After the age of 45, a decrease in the body's estrogen secretion accelerates bone loss, and visceral function will gradually decline. Long-term lack of exercise, excessive accumulated stress, and unbalanced nutrition can all aggravate menopausal symptoms. Therefore, in addition to seeking professional medical treatment, a balanced diet and exercise are also one of the health maintenance methods.
Women entering menopause should reduce their intake of foods high in fat and cholesterol and eat more fruits and vegetables, as many of them are natural "cholesterol-lowering medicines" on the dining table.
Cucumber: Crisp and delicious, it has the effects of clearing heat, quenching thirst, and promoting urination. The cellulose it contains can promote the excretion of food waste from the intestines, thereby reducing the absorption of cholesterol. Cucumbers also contain a substance called "tartronic acid," which can inhibit the conversion of carbohydrates into fat in the body, having the effects of weight loss and regulating lipid metabolism.
Eggplant: Contains a variety of vitamins, especially the purple eggplant which is rich in vitamin P, which can enhance cell adhesion and improve the elasticity of capillaries. Medical research shows that eggplant can lower cholesterol and prevent vascular damage caused by hyperlipidemia, and can assist in the treatment of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, arteriosclerosis and other diseases.
Mung bean: An excellent summer product for clearing summer heat, it has the effects of lowering blood lipids, protecting the heart, and preventing and treating coronary heart disease. Animal experiments have shown that mung beans can effectively lower serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein, and significantly reduce coronary atherosclerotic lesions. Clinical practice has also proven that daily moderate consumption of mung beans by patients with hyperlipidemia has a significant cholesterol-lowering effect.
Shiitake mushroom: Has the effects of promoting digestion, reducing fat, and lowering blood pressure. The cellulose it contains can promote gastrointestinal motility, prevent constipation, and reduce the absorption of cholesterol by the intestines. Shiitake mushrooms also contain nucleic substances such as eritadenine, which can promote cholesterol breakdown. Regular consumption of shiitake mushrooms can lower total cholesterol and triglycerides.
Sweet potato: Nutritional research has found that moderate consumption of sweet potatoes can prevent lipid deposition in the cardiovascular system, prevent atherosclerosis, reduce subcutaneous fat, and avoid excessive obesity. It should be noted that excessive intake of sweet potatoes can increase the total calorie intake, which is instead not conducive to lowering blood lipids.
Hawthorn: Mainly contains hawthorn acid, citric acid, lipolytic acid, vitamin C, flavonoids, carbohydrates and other components, and has the effects of dilating blood vessels, improving microcirculation, lowering blood pressure, and promoting cholesterol excretion to lower blood lipids. Hawthorn is an acidic food, so it should not be eaten on an empty stomach, nor should it be eaten in excessive amounts for a long time. It is best to eat it after meals.
Apple: A foreign study showed that eating one apple a day can reduce the risk of death from coronary heart disease by half, which is attributed to the flavonoids contained in apples. Flavonoids are a natural antioxidant that plays an anti-atherosclerotic role by inhibiting the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein. In addition, the pectin in apples can also lower cholesterol levels, thus helping to prevent atherosclerosis.