It turns out that not only hormone therapy helps to cope with the symptoms of menopause, but certain foods will help to get through this difficult period in every woman’s life.
Menopause – not the most pleasant period in the life of every woman. At the age of about 50, a woman has completely completed the hormonal function of the ovaries, which leads to a lot of unpleasant side effects. Hot flashes, insomnia and mood swings, depression and even problems in intimate life. But there is HRT – hormone replacement therapy, which helps the female body to cope.
We recently witnessed how, due to a difficult operation, 41-year-old actress Angelina Jolie experienced emotional problems for more than a year, which could affect the relationship with her husband. After the operation to remove the ovaries, the actress had to repeatedly undergo a course of supportive hormone therapy, because she had a premature menopause.
In order to choose a course of drug therapy for themselves, women need to consult a doctor and pass a certain number of tests, but it turns out that there is an alternative treatment for menopause. Sophie Manolas, a renowned nutritionist, has written a book on foods that can naturally ease your path through midlife hormonal shocks.
Sophie carefully studies the ways in which food is used as medicine and explores women’s health issues.
Clinical nutritionist and author of The Essential Edible Pharmacy.
My many satisfied clients are a testament to the power of eating, especially when it comes to managing menopausal symptoms.
Sophie argues that if you stick to her advice and eat a variety of fresh, healthy and natural foods, you can “swim” through menopause easily and easily.
Anxiety and mood swings
During menopause, it is time to eat foods that are high in fat. Low-fat diets are your worst enemy if you are prone to mood swings and anxiety attacks.
Food-medicine: coconut oil and beets
Healthy fats are essential for maintaining brain function and reducing anxiety, so don’t skimp on your coconut oil intake. A teaspoon in a cup of herbal tea is wonderfully soothing and can help fight many other symptoms of menopause. Coconut oil helps burn fat, especially the most harmful and unpleasant – abdominal fat, which can appear in middle age. It is also antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral, making it a great moisturizer during menopause. Try using coconut oil under your daily cream. If you don’t have coconut oil for your hands, go for olive oil or high-fat foods like nuts and seeds. Complex carbohydrates in the form of root vegetables such as beets, parsnips, and sweet potatoes will also help relieve stress and anxiety and boost brain function. Raw beets also prevent cancer, and numerous studies show that they help protect against pancreatic, breast and prostate cancer. Raw beets are also high in vitamin C, fiber, potassium, manganese and vitamin B9 and are helpful in cleansing the liver.
Nutrition for dry skin and hair
During menopause, unpleasant symptoms such as itchy skin, dryness and thinning hair appear.
Food-medicine: radish
This vegetable is potent due to its silica (silicon) content. This mineral helps in the production of collagen, which is essential for healthy hair, skin and nails. Radishes are also rich in vitamin C, which increases collagen production, heals inflamed skin and promotes skin cell renewal.
Radishes are high in beta-carotene, which is an excellent source for eye health, immune function and glowing skin.
Hot flashes (dizziness, chills, bouts of nausea, heart palpitations, and anxiety)
When your estrogen levels drop, your brain struggles to control your body temperature and sometimes fails, causing hot flashes and nocturnal chills.
Food-medicine: herbs and seeds
There are practically no diseases that daily doses of greens will not help to cope with. One of the most important dietary points for each of my clients, regardless of their stage of life, is to increase the amount of greens in the diet.
This advice is based on hard science – vegetables like spinach and kale are packed with nutrients and provide one of the most potent bioactive foundations for any preventive nutrition.
Their fiber content plays a key role in fighting hot flashes and nighttime chills. Fiber helps feed beneficial bacteria, keeping the gut healthy so that it breaks down nutrients properly, preserving the digestive system.
When shopping for greens, choose bright, fresh, and crunchy foods. Sluggish leaves begin to oxidize and do not contain as many high levels of antioxidants and nutrients.
Bitter greens such as arugula and chicory actively contribute to the liver detoxification process. These plants increase the production of acid in the stomach, which aids in digestion.
Greens also help fight cancers of the reproductive organs such as the cervix, ovaries, breast, and prostate cancer.
The phytoestrogens found in flax seeds, sesame seeds, broccoli, and cabbage help relieve menopausal symptoms because they are similar to the body’s own estrogens. Therefore, these foods reduce hot flashes. Flaxseeds also have the added benefit of being high in omega-3 fatty acids, which help the brain work more efficiently, protect the heart, and regulate cholesterol levels to relieve anxiety and depression. Also, in order to keep your liver “clean”, it is worth limiting alcohol consumption: hormonal peaks will go away much easier if you do not drink at all. Drink plain water to help your liver.
Strengthening bones
Osteoporosis is common after menopause, so it’s important to take care of your bone health to prevent bone degeneration later in life.
Food Medicine: Sesame Seeds
Sesame seeds are a great way to maintain healthy bones (especially when combined with greens) and can help prevent osteoporosis due to their generous amounts of easily absorbed calcium. Sprinkle sesame seeds on salads, baked goods, and cooked vegetables.
Prevent weight gain
Hormonal changes mean that extra pounds can come out of nowhere, especially in the abdomen.
Food Medicine: Cinnamon and Avocado
Cinnamon can help reduce insulin resistance, a common condition where cells stop listening to the hormone insulin, resulting in increased weight and increased risk of diabetes.
Eating avocados can help you feel full for longer, which can help curb your cravings for high-sugar foods. I also recommend avocados for those struggling with hormone regulation, as they contain fats that are essential for the production of sex hormones and for fertility in both men and women. Avocados also contain vitamin C, vitamins B, E, and potassium. By regularly including this fruit in your diet, you can improve your skin, regulate blood pressure and reduce inflammation.
Good night sleep
A common problem during menopause is feeling tired during the day, getting up early, and insomnia. Magnesium is the best helper in the fight for proper sleep.
Medicine food: legumes and cherries
Greens, chickpeas, lentils, and beans.
Chickpeas combine an important plant-based protein with high amounts of fiber and carbohydrates. Their protein helps maintain muscle mass, makes you feel full, and strengthens your skin and hair. The product will help detoxify the body and start the process of cleansing the gastrointestinal tract, as well as “feed” beneficial bacteria. Carbohydrates contribute to good brain function. The beans also act as an intestinal broom, cleansing the digestive tract and helping to remove toxins.
Cherries, meanwhile, contain an important antioxidant, melatonin, which plays an important role in regulating sleep / wake cycles.
Adapted from The Perfect Edible Pharmacy: How to Heal Yourself from the Inside Out by Sophie Manolas.