Controlling Menopause Through Dietary Changes

Although diet will not cure the troubling symptoms of menopause, for many women it can make a considerable difference. The changes you make now can yield important benefits for decades to come. You should see menopause as a indication of renewal and preparation for the second half of your life, and in preparation for this change, you should be aware of the necessary dietary changes you may need to make.

You've officially reached menopause when a full year has past without a period. However, you shouldn't wait for menopause to start making dietary changes. Your body will begin to change anywhere from three to ten years before menopause. During this time, called the perimenopause, the reproductive system prepares to shut down and the ovaries gradually produce less and less estrogen. A variety of symptoms accompany the onset of perimenopause.

For many women, these sharp variations in estrogen levels cause drastic changes in the body. Hot flashes are one of the most noticeable effects of this change in your body's chemistry. These sudden bursts of heat can occur at any time and extend across your upper body, sometimes causing you to break into a sweat. The good news is that hot flashes generally vanish as quickly as they appear. And though they trouble some women for only a few months, a third have none at all, even though they have a reputation as being a universal sign of menopause.

Over a span of years (usually 10 or more), you may also see changes in your skin. You may experience symptoms such as increased dryness and wrinkling, and a change in hair texture. The vagina's lining may become thinner, less pliable and drier. You may find that your breasts lose some of their fullness, and that your nipples become less pronounced. Also, bone loss speeds up rapidly in women at menopause, even though bone loss is a natural part of aging. At this stage, women may become more susceptible to osteoporosis.

You may find yourself gaining weight during or following menopause. You can chalk up this gain to advancing age, even though it occurs at a time of dramatic hormonal change. At midlife, unless you follow a regular exercise regiment, you may begin to lose calorie-burning muscle. In addition, your body will no longer need energy to support your reproductive system so your metabolism will slow down. If you want to maintain your former body weight, it may be necessary to cut your calorie intake by 10 to 15 percent while at the same time increasing your level of activity.

Most menopausal changes are physical, but some women will also develop emotional problems like mood swings, irritability, and fatigue. These feelings have never been directly linked to hormonal changes, but could easily be brought on by hot flashes, sleep deprivation, and other stressful consequences of menopause. Although diet alone won't solve these problems, keeping your nutritional status at a peak level is a very wise move during this stress-filled time in your life.

Altering your diet in small ways can have a very positive effect on your body. For instance, staying away from hot drinks denies your body a reason to 'heat up' and produce a hot flash. Also, reducing your caffeine intake (which means cutting out soda, coffee and some tea) will naturally help you sleep better at, which will keep your mood and mental state healthy.

Remember, menopause is a highly individual experience; therefore, every women must approach it differently. You may recognize many of the changes described when menopause takes hold, or you may not experience any at all. It's always a good idea, when experiencing these symptoms, to consult your health care provider. You may be tempted to chalk up such problems to menopause, but they may also stem from other unrelated physical problems. Something such as a thyroid disorder may cause similar symptoms associated with menopause. These could be signs of serious disease. Your health care provider can determine whether symptoms such like hot flashes and mood swings are really due to menopause, and can help you determine the best method of treatment. Upgrading your lifestyle and your diet will surely help get you through this important change.