Menopause: help!

Hot flushes, mood swings, troubled sleep, and difficulty to control bodyweight are examples of inconveniences that can be experimented during, menopause, a period characterized by hormonal changes.

Did you know that some nutrition strategies could help you alleviate some of these irritating symptoms?

Consuming 1600 mg of omega-3 daily
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are said reduce hot flushes, as well as the symptoms of depression and the mood swings felt during menopause.

You can use different approaches to satisfy your omega-3 requirements; for example, you can meet your daily requirement by increasing your consumption of omega-3 rich foods, or take a 500 mg omega-3 supplement three times a day (such as Clearwater, Joy, or Isodis Natura).

To reach the daily objective of 1600 mg by increasing your consumption of omega-3 rich foods, you would have to consume fatty fish 4 to 5 times a week (salmon, trout, white tuna, herring, sardine, and mackerel) and supplement this with 30 ml (2 tablespoons) of ground flaxseeds, chia, or shelled hemp on a daily basis.

Limit your consumption of concentrated sugar
Foods rich in concentrated sugar, such as desserts (cake, ice cream, pudding, etc.), sweet drinks (soft drinks, fruit cocktails, chocolate milk, etc.), and added sugars (honey, maple syrup, jam, caramel spreads, etc.) create a spike in blood sugar levels followed by a drop. Such a variation in blood sugar can bring on hot flushes, and have an impact on mood by making you more prone to irritability, for example.

You should give more importance to fresh fruits or desserts with less added sugar, and quench your thirst with fresh water or fruit juices without added sugar.

Limit stimulants
Alcohol, as well as caffeine (especially when consumed on an empty stomach), both create drops in blood sugar, which brings on hot flushes or mood swings.

If you drink alcohol, you should prefer wine to sweet cocktails, and, as much as possible, drink it while eating at the same time to limit drops in blood sugar.

Concerning weight control, adopting a good lifestyle, including eating healthy and being active, will help you have more control over your weight. Discuss this with your nutritionist, who will help you assess your needs and optimize your nutritional balance.

By Marilyne Petitclerc