Diet and Menopause - Proven
Natural Ways to Avoid Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
Some Useful Diet Suggestions for Menopause
Why is calcium an
important part of my diet? How much should I be getting? What are
some sources of calcium?
Calcium in the diet can play a vital role in
preventing osteoporosis. Prevention involves attaining a healthy
amount of bone mass before menopause, and maintaining a low rate
of bone loss after menopause. Calcium helps do this.
Osteoporosis is one of the most debilitating
diseases you can develop. It involves a loss of bone tissue that
the body can't completely replace. This makes the bones thin,
fragile, and more likely to fracture.
Studies have linked osteoporosis to the hormonal
changes related to menopause. Reduced production of the hormone
estrogen is the main cause of bone loss.
NIH Recommendations
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) have
issued recommendations for the amount of calcium women should have
each day. After menopause, the recommendation is 1500 milligrams
(mg) if a woman is not using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and
1000 mg if she is using HRT. After age 65, the recommendation is
1500 mg for all women.
There are many sources of calcium from food and
from supplements. The body can only absorb about 500 milligrams at
a time, so calcium intake should be spread throughout the day.
Calcium carbonate, the most common type of calcium in supplements,
should be taken with a meal. You should work with your doctor or
health care provider to create the osteoporosis prevention plan
that's best for you.
