necessary for optimal metabolism and immune function. Supporting the body’s ability to manage inflammation. It May help ward off menopausal depression and increase energy by boosting serotonin. B vitamins also help with insomnia and possibly even reduce hot flashes. They are also important for cognitive functions.
Vitamin 12 is needed for the formation of red blood cells and is the key to increasing energy, protecting your heart and brain, supporting your gut health and helping your nervous system and eyes work properly.
Recommended daily intake:
B6 – 1.3mg for women aged 50 and younger and 1.5mg for 51 and older
B12 – 2.4mcg for all adults
Food Sources:
B6
- Salmon
- Chickpeas
- Tuna
- Fortified tofu
- Pork
- Sweet Potatoes
- Bananas
- Potatoes
- Avocado
- Pistachios
B12
- Shellfish
- Tuna
- Fortified cereals
- Beef
- Fortified soy milk
- Fortified tofu
- Low-fat milk
- Cheese
- Eggs
Side Effects:
Too much Vitamin B6 can cause nerve damage, so make sure you do not exceed 10mg a day
Vitamin K
This vitamin can be found in leafy greens. The main function is to help with blood clotting, and blood vessel health and plays a role in supporting bone health which declines as you get older. Helping increase your risk for fractures. A recent study suggests it may also help with heavy period bleeding.
Vitamin K is even more effective when eaten with Vitamin D.
Recommended daily intake: 90mcg
Food Sources:
- Green Leaves (kale, chard, lettuce, spinach)
- Cruciferous Veggies (broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage)
- Asparagus, Okra, Green beans, Soybeans
- Canola Oils
Side Effects:
If you are on any blood thinners medication like Wafferin, or anticoagulants, will affect your Vitamin K status. Get advice from your doctor.
Calcium
Calcium keeps bones strong and maintains the proper functioning of muscles and the nervous system. Calcium loss accelerates as estrogen declines, so this important mineral becomes even more vital as you enter perimenopause. Calcium slows bone loss, and osteoporosis as you age, your bones become weakened.
Recommended daily intake: 1000mg for women 50 and younger / 1200mg for 51 and older
Food Sources:
Milk, yoghurt, cheese, tofu, calcium-fortified orange juice, spinach, black-eyed peas, sardines, salmon, and trout.
Side Effects:
If you take too many calcium supplements, more than the daily requirements can cause gastrointestinal symptoms and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. High intakes also affect the absorption of other vitamins.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C heals wounds, maintains bones and cartilage, and helps with the absorption of iron. It is an antioxidant that protects against ageing-related conditions and diseases.
Recommended daily intake: 75mg
Food Sources:
Guava, kiwi, red peppers, citrus fruits, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, kale, and papaya.
Side Effects:
Too much vitamin C can cause diarrhoea, nausea, and stomach cramps. Don’t take more than 2,000mg a day.
Vitamin D (Hormone)
Vitamin D helps the body to absorb calcium, a building block for strong bones. Important for the proper functioning of the muscles and supports heart health, neurological function, blood sugar regulation and immunity.
During menopause Vitamin D keeps the bones strong and stave off osteoporosis, thinning of the bones which can predispose you to fractures. It also may help support brain function, decrease cognitive decline and fight off menopause depression.
Vitamin D is fat-soluble, meaning the body absorbs it better if it’s eaten with a little fat, preferably the healthy, plant-based kind (olive and canola oil, fatty fish, nuts and seeds, avocados).
Recommended daily intake: 600IUs
It can be difficult to get enough vitamin D from food and the sun alone, look for a supplement containing vitamin D3. Avoid exceeding 4,000 IUs a day.
Food Sources:
Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and trout
cremini and portabella mushrooms that have been exposed to sunlight
fortified foods like milk, tofu, yoghurt, orange juice, cereals, pork, and eggs.
Omega-3
Omega-3 is important for heart and brain health is involved in the function of the immune and endocrine (hormones) system, and helps the body manage inflammation. The risk of heart disease increased after menopause. Omega-3 may help keep triglyceride levels in check. They also may help with psychological issues, depression and hot flashes.
Recommended daily intake: The National Institutes of Health recommends women consume 1100mg of Omega-3 and for men to consume 1600mg. Consuming fish twice per week, supplementing, or a combination of the two can help to reach these levels.
Food Sources:
Fatty fish like salmon, flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts, firm tofu, beans, canola oil, and avocado.
Side Effects:
Omega-3 can thin your blood, so if you are on blood thinners, talk to your doctor before adding a supplement.
Probiotics
During menopause, probiotics can help with digestive issues as many women experience bloating, gas or constipation. Also, support vaginal health by contributing to the optimal bacteria of the gut. Antibiotics and poor diets, illness and stress can kill probiotics off in the gut, leaving you susceptible to harmful bacteria and diseases.
Recommended daily intake: There is no recommended amount. Try natural Probiotics like Kefir
Food Sources:
Yoghurt, kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, pickles, miso, tempeh, kimchi, sourdough bread and some cheeses