Category: food

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Are poor memory and concentration symptoms of menopause?

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I’ve been asked this question about poor memory and concentration at every Lunch & Learn I’ve given in the past few months.

Women in midlife may experience memory loss, forgetting words, problems with recall, and reduced concentration.  This can make them lose confidence and self-esteem.

The next question I get asked is:  Is there anything I can do to improve this?

 

YES and YES!

 

Decreased memory and concentration can be a consequence of getting older, in men and women, and for women in midlife it can be caused by changes in hormones, like estrogen, as occurs in menopause.

 

The best thing you can do for your brain (and your heart, since what’s good for one is good for the other) is to stay active and eat and sleep well. The basics, right?

 

But even the basics are hard to get to in midlife with so much going on and fatigue added on. So here are a few tips I hope can help you:

 

STAYING ACTIVE

Don’t like to or don’t have time to go to the gym? No problem.

 

You don’t have to walk 10,000 steps/day either.  Just 15 minutes/day of brisk walking improves your cognitive function.  Research shows that “Exercise “Snacks” make fitness easier.

 

What are exercise snacks?  They’re precious minutes in your day to get you moving and improving.  Read more here or listen to “The Dose – The benefits of ‘exercise snacking“.

 

Walk after lunch/dinner.

 

Exercise may also reduce hot flashes and night sweats.

 

EATING WELL

The Mediterranean diet seems to show the most benefits.

 

Plant-based, not meat-based.

 

Healthy fats (think olive oil, nuts, fish, avocado…).

 

Drink LOTS of water to improve brain function (memory and concentration) – 2000 mL (2L) per day for brain health as per Dr. Lisa Mosconi’s recommendation.

 

Read my blog – The Food You Eat Can Moderate Your Mood for more tips.

 

SLEEPING WELL

If you have trouble falling asleep you should establish a regular sleep schedule and sleep routine (tried, tested, and true):

Wake up and go to bed at consistent times, even on weekends.

Avoid caffeine after 3PM and alcohol late in the day.

Relax and wind down before sleep by reading a book, listening to music, or taking a leisurely bath.

A cup of chamomile tea may also do the trick, but have it more than three hours before bedtime to avoid having to go the bathroom during the night.

Keep bedroom light, noise, and temperature at a comfortable level – dark, quiet, and cool are conditions that support sleep.

Use the bedroom only for sleep and sex.

Read my blog – Sleep: Chief Nourisher In Life’s Feast for more tips.

 

TAKE A 15-MIN POWER NAP

Before 3pm – more beneficial than another coffee cup.

 

Watch this 10 min video to convince yourself (and your manager) of its benefits.

 

MANAGE YOUR STRESS

In whatever way works best for you:  baths, reading, meditation, slow breathing, listening to music, waking in nature, exercising, talking with a friend.

Be mindful, live in the present moment.

 

What does this looks like in practice?

“I don’t have time!” you may say.  Yes you do, if you manage your time optimally FOR YOUR HEALTH.

If you have one hour for lunch, eat a vegetable-based meal (include a protein) in 30-min and then go for a brisk 20-min walk or a 15-min power nap.

At night ditch the TV and your phone (mindless activities that do not improve your cognition) and read a book, have a conversation in candlelight, and have an early bedtime (by 10:30 pm preferably) after a 20-min bedtime routine.

Your health (YOU) should be your priority. Not streaming, scrolling, cleaning, etc., etc., etc..

 

Just give it a try and let me know how much better you feel.  Really. It will make a difference.

 

HOW I CAN HELP YOU?

If you have brain fog or any other menopause-related symptoms that may impair your quality of life, work, and relationships, and you’d like to know more about managing them let’s talk.

If you’d like your employer to become aware of and understand the effects of hormonal changes in midlife I’d be glad to deliver a virtual or in-person Lunch & Learn. In my talk I explain what happens during menopause and how your employer can support you and other women (and spouses of women going through menopause) during the transition to help you feel more confident, productive, and engaged. Contact me and  feel free to share this blog at work with your HR department, executive, manager(s), and colleagues.

If we talk about menopause, we can make life easier for many women.

 

The food you eat can moderate your mood

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Do you know that the food you eat can moderate your mood?  That it can help fight depression, for example?

