Introduction
As we get older, the digestive tract becomes less efficient and digestion takes longer. Our body finds it more difficult to handle foods that are high in calories but low in nutrition. However, we still need the same amount of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals - sometimes more.

Diet Nutrition is Crucial
For optimum health and feel-good during menopause, focus on good diet nutrition. A healthy nutritious diet not only minimizes all the additional medical health risks of menopause and general ageing, it also reduces both physical and mental symptoms of menopausal life. Choose as many natural organic foods as possible.

Healthy Menopause Diet - A few Suggestions...

* Boost your daily intake of fruits. Choose melons, bananas and citrus fruits like oranges and lemons, which are high in potassium. Potassium rich foods help balance sodium and water retention. Also include some dried fruit like apricots and figs.

* Boost your daily intake of vegetables (inc. salad) Choose in particular, yam, dark leafy vegetables like kale, collard greens, spinach, broccoli and cabbage, as well as peppers, tomatoes and a variety of others.

* Eat regular amounts of fibre, especially soluble fibre.

* Ditch the fried foods, instead boil, grill or bake, and use Olive oil not sun flower or vegetable oils.

* Ditch or really limit the white bread/flour, Pasta and anything you know is a fast burning carbohydrate. These calories just increase the production of insulin (the storage hormone and aid the storage of body fat.

* Eat wholegrain bread, oats, rye, wheat germ. I  know its not so nice but its the better of the options.

* Junk the white rice (except basmati), switch to long grain brown rice.

* Eat fewer regular potatoes, eat more sweet potatoes and whole grain pasta.

* Add regular helpings of beans and lentils to your meals.

* Junk the processed cooking oils, switch to unprocessed oils Choose extra virgin olive oil (cold pressed), canola, wheat germ and flaxseed oil.

* Make oily fish like salmon, mackerel) a regular feature of your diet
Oily fish is rich in omega 3 (brazils, walnuts), seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, linseeds), dried fruit (apricots, figs).

* Try adding seaweed to your diet; ask at your local health food store. Choose Nori, Wakame, Kombu, Arame, which contain natural hormones and plant chemicals which help during menopause.

* Drink more mineral/bottled water, (avoid tap water, excess fluoride is not good for our health, despite the advertising claims)  less caffeine and modest amounts of alcohol.

* Enjoy high-calorie junk foods as an occasional treat only!!!

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