What to Eat

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
  
  Eat two or more fruits and vegetables at every meal, including yams, sweet potatoes and dark leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, collard greens, bok choi and broccoli. High potassium fruits, such as melons, bananas and citrus fruits, help balance sodium and water retention. Other healthy options include dried fruit, carrots, tomatoes, apples, kiwi, whole grain breads, brown rice and old-fashioned oatmeal. Beans and lentils, whole grain pastas, extra virgin olive oil, unprocessed canola and flaxseed oil, and "oily" fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel) that are rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids are also recommended
  
  

Foods to Avoid

• Basket of cheeses
  
  Eliminate processed high-sodium foods like processed meats, cheeses, frozen dinners, canned soups or fish, ketchup, butter, margarine and salt. Try seasoning foods with flavorful substitutes like lemon juice, chili powder, ginger, garlic and fresh herbs.
  
  Saturated fats in meats, dairy and other animal products are especially unhealthy, so menopausal women should reduce their intake of animal products and choose lean meats and non-fat or low-fat dairy. Foods high in trans and hydrogenated fats like cookies and potato chips are problematic.
  
  Spicy foods like hot curry and chili dishes increase hot flashes, and too much caffeine causes calcium loss, which compromises bone health. Reducing caffeine consumption does not mean you must renounce your morning cup of coffee, but green and herbal teas might be a better choice.
  
  

Soy, Seaweed, and Fresh Foods

• An example of the many soy products available.
  
  Soybeans, tofu, calcium-fortified soy milk and yogurt are rich sources of plant compounds (isoflavones) called phytoestrogens because they mimic the effects of estrogen. Instead of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) some women choose to eat foods containing natural phytoestrogens to help balance hormones disrupted by menopause.
  
  A study of Japanese women showed that they have "a lower incidence of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease than Caucasian women. Researchers suggest that this difference [is] due to the high soy intake of the Japanese culture as compared to that of the United States."
  
  In "Healthy Menopause Diet - 15 Suggestions," Anne Collins encourages women to add "seaweed to [their] diets: Nori, Wakame, Kombu, Arame contain natural hormones and plant chemicals which may help during menopause." Purchase seaweed at Japanese groceries, natural foods stores and online.
  
  Eliminate white, refined foods such as white rice and foods made with white flour. Processed foods are altered and lack their original nutrients and fiber. Bake or broil foods instead of frying. It is important to use fresh food, not processed or enriched foods, and whenever possible prepare meals from scratch rather than buying prepared and ready-made foods.