 

That’s because, even though most of the fibre you eat isn’t absorbed by your digestive tract (stomach, small, and large intestines), it still helps your mood by feeding the good bacteria that lives in your gut.

 

The other day I was in downtown Toronto and I visited one on my favourite restaurants (the Canteen).  Unusually, I ordered one of the unhealthiest meals on the menu – burger and fries.  Yes, it tasted good.  And yes, I paid for it later!

 

That evening I felt stuffed, hot, and so miserable I even cried over some minor thing (so minor I don’t even remember what it was).

 

Time is limited to do everything we must.  Shopping for fresh/real (not from a box) food and cooking those ingredients at home may be difficult for you.  In order to save time, you might buy pre-cooked frozen meals, packaged processed food, eat out, or take-out.  Not only do those foods usually contain more salt and fat than you should consume in a day, but also they probably do not offer you the amount of fibre you need to stay happy.

 

Yes, FIBRE is very important for mood!

 

Studies have shown that a Mediterranean-style diet is helpful for depression if it includes

  • 7-9 servings per day of vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, Brussel sprouts) or fruits (apples, berries, mango)
  • legumes (chickpeas, beans, lentils)
  • daily consumption of nuts
  • whole grains (oats, barley and others).

 

I grew up eating and continue to eat a Mediterranean-style diet.  I love my raw veggies, fruits, oats, nuts, and legumes.  I cook from scratch and freeze a lot for the days I don’t have time to cook.  (I also make a menu list weekly with accompanying shopping list and go shopping only once per week).

 

The reason I’m telling you about the connection between food and mood is because a lot of changes happen during the menopause transition and it’s helpful to connect the dots:

  • You are what you eat
  • Food influences your body and how you feel

 

If you haven’t been feeling your best lately, write down what you eat and how you feel, physically (bloated, itchy, hot, headache), and mentally/emotionally (fatigued, sad, anxious, angry).  Maybe you can eventually see a pattern between what you eat and how you feel.

 

Once you connect the dots you can start eating (and cooking) more foods that are helpful to your gut bacteria and as a consequence to your mood as well.

 

Listen to this episode of The Dose – What does my mental health have to do with the health of my gut? to learn more about your food affects the microorganisms in your gut and how they affect your mood, for better or for worse.

 

Want to know more about menopause? Sign-up for me biweekly MenopausED Newsletter here

Menopause Tips – How to Thrive in the Holidays, #9 DON’T GIVE UP EXERCISE

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In this season of stress (and often, over-eating), remember, don’t give up exercise!  Keeping your life under control while experiencing poor sleep, memory problems, hot flashes, fatigue, mood swings, and other unpleasant menopause challenges is hard enough. Add to that the stress and “must dos” of the Holiday season and you may want to get under the bed and resurface on December 26th, or go on a vacation by yourself.

I’ve been there! But I’ve learned some useful strategies not only to survive but also to thrive and enjoy the holidays that I want to share with you:

Menopause Tips – How to Thrive in the Holidays

 

#9 DON’T GIVE UP EXERCISE (chewing doesn’t count as exercise)

With so much to do it may seem easy and OK to eliminate your workouts in the weeks before the holidays. Don’t do it. Even if your New Year’s resolution is to work out three times a week in 2020, don’t give up exercise in 2019.

Five reasons why you don’t want to give up exercise:

1.Exercise makes you happier and healthier to endure the holiday demands.

2.Exercise keeps you from putting on weight.

You’ll eat more during the festive season, so to avoid gaining weight you must burn those extra calories.

3.Exercise is good for your brain.

Exercise increases blood circulation to your brain making your thinking sharper (less menopause brain fog).

4.Exercise improves sleep.

Many women in menopause complain of poor sleep. Exercising improves sleep.

5.Exercise releases endorphins, brain transmitters that boost mental health.

That’s why exercise makes you feel good, energized, and more alert; and it may even help you tolerate your annoying guests better! You can read more about “8 Ways Walking Changes Your Brain For The Better, According To Science”, here.

If your excuse is that there’s too much to do and you don’t have time to exercise, cut out something less important from your To Do List – read more on #1 MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER DURING THE HOLIDAYS (and afterwards).

Exercise = health. Nothing this holiday is more important than your health and the health of your loved ones.

You have choices, chose what’s best for you – good nutrition and movement!

