Diet - Menopause And Healthy Living: Menopause

Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School

Diet

A healthy diet can help prevent obesity, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and some forms of cancer. TheDietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 puts a strong emphasis on eating fewer calories and getting more physical activity, in light of the fact that a growing number of Americans are overweight or obese.

Key recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines include these:

• Watch calories. On average, a 134-pound woman needs 2,000 calories per day to maintain her weight; adjust accordingly for your needs.

• Eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including 2 cups of fruit and 2½ cups of vegetables daily.

• Include at least three servings of whole-grain foods, such as brown rice, oatmeal, and whole-wheat bread, in your daily diet.

• Consume 3 cups of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products every day (1 cup of milk equals 1 cup of yogurt or 1½ ounces of natural cheese or 2 ounces of processed cheese).

Calories

The message here is to balance your calorie intake with your energy output. In other words, try not to eat more calories than you burn each day. Obesity is an epidemic in the United States and other industrialized countries largely because of sedentary lifestyles and the wide availability of high-calorie convenience foods in large portions. Excess weight is linked to higher rates of heart disease, breast cancer, diabetes, and arthritis.

It's a good idea to figure out how many calories you need to maintain your current weight (see "Tipping the energy balance"), and determine whether your current weight is within a healthy range (see "What's your body mass index?").

Fat

The 2005 guidelines suggest keeping total fat intake to between 20% and 35% of calories, and saturated fat to less than 10% of calories. On the other hand, Harvard nutrition experts say the best scientific evidence, including data from the Nurses' Health Study, shows that what's important is not how much total fat you eat but what kind of fat. Steer clear of saturated fats in meats and dairy products as much as possible. Avoid trans fatty acids (partially hydrogenated oils) found in stick margarine, vegetable shortening, and many commercially prepared baked goods. Instead, substitute lower-fat dairy products and vegetable oils. Choose polyunsaturated fats (liquid vegetable oil, fatty fish, soybean oil) and monounsaturated fats (olive oil, canola oil). The good news is that certain fatty snacks, particularly nuts and seeds, are healthful because they contain unsaturated fats — so long as you don't eat so much that you gain weight.

Water

Dehydration can exacerbate feelings of fatigue that some women experience during perimenopause and in the postmenopausal years. Keep in mind that caffeine and alcohol remove water from the body. Some of your daily water intake can be from decaffeinated tea or other drinks. Many herbal teas are caffeine-free, and therefore can help maintain hydration. But be aware that too much liquid can exacerbate incontinence problems. Incontinence is a growing problem for older women, particularly those who have given birth vaginally. So drink to quench your thirst and stay hydrated, but avoid drinking too much if you have any urinary incontinence problems.

Last updated:	August 13, 2007