Podcast Summary
Menopause Foods and Remedies: The Doctors' Kitchen podcast offers evidence-based information on managing menopause symptoms through beneficial foods, supplements, herbal remedies, and lifestyle measures, with personalized suggestions based on dietary preferences available on their app.
The Doctors' Kitchen podcast, hosted by Dr. Rupi, a medical doctor and nutrition expert, provides evidence-based information on food, lifestyle, and medicine to help improve health, including tips for easing the menopause transition. The podcast has launched a new health goal on their app, which includes a selection of recipes and personalized suggestions based on dietary preferences for managing menopause symptoms. The episode discusses beneficial foods, supplements, and herbal remedies for menopause, as well as lifestyle measures for healthy aging. The app also offers resources on HRT treatment options, navigating early menopause, and understanding menopause symptoms. Listeners can join the free newsletter for weekly deep dives into seasonal ingredients and other health-related content. The menopause transition involves declining estrogen and progesterone levels, leading to various health issues, including inflammation, oxidative stress, and changes in metabolism and the gut microbiome. The podcast offers practical tips on how to introduce these suggestions into a diet and specific doses of different foods.
Menopause protein intake: During menopause, prioritize a higher protein intake of at least 1.5g/kg from plant-based sources like legumes, nuts, seeds, and soy products to maintain bone health, preserve muscle mass, and manage weight gain. Adequate protein intake can also help reduce cravings and prevent overeating due to hormonal changes.
During menopause, it's crucial to prioritize a higher protein intake to maintain bone health, preserve muscle mass, and help manage weight gain and belly fat. Aim for at least 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, and focus on plant-based protein sources like legumes, chickpeas, beans, tofu, tempeh, nuts, and seeds. These foods not only provide extra protein but also fiber and phytochemicals that can help combat inflammation and oxidative stress. Increasing protein intake can also help prevent weight gain and muscle loss due to the protein leverage effect. Additionally, hormonal changes during menopause may cause the body to break down more protein, leading to cravings for energy-dense foods. Providing your body with adequate protein can help reduce these cravings and prevent overeating.
Menopause and Metabolism: During menopause, loss of estrogen leads to increased belly fat, decreased muscle mass, and slower metabolism. Eat 3 portions of fruit and veggies per meal for fewer symptoms and better heart health. Incorporate soy foods for improved symptoms and heart health benefits.
During menopause, the loss of estrogen leads to an increase in belly fat and a decrease in muscle mass, contributing to a slower metabolism and increased fat storage. To combat this, aim for at least three portions of fruit and vegetables per meal, which have been linked to fewer menopausal symptoms and better heart health. Additionally, incorporating soy foods like edamame, tempeh, and tofu into your daily diet can help improve menopauseal symptoms and promote heart health due to their isoflavone content. These foods have been shown to lower cholesterol and triglycerides, reduce hot flashes and night sweats, and even help prevent bone loss.
Menopause Diet: Consume soy products, calcium-rich foods, and omega-3 rich foods to support women during menopause. Aim for 1200 mg of calcium daily and consider supplements for omega-3s.
Incorporating soy products, calcium-rich foods, and omega-3 rich foods into your diet can significantly support women during menopause. Soy products, like tofu and soybeans, provide protein and isoflavones, while calcium-rich foods, such as leafy greens, fish, and dairy, help preserve bone health. Omega-3 rich foods, found in oily fish and some plant sources, support heart health and reduce inflammation. Aim for 1200 mg of calcium daily, and consider supplements for omega-3s if you don't consume fish. Incorporating these foods into your daily meals, like a tofu scramble or tempeh-based curry, can help you meet these nutritional needs.
Mediterranean and Asian Diet for Menopause: A diet rich in Mediterranean and Asian influences, including soy, dark green leafy vegetables, calcium-rich foods, citrus fruits like grapefruit, B vitamin-rich foods, magnesium-rich foods, and probiotics, supports menopause health by protecting blood vessels, lowering heart disease risk, boosting energy levels, and improving mood and brain function.
Incorporating a diet rich in Mediterranean and Asian influences can support menopause health. This includes soy foods, dark green leafy vegetables, calcium-rich foods, and sufficient protein. Citrus fruits, particularly grapefruit, are also beneficial due to their flavonone content, which may protect blood vessels and lower heart disease risk. B vitamin-rich foods, such as leafy greens, whole grains, beans, and nuts, support energy levels, brain function, and mood. Magnesium-rich foods, like dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and legumes, help the body absorb calcium and are involved in over 300 processes. Probiotics and certain gut microbes can increase estrogen levels in circulation, allowing them to reach other tissues and have desired effects. Focus on a diverse diet rich in these foods for overall health and wellbeing during menopause.
Menopause and Gut Microbiome: During menopause, the gut microbiome diversity declines, leading to less estrogen reabsorption and worsened symptoms. Probiotics and anti-inflammatory foods, like kefir, yogurt, turmeric, and prunes, may help maintain a healthy microbiome and alleviate menopausal symptoms.
During menopause, the gut microbiome diversity declines, leading to less estrogen being reabsorbed into circulation. This estrogen deficiency can worsen symptoms and compound the issue. Probiotics, found in foods like kefir and yogurt, may help maintain a healthy microbiome and improve menopausal symptoms. Additionally, consuming anti-inflammatory spices, such as turmeric, and foods like prunes, can offer benefits for menopausal women, including preserving bone mineral density and reducing hot flashes. While more research is needed, incorporating these foods and spices into your diet is a low-risk, potentially beneficial strategy for managing menopausal symptoms.
Hydration and Exercise: Staying hydrated and exercising regularly can help manage menopausal symptoms by maintaining a healthy weight, regulating appetite, improving metabolism, lowering vasomotor symptoms, improving sleep and mood, increasing bone density, and aiding in calcium absorption with vitamin D supplementation.
Staying hydrated and engaging in regular exercise are two effective lifestyle habits for managing menopausal symptoms. Drinking enough water helps maintain a healthy weight, regulates appetite, and improves metabolism, making exercise more efficient. Exercise, particularly strength training, can lower vasomotor symptoms, improve sleep and mood, and increase bone density. Both habits are important for overall healthy aging. Additionally, vitamin D supplementation, around 1,000 international units per day, can aid in slowing down bone loss and absorbing calcium, making it essential for menopausal women.
Vitamin D and Menopause Symptoms: Vitamin D intake from food sources might be insufficient for recommended doses, aim for 1000 IU daily, consider supplements and check blood levels. Menopausal women may benefit from red clover and sage supplements for hot flashes, but discuss with a healthcare provider due to questionable study quality.
For vitamin D intake, food sources like fatty fish, trout, salmon, tuna, mackerel, UV exposed mushrooms, and egg yolks may not be enough to reach the recommended doses. Aim for at least 1000 international units per day, and consider getting your vitamin D blood levels checked to determine the correct supplementation. For menopausal women experiencing hot flashes, red clover supplementation with a total isoflavin content of over 80 milligrams per day and sage extract with 100 milligrams daily may help reduce hot flashes and improve overall symptoms. These herbs may work due to their polyphenol content, acting as phytoestrogens. However, the quality of studies in this field is questionable, so it's essential to discuss these options with your healthcare provider. In summary, diet, lifestyle, supplements, and herbal remedies offer various ways to address menopause symptoms, and it's crucial to explore these options in consultation with your physician.