Diet for Menopause: Key Principles for Nourishing Body and Mind
Introduction: Menopause is not just a milestone marking a woman's entry into old age; it's also a significant test of health. How can one navigate this phase? Let us guide you on what to eat during menopause. By adhering to dietary principles, limiting unsuitable foods, and using targeted food therapy, you can nourish your body with delicious food and remain vibrant and beautiful even during menopause.
Overview of the Menopausal Diet Menopause is the transitional period from middle age to old age. For women, it typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, and for men, between 55 and 65. In the initial stages of the syndrome, symptoms can include sudden episodes of facial flushing, night sweats, palpitations, insomnia, emotional instability, irritability, fatigue, and weakness.
Dietary Principles
The diet for menopausal women should be light, with less meat and a variety of fish. It is recommended to consume foods rich in protein, calcium, and various vitamins.
Recommended Foods
1. Choices for Staple Foods and Legumes: Japonica rice, wheat, sorghum, millet, fava beans, peas, black beans, etc.
2. Choices for Meat, Eggs, and Dairy: Pork, duck, pork trotters, yellow croaker, jellyfish, black carp, soft-shelled turtle, quail, eggs, milk, etc.
3. Choices for Vegetables: Lotus root, tomato, rapeseed, spinach, celery, eggplant, loofah, kelp, bamboo shoots, amaranth, bracken, etc.
4. Choices for Fruits: Banana, orange, apple, pear, watermelon, tangerine, loquat, etc.
5. For cooking, choose vegetable oil instead of animal oil. Vegetable oil not only promotes cholesterol metabolism but also provides the body with various unsaturated fatty acids. Good choices include sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, and soybean oil.
Food Therapy for Women's Menopause
1. For emotional instability and irritability: Take 6 red dates, 30 grams of wheat, and 5 grams of licorice. Decoct them together in water. Take one dose per evening.
2. For excessive sweating and insomnia: Take 15 grams of Schisandra berry and 15 grams of sour jujube seed. Decoct them together in water. Take the decoction in two divided doses, in the morning and evening.
3. For heavy menstrual flow: Take 10 grams of black fungus and 50 grams of pork skin. Steam them until soft and consume the liquid. Take once in the morning and once in the evening.
4. For dizziness and headache: Take 5 grams of chrysanthemum and 10 grams of rock sugar. Decoct in water and drink. Take three times a day.
He Shou Wu (Fo-ti) Congee
Ingredients: 20 grams of He Shou Wu (ground into a fine powder), 50 grams of japonica rice or regular rice.
Preparation and Administration:
Place the He Shou Wu and rice in a clay pot and cook together until the congee is thick and sticky. Stop the heat and it is ready to eat. Take once in the morning and once in the evening for 10-20 consecutive days. Rest for half a month, then repeat the course. Better results can be achieved with long-term consumption.
Not to be taken during colds, fever, or diarrhea.
Efficacy and Indications:
This congee has the effects of strengthening the heart, lowering blood lipids, reducing blood pressure, nourishing the kidneys and essence, and blackening hair. Therefore, it can be used for the treatment and prevention of hypertension, coronary heart disease, hyperlipidemia, as well as insomnia, irregular menstruation, and soreness in the lower back and knees.
Dietary Restrictions
1. Avoid spicy foods such as chili, pepper, mustard, and garlic.
2. Avoid "heaty" foods such as dog meat, lamb, lychees, and apricots, as they can increase internal heat, making symptoms like insomnia, restlessness, and thirst more pronounced.
3. Avoid high-sugar and high-fat diets to prevent diseases like obesity and diabetes. It is advisable not to eat fatty meats, animal fats, or white sugar.
4. Limit alcohol and tobacco consumption; it is best to avoid strong alcoholic drinks and smoking altogether. Alcohol and nicotine can have adverse effects on the central nervous system.