Menopause is a stage every woman must go through. Many women don't know how to tell if they have entered menopause, so what are the symptoms of menopause? What should one eat during menopause? The editor below will take you to understand the relevant knowledge of menopause, and to better get through menopause by improving your diet.
Hawthorn, Lotus Seed, and Lily Porridge
Lotus Seed and Lily Porridge
Cook 30 grams each of lotus seeds, lily bulbs, and japonica rice into a porridge. Take it once in the morning and once at night. Suitable for women around menopause who experience heart palpitations, insomnia, anxiety, forgetfulness, limb fatigue, and rough skin.
Ganmai Decoction (Licorice and Wheat Decoction)
Decoct 30 grams of wheat, 10 red dates, and 10 grams of licorice in water. Drink it once in the morning and once at night. Suitable for women around menopause who experience hot flashes, sweating, waves of heat and redness, and a dull complexion.
Qi Zao Tang (Goji Berry and Jujube Soup)
Use equal parts of goji berries, mulberries, and red dates, decocted in water, taken once in the morning and once at night; or use 30 grams of Chinese yam and 100 grams of lean meat to make a soup, taken once a day. Suitable for menopausal women with dizziness, vertigo, poor appetite, drowsiness, fatigue, and a pale complexion.
Red Bean, Coix Seed, and Red Date Porridge
Cook 30 grams each of red beans, coix seed, and japonica rice, plus 10 red dates, into a porridge daily. Eat it three times a day. Suitable for menopausal women with limb edema, loose skin, and joint pain.
Stir-fried Pork with Goji Berries and Winter Bamboo Shoots
30 grams each of goji berries and winter bamboo shoots, 100 grams of lean pork, and appropriate amounts of lard, salt, MSG, soy sauce, and starch. Heat lard in a wok, stir-fry the pork and bamboo shoots until cooked, then add other seasonings. Eat once a day. Suitable for symptoms like dizziness, vexation, irritability, heavy menstrual flow, dark complexion, and hot palms and soles.
Coix Seed and Red Bean Porridge
Dietary Therapy to Effectively Relieve Menopausal Symptoms
One: Moderate protein. As menopause approaches, the degeneration of the gonads leads to the gradual degeneration of other organs and tissues. Therefore, the diet should include high-quality protein such as milk, eggs, lean meat, fish, poultry, and soy products.
Two: Low-fat diet. Limit animal fats such as lard, butter, and tallow, as well as foods high in cholesterol, like egg yolks, brains, and animal organs. The saturated fatty acids in these foods can significantly increase blood cholesterol levels, promoting the formation of atherosclerosis. It is best to use vegetable oils, such as corn oil, soybean oil, and peanut oil.
Three: A light diet with limited salt intake. Daily salt intake should be below 6 grams. Menopause often coincides with the onset of hypertension and atherosclerosis. Salt contains a large amount of sodium ions; excessive consumption can increase the burden on the heart, increase blood viscosity, and thus raise blood pressure.
Four: Limit sugar intake. Excessive sugar consumption can lead to obesity. It is better to eat more complex carbohydrates, such as starch and millet.
Female Menopausal Symptoms
(1) Hot Flashes: This is one of the main characteristics of menopause. Due to a decrease in estrogen and blood calcium levels, some women experience sudden waves of heat throughout the body, flushing of the face, often accompanied by dizziness and a sense of inner turmoil. These episodes usually last from one or two minutes to about ten minutes.
(2) Irregular Menstruation: Irregular periods are the most common feature for women going through menopause. Menstruation is often delayed, sometimes occurring only once every few months, and the flow gradually decreases. As estrogen levels continuously drop to zero, the body stops menstruating, a stage known as menopause.
(3) Neurological and Mental Disorders: Some women experience significant fluctuations in blood pressure, emotional instability, irritability, personality changes, and memory loss.
(4) Cardiovascular and Lipid Metabolism Disorders: There may be an increased risk of coronary heart disease and diabetes.
(5) Degeneration of the Musculoskeletal System: This can lead to pain in the waist, back, and limbs, and some women may develop periarthritis of the shoulder or cervical spondylosis.
Porridge
♪ A mountain of lilies ♪