Best Diet for Postmenopausal Women - Health and Wellness

The natural process of menopause can be a transformative part of life. The close to reproductive years bring on physical and mental challenges with symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings frustratingly become the norm, while factors such as bone mineral density, increased appetite, and weight gain suddenly become health concerns. All these elements combine, impacting your quality of life.

Fortunately, as the reproductive years come to an end, there is a gradual emergence toward the new version of yourself, you to breathe a sigh of relief as menopause symptoms subside, restoring quality of life.

During this time, it is essential to learn from menopause and continue fortifying your body to lay a strong foundation for later life. This includes exercises, mindfulness, and a focus on correct nutrition to strengthen muscles, bones, organs, and mental health.

This article discusses essential nutrition for health and wellness post-menopause. It covers key nutritional needs, foods to include, foods to avoid, and a sample meal plan to help you continue building a better you for a long and healthy life.

Understanding Post Menopausal Nutritional Needs

Nutritional needs should always be a priority for overall health and well-being. However, few things seemingly have less of an effect on health during our physiological prime. Yes, there are battles of weight gain, muscle aches and pains, and small declines in health. However, nothing prepares us for the physiological changes that are great for us in the fourth decade of life, as the subtle decrease in physical activity and poor eating now amounts to increased body fat manifesting in systemic changes and even chronic illness.

Fortunately, nutrition and exercise are two of the most powerful means of improving health and longevity. This section will help you understand post-menopausal nutrition and how it can improve and support your health.

Changes in Metabolism and Nutritional Requirements

A noticeable change for many women as they enter menopause is the change in metabolism. As we enter our 40s, both women and men experience a decline in metabolism, with body fat increasing by 1% per year, leading to an average weight gain of 0.3 to 0.5 kilograms per year.

Sadly, this is not just menopause-related and will continue to decline after menopause until the age of 70.

This can be attributed to several factors, including decreased physical activity, muscle mass, and lean tissue, resulting in reduced metabolic function and body composition.

Because of this, nutrition must be adjusted to support muscle mass, and satiety, while managing calorie intake to maintain a healthy weight. One way to achieve this is to prioritize protein intake.  Protein can help maintain muscle mass and improve fullness, preserving muscle mass, while improving fullness. Furthermore, protein can increase thermogenesis, which is the process of burning energy to produce heat, increasing calorie expenditure.

Importance of Hormonal Balance Through Diet

During perimenopause and menopause, the reproductive hormones estrogen and progesterone decline. These hormonal deficiencies impact the metabolism of fats, energy consumption, insulin sensitivity, and fat distribution around the body. This can increase the risk of chronic illnesses including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

During this time, correct nutrition, exercise, and stress management are essential for balancing hormones and improving quality of life.

Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, and magnesium can all help restore hormonal balance and address deficits during post-menopause.

Omega-3 fatty acids support many different areas in the body including the heart, brain, eyes, joints, respiratory and mental health. B vitamins support red blood cells, nerves, and the immune system. Magnesium supports hormone balance, regulating stress, blood sugar, and sleep. For more information on these key nutrients read on.

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Foods to Include in a Post Menopausal Diet

The key to a successful post-menopause diet is to craft your meal plans carefully with nutrient-dense foods. Below, we list key foods to help you balance hormones and ensure long-term health after menopause.

Dairy and Plant-Based Calcium Sources

Calcium is essential to our diet. Mainly stored in our bones (98%), it plays a role in bone health, teeth, hormone release, and heart and muscle function.

During menopause, the decrease of estrogen can negatively impact bone, hormones, heart, and muscles. A major concern for women during and post-menopause is decreased bone density, which can lead to osteoporosis where the bone becomes thinner, which can lead to weakness, and fractures, reducing independence and quality of life.

This affects 200 million people globally, with 30% of women across Europe and the United States, and 40% of post-menopausal women experiencing osteoporotic fractures.

Furthermore, calcium can reduce the risk of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic syndromes such as such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

Women between 19–70 need 1,000mg to 1,200mg of calcium per day which can be consumed through dairy products, and non-dairy products fortified with calcium. Additionally, foods such as sardines, salmon, kale, broccoli, and bok choi are also great sources.

Fatty Fish and Other Omega-3 Rich Foods

Omega-3 fatty acids are vital during and after menopause. The decline of estrogen that comes with menopause can lead to increased inflammation in the body, resulting in symptoms such as night sweats, hot flashes, and joint pain. However, one of the biggest concerns is the increased risk of chronic illness including cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney diseases, diabetes, fatty liver, cancer, autoimmune disease, and neurodegenerative disease.

Fortunately, menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats will pass. However, the permanent changes to estrogen elevate inflammation which leads to continued risk of chronic illness and joint pain.

Omega-3 fatty acids can help alleviate inflammation, reducing the risk of diseases such a cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and dementia while reducing joint inflammation, lowering blood pressure, and supporting brain, and eye function.

Women over the age of 18 are recommended to consume approximately 1.1g of omega-3 per day. It can be found in foods such as flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, salmon, sardines, mackerel, tuna, eggs, and avocado.

