Menopause Diet

What is menopause?

Menopause is a physiological stage in the life of every woman and person with a uterus, in which regular menstrual periods cease , ovarian function ceases , and the hormonal system undergoes reprogramming .

It is a transitional period between the stage of sexual maturity and the ability to bear children and the stage of old age. It can last even several years. Did you know that the postmenopausal period in people in developed countries sometimes covers up to one third of their life?

Menopause – does it only affect older people?

Menopause, or the cessation of menstruation and ovarian function, usually occurs in people between the ages of 40 and 58. According to many available scientific studies, the earlier menopause begins, the more side effects it brings.

You can read more about this topic in the article: premature menopause .

Hormonal changes in the body during menopause

As people enter menopause, their hormonal profile changes .

The synthesis of sex hormones such as estradiol, progesterone and androstenedione is reduced. Additionally, the level of sex hormone binding protein (SHBG) is reduced , which automatically increases the impact of androgens (so-called "male" sex hormones) on the body.

Metabolic disorders during menopause

Metabolic disturbances often occur during menopause.

During menopause, an increase in the concentration of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol fractions and triglycerides is observed in the blood serum, with a simultaneous decrease in the HDL fraction . The risk of atherosclerosis and circulatory system diseases increases . The intake of sodium and potassium in the diet should be controlled due to blood pressure , which may increase.

Insulin resistance and menopause

During menopause, the body's sensitivity to insulin often decreases , which in the long term may lead to the development of insulin resistance , impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes (the first characteristic symptom is hot flashes).

People during menopause also notice a weakening of the skeleton . The risk of fractures increases , and in the worst case, osteoporosis is threatened along with a loss of bone mass .

Menopause and cancer risk

Menopause and the postmenopausal period also increase the risk of developing certain cancers (mainly hormone-dependent cancers).

Most often these are:

• breast cancer,
• cervical cancer ,
• uterine cancer.

In Poland, breast cancer accounts for approximately 19% of all malignant tumors (on average, every 10th person with a uterus will develop it).

Weight gain during menopause

During menopause, there is often an increase in body weight . This does not necessarily have to be related to an inappropriate diet. Of course, snacking on sweets is often accompanied by an increase in the value on the bathroom scale, but menopause is a more complicated process than we think.

To understand this, you first need to familiarize yourself with the basics of human physiology.

What happens during menopause?

During menopause, the body's ratio of sex hormones changes , which affects the accumulation of fat around the abdomen .

During menopause, adipose tissue becomes, among other things, the main site of synthesis and transformation of sex hormones. Its growth in the abdominal area is mainly related to the increased synthesis of androgens , or "male" hormones.

Additionally, decreased levels of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) during menopause lead to increased levels of free testosterone in blood serum . This in turn stimulates androgen receptors in abdominal adipose tissue, increasing the development of abdominal obesity and insulin resistance .

Of course, the accumulation of fat tissue is also influenced by lack of exercise and snacking , and fat tissue itself has the ability to synthesize pro-inflammatory cytokines , which can make weight loss more difficult.

Relief of menopausal symptoms

Unpleasant and difficult everyday symptoms can be alleviated by a proper diet and physical activity . During menopause, special attention should also be paid to the regeneration of the body , sleep and rest .

Proper diet during menopause

The menopausal diet should be rich in all the necessary nutrients supporting proper bone mineralization, fatty acids necessary for proper hormone synthesis and products rich in fiber regulating metabolism.

Daily energy intake during menopause is individually adjusted to the needs of the given body, health condition and body weight.

Essential products in the diet during menopause

When composing a diet for a person during menopause, one should strive to cover the body's total need for macronutrients.

A sample menu should include:

• products rich in complex carbohydrates, such as whole grain products (e.g. oatmeal, wholemeal flour, bran),
• foods that are a source of fiber, such as vegetables, fruits with skin, and legumes,
• a source of protein, such as good quality meat (turkey, veal, offal), dairy products (unsweetened yoghurt, sour milk, goat cheese), legumes,
• healthy fats, i.e. a source of essential unsaturated fatty acids (oily sea fish, walnuts, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, olive oil, avocado).

Fiber and diet during menopause

Fiber is a dietary fiber naturally found in cereals, vegetables and legumes.

Meals rich in fiber are characterized by greater volume and satiety while reducing caloric content, which affects the maintenance of a healthy body weight. Additionally, the presence of dietary fiber in the daily diet regulates intestinal motility and facilitates defecation and has a positive effect on the level of total cholesterol in the blood serum, reducing the risk of circulatory system diseases .

