Foods to eat to manage menopause
Menopause is a decline in women’s reproductive hormones. It is a natural aging process, which causes various uncomfortable symptoms such as mood swings, hot flashes, night sweats, and depression. While menopause cannot be prevented, certain things help make the transition a little bit easier. Other than taking medications, one way to manage symptoms is to adopt a healthy food regimen. So, let’s take a look at what foods one must eat to manage menopause symptoms.
Foods to eat to manage menopause symptoms
One must include the following foods in their meals to help reduce or manage symptoms of menopause effectively.
Fruits and veggies
Colorful fruits and vegetables are beneficial to the body in more ways than one. Various studies showed that women who ate more fruits and vegetables experienced fewer symptoms of menopause, like hot flashes and night sweats. Cruciferous vegetables lower the risk of breast cancer. Similarly, berries improve heart health, reduce the risk of depression and inflammation.
Dairy
When a woman enters menopause, her body produces lesser amounts of estrogen. This can worsen bone health, thus increasing the risk of fractures. Dairy products are rich in calcium and vitamin D, both of which are essential for healthy bone growth. Dairy products like whole milk, yogurt, and cheese also prevent premature menopause and improve sleep quality.
Whole grains
Whole grains, like brown rice, whole wheat, quinoa, and oats, provide essential nutrients like fiber and B vitamins, which reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Moreover, they help maintain steady energy levels throughout the day. Therefore, one must incorporate whole grains in their meals every day.
Protein
High-quality proteins are essential for women going through menopause. This is because consuming plant and animal proteins like eggs, chicken, turkey, fish, and tofu can help improve bone density significantly. It also reduces the risk of fractures caused by lower levels of estrogen in the body. If one does not fancy meat, they can also add protein powders to their food.
Healthy fats
Studies show that consumption of healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids helps reduce hot flashes and night sweats. Moreover, healthy fats reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, improve brain health, and fight inflammation. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids include fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and tuna, walnuts, flaxseeds, and hemp seeds.
Treatment options for menopause
Various therapies and medications are used to manage menopause symptoms. The most popular ones are listed below:
Hormone therapy
Hormone therapy is a combination of estrogen and progestogen that helps relieve symptoms of menopause. This FDA-approved treatment improves bone health; however, prolonged use may cause certain cardiovascular risks. Therefore, a doctor only prescribes tiny doses of these medications for a short period.
Clonidine
Clonidine is usually used to treat high blood pressure in adults. It is also effective in reducing symptoms like hot flashes in menopausal women.
Venlafaxine
Venlafaxine, also known as Effexor, is an antidepressant that helps serotonin travel more easily between neurons. It improves moods, reduces pain, fatigue, and hot flashes.
Gabapentin
This medication is used to treat seizures. But like clonidine, gabapentin, too, is used to treat symptoms like hot flashes in menopausal women.