Whole Grains and Legumes

Post menopause women should focus on consuming a balanced diet containing whole grains and legumes. The decline of metabolism and increased appetite which comes during perimenopause and menopause means more consideration must be taken with calorie intake.

During this time, energy expenditure decreases, which can increase hunger. Whole grains can help reduce hunger for the same amount of calories. This is because they contain complex carbohydrates that provide slow-release energy, stabilize blood sugar, and contain fiber which is a non-digestible carbohydrate that improves satiety and gut health.

Furthermore, whole grains may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, colorectal cancer, and obesity. This provides combative effects to the increased inflammation that comes from the decrease in estrogen.

Legumes are incredibly nutrient-dense foods containing protein, fiber, magnesium, potassium, fiber, and zinc. Potassium, magnesium, and fiber can improve blood pressure. Legumes can stabilize blood sugar, and cholesterol levels lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes and improving weight management.

Whole grains including brown rice, quinoa, barley, rye, whole oats, buckwheat, popcorn, and corn Legumes include lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, peas, peanuts, black-eyed peas, and edamame.

We recommend experimenting adding with a variety of these foods to your meals. This will boost your nutrient intake and improve satiety while reducing the risk of chronic illness.

Fruits and Vegetables High in Antioxidants

A balanced diet would not be complete without antioxidant-rich fruit and vegetables. As we age, there is an increased risk of oxidative stress. This produces free radicals which can break cell tissue and damage DNA which can lead to inflammation.

Antioxidants are molecules that can help reduce the impact of free radicals, lessening their cell damage. Antioxidants are a range of nutrients including vitamins C, E, A, and other compounds such as coenzyme Q10, polyphenol, selenium, beta-carotene, and uric acid, with over 1000s of different kinds.

This can seem overwhelming, however, the easiest way to ensure you are meeting your daily requirements is to eat antioxidant-rich foods.

This is the list of antioxidant foods that can easily be sourced from your local supermarket:

• Avocado
• Dark chocolate
• Strawberries
• Kale
• Blueberries
• Beans
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Sweet potatoes
• Green tea
• Oranges
• Carrots

Foods to Avoid or Limit

Beyond consuming nutrient-dense foods, calorie-dense, low-quality foods should avoided to improve health. Below, we discuss the effects high-sodium, trans fat, and sugary and processed foods can have on health.

Sugary and Processed Foods

Sugar and processed food should be avoided to preserve long-term health. Menopause symptoms can lead many individuals to seek comfort in sugary and processed foods. Consuming greater amounts of sugar is associated to increase weight, and a greater risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. When combined with an increased appetite and slowing metabolism post-menopause exacerbate the negative effects.

Sugary foods are high on the glycemic index, meaning that have an instant release of energy. The issue with this they are loaded with calories and do not keep you full, essentially increasing calorie intake with little to show for it. Meanwhile, processed foods tend to be calorie-dense.

Both of these types of food offer little nutritional value and make it incredibly difficult to stay within your daily calorie limit. This not only increases weight gain but deprives the body of nutrients that would help improve our quality of life.

However, while they nutritionally serve little purpose, we can all admit that they do taste great. So we recommend eating them in moderation or on special occasions. This can done in several ways. If you are calorie counting, you can decrease your daily or weekly calorie intake to allow for your favorite dessert of cheat meal. This enables you to have your sugary or processed meal without going over your limit.

Alternatively, you can just eat your meal of choice and get back on track immediately after. The key here is to not feel guilty and write the rest of the day off binge eating. Performing either of these methods will help you enjoy your sweet treats without breaking your nutritional plan altogether.

High-Sodium Foods

High-sodium foods should have can negative impact on our health and should be avoided post-menopause. High levels of sodium are typically found in processed foods, fast foods, deli meats, and snacks and can impact bone health, hormones, and blood pressure.

Regarding calcium, sodium increases calcium excretion which can lower bone mineral density. It can also increase pressure blood levels and increase the stress hormone cortisol, which can lead to anxiety, weight gain, muscle weakness, headaches, and osteoporosis.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend a daily sodium intake of less than 2,300 milligrams daily. For context, Americans consume more than 3,300 milligrams per day.

Saturated Fats and Trans Fats

Saturated fats and trans fats should be limited due to their potentially harmful effects on the body.  The increased risk of chronic illness that comes during post-menopause and with age means that unhealthy fat intake must be monitored.

Saturated fat intake is associated with cardiovascular disease risk, increasing areas of inflammation, heart rhythm, and bad cholesterol function. However, a blanket elimination of saturated fat is unwise as many foods such as unprocessed meat, nuts, dark chocolate, and whole-fat dairy. Because of this, it is recommended that saturated fats should be limited to 10% or less of your daily calorie intake.

Trans fats on the other hand found in foods such as fried foods, commercial baked goods, and processed have been linked to cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, nervous system disorders, colon cancer, diabetes, and obesity, contributing to more than 500,000 deaths annually. Because of this, it is recommended that trans fats should be aggressively limited or avoided.

Sample Meal Plans for Post Menopausal Women

Identifying foods to include and foods to avoid post-menopause means you can now begin to build a healthy meal plan. Below, we have created a sample post-menopause meal plan to help get you started.

