HEALTH MATTERS
Iron. Your iron needs actually go down during menopausal years, Bunce says, so focusing on eating lean cuts of beef, eggs, iron-rich cereals, and grains should put enough in your diet. Iron supplements (and that includes multivitamins with iron) are generally not recommended for women after menopause unless your doctor prescribes them.
Soy. Some experts recommend soy for relief of hot flashes, but the research is inconclusive, Bunce says. Soy compounds, called isoflavones, mimic estrogen in the body. Studies of the benefits of soy for women in menopause focus on women in Asia, who get their soy from food, Bunce says. If you want to try soy, eat edamame, tofu, and other soy foods as much as possible instead of processed foods like soy burgers. “Any time you can add plant-based foods to your diet, it’s a benefit,” she says.
Flaxseed. Flaxseed is a wonderful plant-based food with omega-3 fatty acids. Try sprinkling ground flaxseed on cereal, yogurt, and salads; it adds fiber to your diet, keeps your arteries healthy, and has some estrogen-like compounds, Bunce says.
Low-calorie foods in general. The plain truth is that your calorie needs decline with every decade of life. The less weight you gain during menopause, the better your menopause symptoms in general, so it’s worth adopting a diet of low fat, healthy foods, including fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein, that will help you maintain your
weight.
What to avoid. Steer clear of alcohol, sugar, caffeine, and spicy foods, which can trigger hot flashes, aggravate urinary incontinence (another common problem during the menopause years), increase mood swings, and increase bone loss, Bunce says.
Among Bunce’s clients, the women who handle menopause symptoms the best are the ones who approach this time as a natural progression of their lives and roll with the punches, rather than see it as a struggle, she says.
“Many women have spent their entire lives taking care of others,” she says. “This is the perfect opportunity to look in the mirror and say to yourself, ‘I need to take care of myself now so I can have the quality of life I’m looking for.’”