For women, menopause is something that is quite feared and often triggers worries about many things. In fact, menopause is a natural thing that must be experienced by every woman in her time. In general, menopause can be interpreted as the natural end of the menstrual cycle in a woman. Menopause usually occurs when women are in the age range of 45 to 55 years. A woman can be said to have entered menopause when she has stopped experiencing menstruation for at least 12 months. Even so, menopause is not just about the cessation of a woman's menstrual cycle, but also the changes that arise as a result of this, such as changes in physical appearance, psychological condition, sexual desire, to matters related to fertility.
Changes that occur when entering menopause are commonly referred to as symptoms of menopause or the perimenopausal phase which can appear gradually or suddenly. The severity of menopausal symptoms varies for each woman. The most common symptoms of menopause are vaginal dryness, decreased libido, weight gain and attacks of hot flashes or excessive hot and hot feelings which cause women who experience menopausal symptoms to sweat more easily. Menopause symptoms cannot be cured, but these symptoms can be alleviated with a balanced lifestyle and nutrition. Not many people realize that choosing the type of food is the key that can affect a woman's life when she enters perimenopause.
Women entering perimenopause have different nutritional needs from women in general. Hormonal changes that occur when entering perimenopause have the potential to cause several health problems if not taken seriously. Nutritional measures and food choices can help maintain the physical and psychological balance of women who are in this pre-menopausal phase. There are several types of food that are important for women to consume during perimenopause.
- Choose Foods That Contain Protein
When entering menopause, protein consumption is needed by the body. At this stage, a woman's immune system often decreases, making her susceptible to infections and various health problems. Adequate protein consumption can help boost the immune system and repair damaged cells. Food sources that contain protein are quite easy to find in everyday life. For example, such as lean meat, fish, eggs, and nuts.
- Make Sure Calcium Requirements Are Adequate
Women who are starting to enter menopause are more susceptible to osteoporosis. This is caused by a decrease in the hormone estrogen which causes bone mass to be lost more quickly and results in a decrease in the quality of bone health. It's good that women's calcium needs are fulfilled during this perimenopausal period, which is as much as approximately 1200 mg per day. Calcium is very easy to find in various food ingredients, such as milk, yogurt, cheese, fish with bones, broccoli, and nuts.
- Pay attention to iron intake
One of the most important nutrients to fulfill during perimenopause is iron. Iron is useful for keeping the body's metabolism running normally. The amount of iron the average woman needs when entering menopause is as much as 8 mg per day. Iron can be easily met through consumption of lean red meat, chicken, fish, eggs, green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds.
- Meet the Needs of Vegetables and Fruits
Women who are entering menopause are advised to consume 5 servings of vegetables and fruit every day. This amount can help meet the needs of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and control weight gain.
- Don't forget to drink water
Women who are in perimenopause usually experience complaints of vaginal dryness and dry skin caused by a decrease in the hormone estrogen. Therefore, consuming enough water can help maintain body moisture. The average water requirement for women who are in perimenopause is 10 to 12 glasses per day to keep the body well hydrated.
Those are some types of food that women need to consume before menopause. Fulfillment of nutrition and intake needs is very important to help reduce various health problems and symptoms of menopause. With the help of balanced nutritional intake, women can go through menopause better and comfortably so that menopause does not become an obstacle to continuing to live a quality life. #LiveExcellently