You know one of the biggest struggles in menopause is trying to figure out what to eat. It seems that just looking at food can make you gain weight. Certainly your hormones have something to do with this, but so does stress, how much sleep you get and environmental toxins. That is what makes losing weight so hard.

Though I don’t have all the answers, I can give you five basic dietary tips for menopause today. While you don’t have to change your entire diet with menopause, you do need to recognize that some changes may be necessary to help you feel better and support better balance. A proper diet can decrease some menopausal symptoms and can prevent the weight gain associated with menopause.

5 Diet Tips for Menopause

During menopause and the perimenopausal years, there are some dietary changes you can make that will help improve your quality of life. Some foods can actually decrease your menopausal symptoms.

Let’s take a look at my top tips for your diet during menopause:

Cut out the alcohol
I like a nice glass of wine once in a while, I have to admit. But alcohol will not only trigger a hot flash it is also estrogenic and affects liver detoxification.

Eliminate sugars and processed foods
This is really important if you hope to remain healthy and lose weight. Processed foods and sugars are very inflammatory. When there is too much inflammation, you are going to hold weight and it will contribute to further hormone imbalances.

Eat a pound of non-starchy vegetables daily
In order to get adequate fiber and nutrients into your diet, start by eating more organic, non-starchy vegetables. You will feel better and have more energy as well.

Increase fiber intake
Fiber will help you stay regular, if you know what I mean. A goal is to get 35 grams of fiber in your diet daily. Choose from such food sources as fresh whole fruits, vegetables, brown rice, high fiber and protein grains such as quinoa. Grains should be higher protein and gluten free. Many women are unknowingly sensitive to gluten. Gluten is very inflammatory for many people and this can disrupt hormones, digestion and contribute to your fatigue. Try eating gluten free for a month. If you feel better, its a problem.

Drink more water
Try to get in at least 8 glasses of water per day. This will help keep you hydrated both inside and out. Most people don’t drink enough water. Adequate water intake will help with detoxification and is good for your skin.

Add healthy fats
Healthy fats provide many health benefits for your hormones, skin, hair, joints and brain. Good choices include extra virgin olive, cold-pressed extra virgin coconut oil, and avocado.

These are just a few tips to help support better hormone balance and health in menopause. Start making a few of these changes or all of them over the next month It can really make a difference in how you feel.

Want to learn more about healthy eating in menopause and start thriving with better energy, sleep, mood, and vitality? Then check out the 30 Day Challenge to Thriving and Surviving Menopause at http://www.menopausesisters.com/products. You deserve to feel great! Don’t settle for less.

To learn more go to: http://www.menopausesisters.com

Author's Bio: 

Laura Dankof, is a holistic nurse practitioner and the founder of Path to Health and Healing and co-founder of Menopause Sisters. Her mission is to provide holistic health information to empower you to take charge of your own health and transform your life.

She has over 20 years experience working in health care helping both women and men get to the root cause of their dis-ease and begin to heal.