Go for walks outside as often as you can. It’s good for your body especially if you walk after meals (which burns calories and decreases weight gain).

Walk after your holiday meal and catch up on each other’s lives while walking.

How often do you get the chance to talk with your son or daughter and burn calories at the same time?

There’s an added bonus for those living in cold weather – your body has to work harder to keep its temperature up, burning calories more quickly!

Don’t think of exercise as a chore, think of it as an investment in your health now and in the future!  Over the holidays, don’t give up exercise!

 

If you missed the earlier tips (or just want to read them again), you can find them on my blog:

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.

Grab a quick guide and subscribe to the MenopausED Newsletter on the MenopausED home page.

If would like to know how Teresa can improve your menopause transition then schedule a complimentary Discovery Call at MenopausED.org.

The yummy Mediterranean-style diet

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I don’t know about you, but I don’t like fad diets, especially if they eliminate certain foods, because I like a variety of foods, that’s why I like the yummy Mediterranean-style diet!

My love for many types of foods may have originated in my being raised on the Mediterranean-style diet and this way of eating has served me well all my life. I’ve never been overweight (reasonable portions and regular exercise also help to keep an ideal weight), and I usually don’t crave anything. And, when I do crave something, I usually eat it and get it out of the way! That’s because I usually eat healthily and when I indulge I regard it as a treat not a sin.

When I speak (write!) about diet I don’t mean diet in the sense of eating a predetermined and limited number of calories, or a certain type of food only, or the exclusion of whole food groups, or avoiding ice cream and other delicious treats. To me diet is the way of eating. Diet is nutrition. Diet is eating healthy foods most of the time and eating something less healthy when I feel like it because I’m human.

I eat my vegetables and fruits happily and eagerly.  I have some delicious salad recipes that are a whole meal in themselves, are very nutritious, and fill me up. It you are interested in some of these recipes look up lentils.org. I rarely eat red meat and I don’t miss it or crave it. I use very little added sugar and don’t buy processed foods. Meaning, I buy most of my food from the outer aisles of the supermarket (fresh produce, frozen veggies and fruits, cheese, milk).  I don’t buy food that is packaged in boxes (which often has been processed in some way). I cook from scratch 3-5 times a week and eat leftovers often. I make a pot of soup every week and take a bowl to work for my lunch. I know what you’re thinking! OMG, that’s crazy, too much work, too much time, I can’t do that (even if I wanted to!).

But if you eat properly you feel better!

The Mediterranean-style diet is characterized by a high intake of plant-based foods—vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, and nuts. Olive oil and some canola oil are the main fats and these are healthy unsaturated fats (think of healthy fats as those that remain liquid even at low temperatures, as at fridge temperature). Include a high intake of fish (it’s getting harder to eat good sustainable fish these days, though) and poultry (chicken and turkey—the lean meats) and limited red meat. And I saved the best for last—one glass of red wine.

Let me tell you what science is saying about the Mediterranean-style diet:

  • One study showed that postmenopausal women who eat a Mediterranean-style diet may have healthier bones in the lumbar spine area (lower back) and more muscle mass (two good things to prevent osteoporosis and reduce fractures).
  • It reduces the risk of heart disease (the number-one cause of death in postmenopausal women).
  • It reduces the risk of cancer.
  • It offers cognitive (memory and concentration) benefits.

When you plan what you eat carefully (I make a weekly menu and shopping list) you are aware of what you’re eating and consciously include nutritious and healthy food in your meals and snacks.

This diet doesn’t have any negative side-effects and it will give a lot of pleasure to your taste buds!

But remember to mind how much you eat (portion size) because too much of a good thing is still bad.

Happy Fall, season of bounty. Enjoy the harvest and go for a walk after a wonderful Mediterranean-style diet dinner!

Need help? There’s help. I can help you!

Would you like to become a member of my WHIM (Women’s Health In Midlife) Network?

We are a group of women who enjoy

  • knowing more about our midlife health and well-being;
  • socializing, interacting, and connecting with women going through similar experiences;
  • venting and being understood by women that “are/have been there”;
  • supporting and being supported by other midlife women.

Find out more and become a member here!

Food For Menopausal Bones

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During menopause you need to think about food for your menopausal bones.

