12 Tips for Menopause-Friendly Holidays – TIP #6: EAT NUTRITIOUS FOOD
You have choices! And healthy choices don’t necessarily taste bad! When you eat nutritious food you’ll feel better and enjoy better health!
Chocolate is processed food, coffee isn’t water!
Instead you can make deserts with pure cacao, which is good for you, and drink water when you wake up in the morning, after your coffee(s), and throughout the day.
You feel and perform better and have an easier menopause when you eat real food (grows or walks in the fields), drink enough water (2L for brain health, but stop drinking at least 3 hours before bedtime to avoid nightly trips to the bathroom), and move regularly.
There is little evidence that supplements boost the immune system.
Experts say that the best you can do is to eat well (“eat nutritious food”), meaning lots of colourful vegetables and fruits, which contain lots of vitamins and minerals.
Vitamin C boosts the immune system but you should get it mainly from dietary sources—which means the food you eat, not from pills. Eat lots of food rich in vitamin C like citrus fruits, berries, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and spinach.
With age, absorption of some nutrients from food diminishes so you may want to supplement with a multivitamin a day to prevent any deficiencies.
Women over 50 should also aim for a daily intake of 1200-1500 mg of calcium, mainly from food, 2000IU of vitamin D from supplements, and omega 3 fatty acids from fish and supplements.
Have your cake (or chocolate, or chips) and eat it too! But have a plan to eat it wisely. Set your boundaries. For example, plan to have a piece of cake or a handful of chips once or twice a day and stick with it.
Be conscious of what you eat, when you eat, and why. Are you really hungry every time you reach for food? If you’re not, find out what’s making you wanting to eat. Is it boredom? Anxiety? Fatigue? Thirst? Fear? Loneliness? Sadness? Sorrow? Food is sustenance. If you’re eating for other reasons then address them appropriately.
Every time you want to eat but you don’t feel hungry, go for a walk instead, inside or outside. This distraction will take away the urge to eat. And it’s good to move (read TIP #8, coming soon).
Be aware of your food – really look, smell, taste, and enjoy your meal. Take the time to be present while you eat. Don’t eat while watching TV, scrolling through your feed, or talking on the phone. Be present with your food. Appreciate who grew it, harvested it, and brought it to you. Be grateful, and eat nutritious food!
Teresa Isabel Dias is a pharmacist and Certified Menopause Practitioner (NCMP) who provides education and support on symptom management for women at work and at home so they’ll feel like themselves again and enjoy a vibrant and productive life.
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