Staying Healthy After Menopause
While this "change of life" called menopause was once a life-stage dreaded
by many women, today's woman has an abundance of medical knowledge and
resources 
available to her as she experiences menopause. The key to staying youthful
and active is good nutrition and regular physical exercise.
Nutritional needs after menopause:
As a person ages, nutritional requirements change. A premenopausal woman
should consume about 1,000 mg of calcium daily. According to the National
Institutes of Health, women after menopause should consume 1,500 mg of
calcium per day if they are not using hormone replacement therapy (HRT),
or 1,000 mg if they are using HRT.
Vitamin D is also very important for calcium absorption and bone formation.
According to a 1992 study, women with postmenopausal osteoporosis who
took vitamin D for three years, significantly reduced their risk of spinal
fractures. This issue is controversial, however, as vitamin D can cause
kidney stones, constipation, or abdominal pain, especially in women with
kidney problems.
Other nutritional guidelines recommended by the National Research Council
of the National Institutes of Health include:
- Choose foods low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. Fat intake
should be less than 30 percent of daily calorie intake.
- Eat fruits, vegetables, and whole grain cereal products, especially
those high in vitamin C and beta carotene. Persons of all ages should
consume 20 to 30 grams of fiber daily.
- Avoid foods and drinks with processed sugar, as many of these products
contain empty calories and promote weight gain.
- Avoid salt-cured and smoked foods such as sausages, smoked fish, ham,
bacon, bologna, and hot dogs. These foods are high in sodium, which
can lead to high blood pressure, a serious risk for aging women.
The importance of exercise after menopause:
Menopausal women often experience weight gain, possibly because of declining
estrogen levels. Raising your activity level will help to avoid this weight
gain. Exercise becomes particularly important as a woman ages. Regular
exercise benefits the heart and bones, helps regulate weight, and can
be a mood enhancer, creating a better sense of well-being. Women who are
physically inactive are more likely to suffer from coronary heart disease,
obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and osteoporosis. Sedentary women
may also suffer from chronic back pain, insomnia, poor circulation, weak
muscles, loss of bone mass, and depression.
Aerobic activities such as walking, jogging, swimming, biking, and dancing
help prevent some of these problems and also help raise HDL cholesterol
levels, commonly referred to as the "good" cholesterol. Weight-bearing
exercises such as walking and running, as well as moderate weight training,
help increase bone mass. In postmenopausal women, moderate exercise helps
preserve bone mass in the spine and prevent fractures.
Exercise also has a mood-enhancing quality, due to hormones, called endorphins,
which are released in the brain. The mood-heightening quality of these
endorphins can last for several hours and helps the body fight stress.
Always consult your physician before starting an exercise program, particularly
if you have been sedentary. Your physician can recommend the appropriate
exercise program for you.
Staying healthy after menopause:
The following tips will help to provide healthy living after menopause.
Consult your physician for more information.
- If you are considering hormone replacement therapy, the decision to
start should be made only after you and your physician have evaluated
the risk versus benefit ratio based on your individual medical history.
- Eat a low-fat, high-fiber diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole
grains. Reduce consumption of saturated fats.
- Do not smoke. Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease.
- Exercise regularly. Even moderate exercise, such as walking a half-hour
three times a week is beneficial.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Take medication for high blood pressure or to reduce your cholesterol,
if prescribed by your physician. This will help minimize your risk for
heart disease.
- Reduce stress in your life through relaxation techniques or regular
exercise.
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