Diet and Menopause - Proven Natural Ways to Avoid Hot Flashes and Night Sweats

Some Useful Diet Suggestions for Menopause

Why is calcium an important part of my diet? How much should I be getting? What are some sources of calcium?

Calcium in the diet can play a vital role in preventing osteoporosis. Prevention involves attaining a healthy amount of bone mass before menopause, and maintaining a low rate of bone loss after menopause. Calcium helps do this.

Osteoporosis is one of the most debilitating diseases you can develop. It involves a loss of bone tissue that the body can't completely replace. This makes the bones thin, fragile, and more likely to fracture.

Studies have linked osteoporosis to the hormonal changes related to menopause. Reduced production of the hormone estrogen is the main cause of bone loss.

NIH Recommendations

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) have issued recommendations for the amount of calcium women should have each day. After menopause, the recommendation is 1500 milligrams (mg) if a woman is not using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and 1000 mg if she is using HRT. After age 65, the recommendation is 1500 mg for all women.

There are many sources of calcium from food and from supplements. The body can only absorb about 500 milligrams at a time, so calcium intake should be spread throughout the day. Calcium carbonate, the most common type of calcium in supplements, should be taken with a meal. You should work with your doctor or health care provider to create the osteoporosis prevention plan that's best for you.

Examples of Foods High in Calcium
Food	Serving Size	Average Calcium in milligrams
Dairy Products (choose low fat)
American cheese	1 ounce (slice)	165 to 200
Cheddar cheese	1 ounce (slice)	about 200
Cottage cheese	1 cup	125 to 155
Milk	1 cup	about 300
Swiss cheese	1 ounce (slice)	250 to 270
Yogurt	1 cup	275 to 450
Fruit
Figs	10, dried	about 270
Oranges	1	about 50
Seafood
Sardines in oil, with bones	3 ounces	about 370
Canned salmon, with bones	3 ounces	170 to 210
Vegetables and Greens
Broccoli	1 cup, cooked	about 70
Cabbage	1 cup, cooked	about 50
Cauliflower flowerets	1 cup, cooked	about 30
Spinach	1 cup, cooked	250 to 275
Turnip greens	1 cup, cooked	200 to 250
Other
Beans	1 cup, dried	about 90
Tofu	1 piece	about 110

Adapted from Nutritive Value of Foods, U.S. Department of Agriculture

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