A Day of Balanced Eating

The following table contains a balanced day of eating, including the dish, nutrients, and their benefits. Despite each meal containing different ingredients, they have similar effects such as preserving muscle mass, reducing inflammation, and supporting eyes, bones, heart, brain, eyes, and gut. This illustrates how effective eating nutrient-dense whole foods can be for your body, and why they are essential post-menopause.

Quick and Nutritious Snack Ideas

Improving your nutrition isn’t just about main meals it's about what we can consume between meals which will help maintain fullness and energy levels and stop us from craving calorie-dense foods.

One of the best ways to do this is to create and stock quick and nutritious snacks to address your hunger and cravings. Below is a list of healthy and delicious snack ideas to help you stay on track.

No Bake Protein Balls

• 1 ½ cups old rolled oats
• 1 cup natural peanut butter
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 scoops chocolate protein powder
• 2 tablespoons chocolate chips

No Bake Protein Bars

• ¼ cup protein powder
• 1 cup oat flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup natural peanut butter
• ¼ honey
• 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2-4 tablespoons chocolate chips

Sea Salt Dark Chocolate and Almond Cluster

• 2 cups whole almonds
• 8 oz dark chocolate
• Sea salt
• Raw sugar

Baked Egg Muffins

• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup egg whites
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ½ bell pepper
• ½ onion
• 1 cup broccoli
• 1 cup mushrooms
• ⅓ cup crumbled feta
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley

Tips for Long-Term Healthy Eating

The initial stages of healthy eating require planning and preparation to form good habits. Below, we list our best tips for long-term healthy eating. Execute these frequently to consolidate your new health habits.

Meal Planning and Preparation

Adjusting your diet post-menopause requires planning and preparation. While it can be easy to say you will eat healthy, doing so without the right plans or foods in place can allow for poor eating habits to creep in and ruin your nutrition plan.

Planning and preparing your meals ahead of time will ensure that you have all your foods ready to go for the week ahead. Each week we recommend deciding what you are going to eat for all your meals and then performing a weekly shop. This can be followed by meal preparation by making complete meals and freezing them for the week, or by chopping and preparing ingredients for easy cooking.

This may sound difficult and time-consuming, however, by doing it in one afternoon, you will free up your weeknights from cooking. This is great for those nights when you get home late, enabling you to easily heat a delicious healthy meal.

Track Nutrition

Whether you want to lose weight, build muscle, or maintain your health, tracking your nutrition is excellent for understanding your food intake. This can be done using the Reverse Health nutrition tracking app, which not only helps you record your meals but also provides you with nutritional details of each food.

Education is key to long-term health, and the repetition of logging each meal. By tracking nutrition you will be able to identify sources of fiber, protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fat at a glance which can help sustain long-term healthy eating.

Add Variety

Exploring different foods is a great way to ensure the long-term success of your post-menopause nutrition plan. While it is easy to say you will eat chicken breast and quinoa for months on end to reach your goals, the practice is far more difficult than the reality.

Experimenting with different foods and recipes is a great way to keep things fresh. It can also help you create delicious meals, making it easier to sustain healthy eating long-term. This can be done during your meal planning phases. We recommend trying at least one new recipe each week. While one new recipe each week sounds like a small change, over time, it will help you expand to many new recipes.

Mindful Eating Practices

Practicing mindful eating can be a great way to sustain healthy eating. Many of us eat to fuel our body, necessity, or comfort with little thought about the process of eating and hunger. This is understandable as no one has ever told you about mindful eating.

Mindful eating encompasses both physical and mental practices that can promote healthy eating practices. These are a list of ways to practice mindful eating:

• Eat slowly
• Control portions
• Recognize hunger
• Chew thoroughly
• Drink water before eating

These may sound simple but can be difficult when we are busy or hungry. For example, drinking water can reduce food intake, which helps portion control. Meanwhile, differentiating between hunger, thirst, and boredom is essential, as many of us can simply snack and eat out of habit which can lead to overeating. Lastly, eating slowly, and chewing thoroughly can increase gut hormones, improving fullness.

Practicing mindful eating seems simple but is challenging. However, doing so will improve your eating and help you improve your relationship with your mind, body, and food.

Recap: Building a Sustainable Post Menopausal Diet

Developing a sustainable post-menopause diet takes more than just eating healthy and hoping for the best. It requires planning, preparation, and an understanding of the vital nutrients to support post-menopause health and well-being.

If you are adjusting your nutrition post-menopause, focus on eating a healthy diet with the following nutrients:

• Protein — Improving satiety and preserving muscle mass
• Calcium — Strengthens bones and supports the heart, muscles, and nerves
• Antioxidants — to protect against free radicals and cell damage

This can be achieved by eating a balanced diet containing nutrient-dense foods such as whole grains, fatty fish, vegetables, fruit, and dairy. Furthermore, to ensure long-term success remember to:

• Plan and prepare your meals.
• Track your nutrition and level up your education.
• Add variety by trying one new recipe each week.
• Practice mindful eating.

Following these tips and recommendations to create a strong foundation for a sustainable post-menopause diet that will enhance your health for the future.