During the menopause, fluctuating hormones can increase waist size, ‘middle-aged spread’, so eating a healthy balanced diet and staying active is crucial around this time. There is no special diet but dietary changes can help to minimise menopause symptoms.
Hot Flushes: some women experience hot flushes. If these affect you, limit triggers such as hot drinks, spicy foods or alcohol. Evidence is limited, but an increase in intake of plant oestrogens from soya and linseeds could help reduce the intensity of flushes for some women.
High Cholesterol: it’s common for an increase in cholesterol levels around the menopause. Reducing intake of saturated fats (e.g. butter and meat fat), eating more oily fish (e.g. salmon or mackerel), oat fibre and nuts could help to keep help to control cholesterol levels.
Bone Health: loss of bone density increases the risk of osteoporosis and the risk increases during the menopause. To avoid this, it’s important to eat plenty of calcium rich foods. These help to keep bones strong and limit loss of bone density. Aim for 3 servings of dairy foods a day or speak to a pharmacist about calcium supplements.