Fatty acids and menopause

During menopause, special care should be taken to include sources of essential unsaturated fatty acids (ALA, EPA and DHA) in the diet. They have a protective effect on the cardiovascular system, which reduces the risk of ischemic stroke after menopause .

Additionally, including EPA and DHA fatty acids in the diet has been found to significantly reduce the risk of breast cancer in perimenopausal individuals .

Also read the article about breast structure and development .

The substances contained in healthy fats (for example, olive oil, flaxseed oil or evening primrose oil) have a positive effect on the functioning of the nervous system and reduce the risk of depression in people after menopause. Enriching meals with them helps regulate the level of glucose and insulin in the blood , which inhibits the appearance of troublesome hot flashes.

Calcium in the diet during menopause

Calcium is one of the main building blocks of the skeleton , and its intake by perimenopausal people is important for protection against osteoporosis and bone fractures .

A rich source of calcium is milk and dairy products (including rennet cheeses), as well as canned fish with bones . In the case of people struggling with cow's milk protein intolerance, it is recommended to supplement calcium from plant sources, such as green leafy vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, parsley, spinach and sorrel) and hazelnuts .

Better calcium absorption is influenced by the presence of vitamin D and such substances in the meal as: lactose , lysine , inulin and some forms of casein . In turn, the absorption of this element is adversely affected by the fraction of insoluble fiber and large amounts of fat in the meal and the presence of phosphorus .

Vitamin D deficiency during menopause

Vitamin D is a substance that is extremely important for our health, specifically immunity , fertility and proper hormone synthesis , cognitive functioning and bone structure .

Sources of vitamin D are plant products and fungi , as well as animal products . Unfortunately, skin synthesis of vitamin D in our climatic conditions is insufficient.

Vitamin D deficiency due to low sun exposure and poor diet can have negative effects on bone health, circulatory system, metabolism and functioning of the nervous system . For this reason, especially in people during menopause, it is important to ensure an adequate supply of vitamin D3.

Vitamin K Among Essential Nutrients

Vitamin K has several important functions in the human body, including calcium ion binding , blood vessel function , vitamin D absorption , and protein distribution . It also has a direct effect on bone metabolism, stimulating bone cell growth and inhibiting the maturation of osteoclast cells .

Vitamin K is produced by our intestinal bacteria , and can also be found in green vegetables (Brussels sprouts, lettuce, cabbage, spinach, green asparagus), vegetable oils (olive oil, soybean oil), and some fruits (kiwi, grapes, avocado). Fermented dairy products and cheeses , butter , and some offal (kidneys) are rich sources of vitamin K.

Folates

B vitamins, especially folates, are essential for the proper functioning of the circulatory system and the nervous system , including cognitive functions .

Folate supplementation in postmenopausal people helps reduce the concentration of homocysteine ​​in blood serum , thereby reducing the risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke .

Folates also enter into biochemical reactions with such neurotransmitters as noradrenaline and serotonin , which positively affects the number and severity of hot flashes. High intake of folic acid by postmenopausal people is associated with a lower incidence of breast cancer .

You should eat plenty of leafy vegetables , citrus fruits , meat and offal . Yeast and whole grains are also a rich source of folates .

Phytoestrogens

Phytoestrogens have similar effects to estradiol, which is why they can affect the health of people going through menopause. Phytoestrogens reduce the risk of breast cancer and reduce psychosomatic symptoms .

Additionally, they reduce unpleasant symptoms from the genitourinary system and regulate blood pressure . A diet rich in phytoestrogens prevents bone loss and protects against fractures .

The main sources of phytoestrogens are:

• soy and soy products (e.g. soy drinks),
• legume seeds (chickpeas, beans),
• sunflower seeds, peanuts and linseed,
• blueberries, grapes and cranberries,
• skimmed cow's milk.

Avoid processed foods!

A large amount of processed foods in the diet are a source of pro-inflammatory substances that have a negative effect on the entire body .

A highly processed diet promotes weight gain , the development of heart disease and predisposes to metabolic syndrome .

The diet during menopause should be designed in such a way as to provide the body with all the necessary nutrients, micro- and macro-nutrients. A well-composed diet excludes products with a high glycemic index (sweets, sweetened carbonated drinks and juices, cookies, fructose-sweetened muesli) and products containing trans-saturated fats (fast food, margarine, ready meals to be heated in the microwave). Instead, it should focus on fresh, seasonal and nutrient-dense products .

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