Foods
to Eat
Basic concepts of nutrition
Food and Diet
Food and Estrogen
Food Therapy for Hypertension
Foods to Eat
The Four Basic Nutrients
A low-fat, high-fiber diet will help
the body to adjust more easily to changing hormonal levels.
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Whole grains |
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Fresh
vegetables |
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Beans |
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Seaweed |
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Miso |
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Tofu and tempeh |
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Seeds and nuts
(especially sunflower seeds) |
According to
Chinese medicine, the following foods will build the yin:
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Wheat germ and
wheat germ oil |
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Mung beans and
sprouts |
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Tofu |
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String beans |
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Black beans |
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Kidney beans |
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Barley |
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Black sesame
seeds |
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Royal jelly
tonifies the female hormonal system. A normal dose is just 100-400
milligrams daily. |
Foods that contain
phytoestrogens help prevent hot flashes and other symptoms of estrogen
depletion:
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Tofu and other
soy products |
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Yams |
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Carrots |
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Apples |
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Potatoes |
Foods rich in
calcium help prevent osteoporosis:
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Sesame seeds |
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Almonds |
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Low-fat yogurt |
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Dark, leafy
greens, such as kale, collards, and broccoli |
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Sardines |
Foods to Avoid
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Animal foods |
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Fat found in fried
foods, dairy products, nut butters, etc. |
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Sugar and refined
carbohydrates contribute to mood swings. |
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Caffeine can cause hot
flashes. |
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Alcohol can cause hot
flashes. |
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Tobacco |
Osteoporosis
Generally speaking,
for healthy bones, women require 800 to 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily.
During pregnancy, lactation, and menopause, calcium needs increase to 1,000 to
1,500 milligrams daily. To absorb calcium, your body needs Vitamin D. Vitamin D
helps the small intestine absorb calcium and paves the way for calcium's uptake
by bone.
Good food sources
of calcium include dairy products, salmon, tuna, sardines (with the bones),
green leafy vegetables, and tofu. One of the best food sources of calcium is
milk. A cup of milk daily will give you a good start to meeting your calcium
requirements. If you are on a dairy-free diet, you may choose calcium-enriched
soy milk instead. Some soy milks are calcium enriched, while others are low in
calcium, so read labels to be sure the product you choose is a good source of
calcium.
Avoid eating food
that can steal minerals from your bones. Keep your consumption of protein from
animal sources (meat, fish, dairy products) to no more than 50 grams daily.
Avoid foods that contain phosphorus or phosphate additives. These include many
processed foods and fizzy soft drinks. If you consume beverages containing
alcohol or caffeine, either eliminate these items from your diet or keep your
consumption to a moderate or low level.
Many substances
from land and sea can help nourish bone. Among those recommended by naturalists
are various seaweeds (hijiki and kombu, for example), land weeds (dandelion and
nettles), the herb horsetail, microcrystalline hydroxyapatite (a whole-bone
extract), and calcium-rich oatstraw. Kelp is one of the most calcium-rich plants
in nature. Anecdotal reports also suggest that progesterone cream derived from
wild yams can slow bone loss and reduce fractures.
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