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Saturday, February 7, 2009

Risks of Unhealthy Weight Loss After Menopause, Osteoporosis

By Ricardo d Argence

Good nutrition is important for women of all ages, but it is even more critical for menopausal women.

As women approach menopause, the body begins to decrease its production of estrogen and progesterone. While we tend to think of these almost exclusively in terms of their roles as female reproductive hormones, these hormones also play an important role in bone health.

Decreases in estrogen levels accompany a reduction in a woman's bone density. This decline actually starts well before menopause, especially in women with inadequate intakes of calcium and vitamin D during the crucial young adult years of bone formation. The loss of bone density is greatly accelerated during menopause, making women up to seven times more likely to fracture a bone than men, and putting them at risk of osteoporosis.

During menopause, a woman's metabolism also begins to slow down, especially if she is not already active. Digestion of food becomes sluggish, causing greater absorption of nutrients from food. Unfortunately, this also means that bad fats, sugars, and other processed food items will have a greater impact on a menopausal woman's health.

The reduction in women's reproductive hormones along with alterations in digestive and metabolic function may produce increases in weight. In combination with these other changes, weight gain also puts menopausal women at greater risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and related conditions. The helpful news is that consuming a balanced mealplan in menopause may help lower the odds of acquiring conditions of brittle bones and cardiovascular disease.

It is balance of the key to a healthful diet that can help stave off osteoporosis, weight gain, and associated health complications. Start by eating at least three nutritious meals each day. Eating more frequent, smaller meals is even better. Try not to concentrate excessively on calories; rather, you should focus on sensible portions and consuming foods loaded with nutrients and minimal calories. Some examples are leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, and brightly colored red and yellow vegetables. To be sure that you get all the nutrients you need, it is wise to take a multi-vitamin every day.

Fiber will serve to fight sluggish metabolism by helping to get food moving through your digestive tract. Helps curb excess weight gain and this promotes digestive health. Whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables are nutritious foods that are high in fiber. Increase the fiber in your diet, and decrease the fat and fried food. Restrict general consumption of fat to under 30% of total calorie consumption.

Some fats, though, are essential for good health. Do include sources of omega 3 fatty acids. Some common food sources of omega 3 are salmon and other cold water fish, seeds, and nuts, especially walnuts. Omega 3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation, and can minimize certain bothersome symptoms of menopause.

To handle typical signs of menopause such as hot flashes and agitation, attempt to decrease or avoid altogether foods containing caffeine or those that are too spicy. Avoid excess sugar, especially corn syrup and other highly-processed foods.

Eating foods rich in plant phytoestrogens, such as beans and other legumes, apples, potatoes, and carrots can also help fight hot flashes. Also, drinking at least eight glasses of water each day can work for you. Soy also contains high levels of phytoestrogens, and there are many tasty flavored drinks, yogurts, and even frozen desserts, that contain soy.

The recommended daily allowance for calcium for women over age 50 is 1200 mg, but strive for this amount even if you're younger than age 50. Be sure that your intake of calcium is adequate. Vitamin D aids in absorption of calcium, so eating low-fat dairy products that are fortified with vitamin D is a good choice. Consuming enough bone-protecting calcium can help slow down bone loss, decreasing the risk of developing osteoporosis.

Good nutrition during menopause will greatly lessen the risks of weight gain, osteoporosis, and additional health issues. A healthy diet will also provide you with more energy, and can help you reduce or eliminate troublesome symptoms of menopause. - 17274

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