Bones aren’t static, they have cells that make bone and cells that dissolve bone. When we are young we make more bone than we lose but around the menopause years bone loss speeds up due to decreasing levels of estrogen. Osteoporosis is a disease of the bones characterized by brittle and fragile bones. If you suffer from osteoporosis you are more likely to suffer a fracture if you fall. Even a small fall may cause a fracture in someone with osteoporosis which may not have in someone not suffering from osteoporosis. Another possible symptom of osteoporosis is loss of height and a bent-forward posture, which is caused by small fractures in the vertebrae of your spine affecting your posture.

We cannot modify some of the risk factors that cause osteoporosis, like sex, age, race, family history, and body frame size. But there are other risk factors that we can modify to decrease our risk of getting osteoporosis, like sedentary lifestyle, excessive alcohol consumption, tobacco use, and low calcium intake.

Calcium is important to maintain healthy bones. The heart, muscles, and nerves also use calcium. According to Dieticians of Canada “women between 51-70 years of age should aim for an intake of 1000 milligrams (mg)/day and stay below 2000 mg/day. This includes calcium from food and supplements”.

Good sources of calcium include

  • Milk, cheese, yogurt, kefir – choose low fat
  • Vegetables – dark green leafy
  • Fish – with bones
  • Tofu
  • Nuts – almonds
  • Beans

Fortified soy beverages and calcium-fortified orange juice and cereals are sources of calcium but keep in mind the calcium in these products is added, so it falls into the calcium supplement category.

Osteoporosis Canada “strongly recommends that everyone obtain their calcium through nutrition whenever possible. Even if you take excess calcium from your diet that is not harmful.… getting more calcium than you need from supplements can be harmful. Excess calcium from supplements has been associated with kidney stones, heart problems, prostate cancer, constipation and digestive problems. Do not take extra calcium from supplements if your diet is already giving you enough calcium”.

According to Osteoporosis Canada:

to know whether or not you need to take a calcium supplement, you really need to figure out how much calcium you are getting in your diet. Here is a very simple way to calculate this.

First, give yourself a baseline of 300 mg of calcium simply for eating anything at all. This is because there is a small amount of calcium in a variety of foods such as breads, muffins, oranges, etc. At the end of the day, even without eating any high calcium foods, you can’t help but get about 300 mg of calcium in your daily diet.

Now, add another 300 mg for any of the following high calcium foods:

  • 1 cup (250 ml) of cow’s milk or goat’s milk (including whole milk, 2%, skim or chocolate milk)
  • 1 cup (250 ml) of fortified soy, almond or rice beverage
  • 1 cup (250 ml) of fortified (or calcium rich) orange juice
  • ¾ cup of yogurt (175 ml)
  • 2 slices of cheese
  • one chunk of cheese (a 3 cm cube)
  • salmon, canned with bones (1/2 can or 107 g) or sardines, canned with bones (7 medium or 84 ).

Vitamin D helps your body absorb and use calcium and improves muscular function.  Vitamin D is a hormone synthesized in our skin by sunlight. We can also get vitamin D through fortified foods and supplements.  Osteoporosis Canada says that “it is impossible for adults to get sufficient vitamin D from diet alone, no matter how good their nutrition. Therefore, Osteoporosis Canada recommends routine vitamin D supplementation for all Canadian adults year round”.Adults over the age of 50 should aim for a daily intake of vitamin D between 800-2000 IU. Taking more than 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily should be done only under medical supervision.  Too much vitamin D can cause kidney stones, nausea, constipation and other health problems.

Best Food Sources of vitamin D: 

The Osteoporosis Canada website offers a calcium calculator that’s very easy to follow:

Three servings of any of the above will give you about 900 mg of calcium, and if you add the 300 mg of baseline calcium for eating anything at all, this will ensure the 1200 mg of calcium you need if you are over 50. Don’t forget to add in any calcium you might be getting from a multivitamin tablet .

  • Fish
  • Milk
  • Eggs yolks
  • Fortified soy beverage
  • Margarine

Prevention is the best remedy, so think about your bones and eat wisely to prevent osteoporosis.

 

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.

Grab a quick guide and subscribe to the MenopausED Newsletter on the MenopausED home page.

If would like to know how Teresa can improve your menopause transition then schedule a complimentary Discovery Call at MenopausED.org.

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