Menopause Help - Changing Your Diet Could Stop Hot Flashes
There are many different things that can help you cope with the symptoms of the menopause. These include herbal remedies and drugs from your doctor. But sometimes it is the simple things that can provide a huge amount of menopause help. One of these is making small changes to your diet.
Many women find that certain foods trigger their hot flashes (hot flushes). Common triggers include hot spicy food, alcohol and caffeine containing drinks (coffee, tea and cola). These should be minimized and water drunk instead. In fact you should try to aim to drink about 6-8 glasses of water per day, which is about 1.2 liters. You can keep this water in the fridge. If you are having menopause symptoms but are not sure if they are triggered by food, you could try keeping a food diary. This is where you keep a note of the food that you eat and your symptoms and see if there is any correlation between the two.
Some foods contain phytoestrogens, which are plant materials that are similar to female hormones. These may have some effect in helping overcome some of the physical symptoms such as hot flashes. In Asia there is a much higher consumption of soy-based products and women here are much less likely to suffer with menopausal problems. One theory is that soy products such as soy milk, tofu and miso, contain phytoestrogens and isoflavones, which have a hormone-like effect on the body. Other foods that are rich in phytoestrogens include yams, apples, carrots and potatoes.
Women who have gone through the menopause are at particular risk of osteoporosis. This is a disease where the bones become more brittle and are more likely to fracture. It is important that women eat products that are rich in calcium to protect against this. Dairy products such as yogurt, milk, and cheese are good sources of calcium. Other foods containing this mineral include sardines and pilchards (with bones), green vegetable and baked beans.
Eating the right type of diet can provide menopause help without you having to worry about the side effects of any drugs. Feel free to browse this site for more ideas.