Early Menopause – Nutrition & Vitamins
Menopause is called the ‘change of life’ for a reason. Not only are changes occurring in a woman’s body, but changes are also occurring in her life. For women who go through natural menopause, between the ages of 45 and 55, these changes may include children leaving home, becoming a grandparent, or retirement. These life and body changes also call for a change in the nutritional needs of a woman. This is especially true if you’re experiencing early menopause.
Early menopause can put you at risk for serious health problems, such as osteoporosis and heart disease. However, adjusting your diet, and recognizing the fact that you have new nutritional needs, can greatly reduce these risks. Food has a great overall effect on our health, and how we feel. Many of the symptoms associated with early menopause can be minimized or eliminated by adding certain foods and vitamins to our diets, while doing away with other foods.
The risk of osteoporosis can be increased by eating the wrong foods. These foods include sugar, salt, alcohol, coffee, and animal proteins. Since milk contains animal proteins, it should be eliminated from your diet as well. Take a good calcium supplement instead, and eat a diet high in vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, oily fish, and soy. You can also increase bone density by taking a herbal supplement. Replace dairy products with low-fat yogurt or buttermilk if possible.
To minimize hot flashes, avoid spicy foods, dairy products, and alcohol. You should also start a regimen of Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Magnesium, and folic acid to help control hot flashes. Herbs, such as evening primrose oil, star-flower oil, Chinese angelica black cohosh, or borage oil have also proven to be useful in minimizing, or eliminating hot flashes.
During early menopause, sleep patterns are often disturbed. You should avoid caffeine to improve your sleep patterns. Headaches and migraines often become worse during early menopause as well. Certain foods can trigger these headaches, such as cheese, wine, oranges, chocolate, yeast, pickles, alcohol, wheat, dairy products, and caffeine. Including ginger in your diet can help to reduce headaches, and chewing a small cube of fresh ginger can often get rid of a headache quickly.
Herbs such as St. John’s Wort, Gotu Kola, Dong Quai,Siberian Ginseng and Kava Kava can help mood swings. These are natural anti-depressants. Foods that contain phyto-estrogens, such as soy and flaxseed oil can cure vaginal dryness associated with early menopause. Memory problems, or forgetfulness, are often reported by women experiencing early menopause. This can be remedied by taking vitamin B complex. The herb, Ginkgo Biloba also helps combat memory problems.
Early menopause can be very drying to the skin. Make sure that you drink plenty of water to regenerate skin moisture. Vitamin B5 can help reduce stress, and Vitamin B6 minimizes water retention.
Talk with your doctor about your changing nutritional needs, once it has been determined that you are starting early menopause. Keep in mind that our ancestors only had herbs and other natural foods to rely on for their health, and overall, they were healthier than most of us are today. Stick to natural foods and remedies when possible.
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