Physical Changes During Menopause
- Weight gain occurs after Menopause because your
body produces less and less estrogen.
- Your body shape changes. Estrogen causes fat to
be stored around hips, but when estrogen is less,
fat is accumulated around the stomach.
- Abdominal obesity
is a risk factor for diabetes, hypertension, certain
cancers, and cardiovascular disease.
- Lack of estrogen causes cholesterol level to rise.
- Menopausal women tend to gain weight
Weight Control & Menopause
Weight control in menopause in best achieved,
as follows:
- Control your Diet
- Eat fewer calories because your body needs less
with advancing age. Metabolism slows with age.
- Eat nutritional food like fruit, vegetables, grains,
beans, cereal, fish, low-fat dairy foods and ultra-lean
meat.
- Increase your consumption of fiber. This aids digestion,
promotes good health and helps reduce calorie-intake.
- Reduce consumption of caffeine and alcohol.
- Eat less fat: As estrogen levels decline, HDL fat
(good fat) level fall and LDL fat (bad fat) rise,
thereby increasing the risk of heart attack.
- As fluid retention can be a problem at this time
drink plenty of water, fruit and vegetable juices.
- Reduce your salt intake. High levels of salt (sodium)
is linked to higher blood pressure, a contributor
to heart disease.
- Make sure you get enough calcium in your diet.
Physical Activity
Exercise is vital for weight loss during menopause.
Exercise increases our metabolism and helps to burn
off stored fat.
- Consult your doctor before starting a rigorous
exercise program. He or she will help you decide which
types of exercises are best for you.
- Take regular daily exercise : It increases the
production of HDL fat (the good fat) and thereby reduces
LDL (the bad fat).
- It lowers the risk of diabetes, osteoporosis and
other medical problems.
- It also helps raise your metabolic rate and thus
helps in weight
loss.
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