If you’re eating a healthy diet that is rich in wholegrains, fruits, vegetables, oily fish, nuts, seeds and phytoestrogens (found in soya and lentils) then this will help balance your hormones during the menopause. However, because certain nutrients are essential during the menopause, taking supplements may be extremely helpful. As we age we absorb less of the nutrients we once did so to protect your heart, bones and health during menopause you can’t afford to be deficient in any nutrients. That’s why alongside a healthy diet I recommend that any women approaching the menopause should take a quality multi vitamin and mineral every day containing:

– Vitamins A, D, E, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12

– Folic acid

– Calcium

– Magnesium

– Zinc

– Chromium

– Selenium

– Manganese

– Boron

 

(The one I use in the clinic is called MenoPlus see the Resources Page).

 

You will need to take vitamin C separately because your multivitamin and mineral will not contain enough. 

 

Vitamin C, although usually known for its effect on the immune system, is important for women approaching the menopause. Vitamin C is needed for the manufacture of collagen, which acts like a flexible or elastic protein glue in connective tissue and bone. Ensuring plentiful vitamin C helps to maintain healthy collagen, thereby keeping the skin and mucous membranes thicker and stronger and the skeleton more flexible. If your ligaments and bones are more flexible, they are less likely to be torn (sprained) or broken (fractured).

As well as being important for strong bones and warding off the increased risk of osteoporosis at menopause collagen helps to mend wounds and burns and gives your skin and tissues elasticity. Vitamin C supplements may not only help fight wrinkles but also help ease vaginal dryness and stress incontinence. Since the need for collagen regeneration increases with age, so does the need for vitamin C.

Vitamin C is also a powerful antioxidant and free-radical scavenger that helps to reduce degenerative diseases and inflammation, and to slow down the ageing process. It boosts the body’s immune system – another system that needs more help as we enter mid-life and the menopause and beyond.  As well as boosting immunity, Vitamin C boosts the function of the adrenal glands. When under stress the adrenal glands use up vitamin C faster than normal so vitamin C is also a stress busting essential. Finally, studies have shown that giving women vitamin C with bioflavonoids (natural substances also found in citrus fruits and red wine) can reduce hot flushes.

 

Good food sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, tomatoes, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, berries (blueberries, gooseberries, raspberries, strawberries), bananas, alfalfa, guava, potatoes, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, watermelon, green leafy vegetables, green and red peppers, sprouted grains, and rose hips but if you’re approaching the menopause there are many good reasons to supplement your diet with 1,000 mg per day of vitamin C (containing bioflavonoids).  Choose an alkaline form of vitamin C (ascorbate) rather than the acidic ascorbic acid (the one I use in the clinic is Vitamin C Plus which is magnesium ascorbate – see the Resources Page).

This entry was posted on Friday, August 1st, 2008 at 4:10 am and is filed under Menopause, Nutrition and Healthy Eating. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.