Friday, February 20, 2009

Risks of Unhealthy Weight Loss During Menopause, Osteoporosis

By Ricardo d Argence

There are a number of health risks that increase during menopause, and many of these risks are exacerbated by a poor diet.

Studies show a reduction in the creation of estrogen and progesterone in women prior to reaching menopause. These hormones also play an important role in bone health, while we tend to think of these almost exclusively in terms of their roles as female reproductive hormones.

Decreases in estrogen levels accompany a reduction in a woman's bone density. This decline actually starts well before menopause, especially in women with inadequate intakes of calcium and vitamin D during the crucial young adult years of bone formation. The loss of bone density is greatly accelerated during menopause, making women up to seven times more likely to fracture a bone than men, and putting them at risk of osteoporosis.

During menopause, a woman's metabolism also begins to slow down, especially if she is not already active. Digestion of food becomes sluggish, causing greater absorption of nutrients from food. Unfortunately, this also means that bad fats, sugars, and other processed food items will have a greater impact on a menopausal woman's health.

With changes in digestion and metabolisn can lead to weight gain to the decrease in female reproductive hormones combined. Increase in weight increases along with other physical changes during menopause, can lead to an increase possibility of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and similar conditions. The risk of developing both osteoporosis and cardiovascular illnesses of the good news is that eating a healthful diet during menopause can help reduce.

It is balance of the key to a healthful diet that can help stave off osteoporosis, weight gain, and associated health complications. Start by eating at least three nutritious meals each day. Eating more frequent, smaller meals is even better. Try not to concentrate excessively on calories; rather, you should focus on sensible portions and consuming foods loaded with nutrients and minimal calories. Some examples are leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, and brightly colored red and yellow vegetables. To be sure that you get all the nutrients you need, it is wise to take a multi-vitamin every day.

Fiber helps move food through the digestive tract to combat a sluggish metabolism. This promotes digestive health, and helps curb excess weight gain. Whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables are nutritious foods that are high in fiber. In combination with a high-fiber diet, avoid fatty and fried foods. Limit overall fat intake to less than 30% of caloric intake.

Some fats, though, are essential for good health. Do include sources of omega 3 fatty acids. Some common food sources of omega 3 are salmon and other cold water fish, seeds, and nuts, especially walnuts. Omega 3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation, and can minimize certain bothersome symptoms of menopause.

For managing common symptoms of menopause like hot flashes and irritability, try reducing or eliminating caffeine and spicy foods from your diet. Avoid excess sugar, especially corn syrup and other highly-processed foods.

Eating foods rich in plant phytoestrogens, such as beans and other legumes, apples, potatoes, and carrots can also help fight hot flashes. Also, drinking at least eight glasses of water each day can work for you. Soy also contains high levels of phytoestrogens, and there are many tasty flavored drinks, yogurts, and even frozen desserts, that contain soy.

The recommended daily allowance for calcium for women over age 50 is 1200 mg, but strive for this amount even if you're younger than age 50. Be sure that your intake of calcium is adequate. Vitamin D aids in absorption of calcium, so eating low-fat dairy products that are fortified with vitamin D is a good choice. Consuming enough bone-protecting calcium can help slow down bone loss, decreasing the risk of developing osteoporosis.

Good nutrition during menopause will greatly lessen the risks of weight gain, osteoporosis, and additional health issues. A healthy diet will also provide you with more energy, and can help you reduce or eliminate troublesome symptoms of menopause. - 16004

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