Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Women's Health
Eat less, but better during menopause
A woman’s nutritional needs change as she ages. Here’s what to eat — and avoid — during menopause
Learning to navigate menopause can be challenging — and, let’s admit it, also pretty frustrating — for some women going through this natural change of life. We are moody, can’t sleep, have trouble concentrating and never know when we’re going to have that last period. (Ugh.) And we’re prone to breaking out in a cold sweat whenever, wherever.
Menopause also is when we can no longer eat and drink with the abandon of youth. Because we tend to slow down as we age, we burn fewer calories on a daily basis. The loss of estrogen — which plays an important role in normal sexual and reproductive development in women — also leads to a decrease in body mass, slowing the metabolism.
So those extra pounds that seemed to magically redistribute around your waist overnight? Sorry, but it’s one of the fringe benefits of getting older.
Hormonal changes during midlife because of the menopausal transition cause women to lose up to 1% of lean muscle mass each year, says Stephanie Faubion, director of the Mayo Clinic’s Center for Women’s Health and medical director of the North American Menopause Society. That, in turn, slows the rate at which the body burns calories, even when still exercising.
Many women also start to be less active and, with children off on their own, have more free time to go to social events such as cocktail and dinner parties, where they fill up on empty calories.
“So a lot of things are happening during that time,” says Faubion.
Women typically gain around 1½ pounds each year as they go through their 50s, so the best defense is a good offense, in which you plan by changing what and how much you eat every day.
It varies depending on height, weight and muscle mass, but most menopausal women only require about 1,500-1,600 calories per day, says Beth Chiodo, a registered dietitian and certified health and wellness coach. That’s down from about 2,000 in your 30s and 40s.
Making cuts can be achieved by smaller portion sizes, of course, but it’s also important to decrease intake of fatty meats and foods that are high in saturated fat, such as fast foods, and limit intake of white rice, bread, potatoes, pasta and all the other “good stuff” that is more easily converted to sugar and easy to eat without feeling satisfied, leading to weight gain.
Ditto with processed foods that are high in sodium and loaded with added sugars, such as cookies, potato chips and, sigh, ice cream.
“Stick to whole grains, and carbs that are higher in fiber like beans, sweet potatoes and quinoa,” says Chiodo.
“It’s mostly simple carbs people need to pay attention to,” agrees Faubion, adding, “You cannot exercise your way out of it. You have to change your diet.”
Because spicy foods can trigger the sweating, flushing and other symptoms of hot flashes associated with menopause, it’s also smart to steer clear of dishes that contain a lot of chili peppers. You’ll also want to cut back on caffeine and alcohol since they, too, can precipitate symptoms. (Moderate drinking for women is defined as one drink per day or less.)
Since we can’t stop the fact that our bones become less strong and more brittle as we age, older females require more lean protein to support bone health and help reduce risk of developing osteoporosis. It’s also important to stay properly hydrated by drinking between 64-80 ounces of water a day. (Your urine should be clear to pale yellow.)
When it comes to essential micronutrients, the average adult requires 1,000 mg of calcium per day, according to the National Institutes of Health. The amount increases to 1,200 mg per day for women over the age of 50, thanks to that pesky loss of estrogen. And to absorb calcium, your body also needs vitamin D — 600 to 800 IU per day until your 70s, when you require 25% more.
While supplements seem like an easy fix, the body can’t actually absorb more than about 500 mg at a time. So if you take a 1,000 mg pill, you’ll actually end up peeing out half of it. Luckily, it’s pretty easy to get enough of both nutrients through foods like dairy products, dark, leafy greens and canned fish with edible bones, such as salmon and sardines.
Plant-based dairy products such as soy, oat and almond milk are fine substitutes for regular dairy, so long as they’re fortified with calcium, says Chiodo. Soy is particularly great during our 40s and 50s because it contains phytoestrogens, which can reduce menopausal symptoms.
So how does it all break down at meal time? An ideal breakfast might include a smoothie, avocado toast or yogurt with fruit; a good lunch could feature a bowl built with quinoa, black beans, a lean protein and Greek yogurt instead of sour cream; and moving on to dinner, maybe salmon with roasted sweet potatoes and a little mango salsa for extra flavor.
“A snack could be a string cheese and some grapes, or an apple with peanut butter,” says Chiodo. And for dessert? A frozen yogurt bar or dark chocolate-covered fruit (or even plain fruit) is ideal for satisfying a sweet tooth so long as you watch serving sizes. If you really, really want ice cream, get a kid’s size, eat it slowly “and really savor it.”
However you build a meal, be sure not to cut too many calories from your plate in an effort to lose weight, because you’ll only end up losing lean muscle along with fat and water, which will slow your metabolism even more — and cause weight gain on the other side.
“It’s basically healthy eating,” says Chiodo. “There’s no magic bullet, but small tweaks can make a big difference.”
“It’s mostly simple carbs people need to pay attention to. You cannot exercise your way out of it. You have to change your diet.”
Stephanie Faubion director of the Mayo Clinic’s Center for Women’s Health