Menopause And The Importance Of Good Nutrition, Regular Exercise And A Detailed Stress Reduction Plan

Main Category: Menopause
Also Included In: Nutrition / Diet;  Sports Medicine / Fitness;  Anxiety / Stress
Article Date: 19 Apr 2004 - 0:00 PDT


While many women who are going through the menopause all over the world are taken off HRT and wonder what to do, it is important to remember the importance of good nutrition, regular exercise and a detailed stress reduction plan.

Remember that HRT is not the be all and end all of everything. What you eat is crucial, the amount of exercise and the quality of that exercise should never be underestimated. And most definitely, you should have a detailed stress reduction plan.

Menopausal and perimenopausal (just before the menopause) women undergo hormonal changes. These changes often result in the woman putting on some weight, and often a lot of weight. As the menopause approaches, it becomes harder for the woman's body to make the best use of her nutrients in comparison to when she was younger.

It therefore makes sense that a menopausal and perimenopausal woman should think about increasing her consumption of the following nutrients:

--- Omega-3 fatty acids (good for metabolism, fights off cancer plus other benefits)

--- Vitamin D (prevents) osteoporosis)

--- Selenium (many benefits including protection from breast and colon cancers)

--- Anti-oxidants

--- Folic acid

In order to keep her weight and insulin levels under control a low-carbohydrate diet, with slow-release carbs is also recommended. Do not let the carbohydrates go lower than 40% of your nutritional intake. Most vegetables such as peppers, tomatoes, beans (not refried), lettuce, cucumber, cabbage, brussel sprouts, spinach, broccoli and many others have slow release carbs and provide you with lots of fiber (UK spelling fibre) and vitamins and some iron. The best fruits are apples, pears, plums, grapes, oranges, tangerines, melons and some others. Some nutritionists say that bananas, mangoes and guavas release their carbs more quickly.

The menopausal and perimenopausal woman should aim to become physically fit. Regular exercise helps raise your metabolism, it improves and increases your muscle content and reduces fat. Exercise also helps in regulating your insulin levels. Weights help protect you from osteoporosis, many say yoga does as well.

Yoga has been shown to help stress, general health, insomnia and a host of other problems.

It is important to think of exercise as something you are able to do almost daily and enjoy. This does not necessarily mean you have to do massive workouts in the gym. Walking is considered by many doctors as the best form of exercise; it is virtually injury free, most people can do it, and it is one activity our grandparent used to do all the time, meaning it is something the human can and should do, we are designed to walk more than we generally do these days.

If you do start going to the gym, set yourself realistic goals. Tell yourself 'My aim here is to do more exercise than I generally do. I will start gently and slowly build it up.' If you have never done exercise before, or for many years, go on the treadmill and walk for thirty minutes slowly. Do that four or five times a week. Increase the speed ever so slightly each week until, maybe after twelve weeks you are able to sustain a brisk walk for thirty minutes. You really do not need to do more than that, if you do it is because you want to, not because you need to - the health benefits will amaze you.

Numerous studies have shown that menopausal and perimenopausal women who have a nutritional program and are physically fit fare much better than women who do not.

Many women have come off HRT or significantly reduced their dosage and period of treatment because of recent findings that there are health risks associated with HRT. If you have been having treatment you must discuss this with your doctor, do not take action on your own.

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