How Your Diet Should Change With Menopause

With the onset of menopause, there can be a variety of complications; your body starts to respond differently to your diet and you need to adjust accordingly. Two of the most important dietary nutrients you should keep an eye on are calcium and iron.

Regulate Your Iron Intake

After menopause, a woman’s body does not deplete its iron levels monthly due to menstruation. Because of this, your iron requirements are lower after menopause. Premenopausal adult women require approximately 18mg iron a day, whereas menopausal women require about 8mg iron daily. If you already eat a healthy diet, you should not need to use an iron supplement in addition to that, unless your doctor directs you to use one; this might be the case if your body has a low iron absorption rate.

You do need to make sure that you’re consuming enough iron, however. At least three servings of iron-rich foods daily is enough to supply you with what you need. Good iron-rich foods include lean red meats, poultry, fish, and eggs, as well as leafy green vegetables and nuts. Some grain products are also enriched with iron.

Get Enough Calcium

Calcium is essential to your body after menopause because the hormone balance in the body shifts and puts you at risk of osteoporosis. To reduce that risk, make sure that you are getting 1200mg calcium each day. Do not overdose yourself on calcium; 2000mg a day or more can lead to kidney problems, as the body flushes out the calcium it can’t absorb. Make sure to support your calcium intake with enough vitamin D. You need about 400 IU each day. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium.

Besides being a key player in the fight against osteoporosis, vitamin D has many other benefits as well. Vitamin D has been shown to help control high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes.

There are very few foods that are naturally high in vitamin D, so you will most likely need to use a supplement to be sure you have enough. Calcium is easier to come by; you can find significant amounts of calcium in all dairy products, particularly yogurt, as well as spinach, tree nuts, and all types of legumes. Try to eat at least one serving of calcium-rich foods at each meal so you can use fewer supplements; nutrients in foods are easier for your body to absorb.

Health Topics:

"If Only I Had Teeth Down There." Is the Rapex Condom a Solution to Rape?

Mama wants to help

Resources for free food Daily affirmations for a better life Domestic violence hotline Free and low rent housing Adult daycare Holiday resources Share your story. We will listen.