Changing Your Lifestyle to Manage Menopause Efficiently

The following lifestyle changes may help reduce bothersome symptoms and decrease health risks associated with menopause:

Increase Your Intake of Phytoestrogens

A high intake of phytoestrogens (isoflavones and lignans) may help reduce your menopausal symptoms. They may also reduce your risk for diseases associated with estrogen loss. Phytoestrogens occur naturally in certain foods:

Isoflavones: soybeans, chickpeas, and legumes

Lignans: flaxseeds, whole grains, and some fruits and vegetables

It’s also been suggested that vitamin E, wild yams, and black cohosh may help relieve menopausal symptoms.

Eat a Healthful Diet

A healthful diet during menopause can improve your sense of well-being. It may also reduce the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, and certain cancers. Your diet should be low in saturated fat and high in fruits, vegetables, and grains. An adequate intake of calcium (1200 to 1500 mg per day) can help lower your risk of osteoporosis. You can increase the calcium in your diet by eating more calcium-rich dairy foods (low-fat or nonfat preferred), leafy green vegetables, and calcium-fortified foods and juices. Vitamin D, found in sunlight and certain foods (fortified milk, liver and tuna), helps your body absorb calcium.

Limit Caffeine and Alcohol

Cutting back on caffeine and alcohol may reduce symptoms of anxiety and insomnia. It may also reduce the loss of calcium from your body and reduce your risk of other health problems.


Quit Smoking

Smoking is the number one preventable cause of premature death. Giving up smoking can reduce your risk of early menopause, heart disease, osteoporosis, and many types of cancer, including lung and cervical cancer. Many women quit smoking successfully, often after several attempts. Your health care provider may offer medication that can help, such as the antidepressant Zyban (bupropion) and other smoking cessation aids, such as nicotine patches and gums. Support groups and smoking cessation classes can also help. The most successful smoking cessation programs involve a combination of behavior modification techniques and drug therapy.

Exercise Regularly

Regular exercise is a great remedy for many symptoms of menopause. It helps promote better sleep, stimulates brain chemicals that can reduce negative feelings and depression, and may reduce hot flashes. Weight-bearing exercises such as walking, climbing stairs, and resistance exercises such as lifting weights help to strengthen your bones and decrease your risk of osteoporosis.

Manage Stress

During menopause you may be facing many stressors, such as raising children or having children leave home, caring for elderly parents, and juggling a number of responsibilities. You can reduce stress by taking care of your whole self. This means eating a healtful diet, getting plenty of sleep, exercising regularly, and having enough time for rest and recreation. A variety of relaxation techniques can also help you to cope more effectively with stress. Examples include meditation, deep breathing, progressive relaxation, yoga and biofeedback.

Stay Cool

If you are having hot flashes, try making a diary of when they happen and what seems to trigger them. This may help you find out what to avoid. Otherwise:

* When a hot flash starts, go somewhere that is cool.

* Sleeping in a cool room may keep hot flashes from waking you up during the night.

* Dress in layers that you can take off if you get warm.

* Use sheets and clothing that let your skin "breathe."

* Carry a small, battery operated fan in your briefcase or purse

* Try having a cold drink (water or juice) at the beginning of a hot flash.

* Avoid hot foods like soup or spicy foods

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5 Ways To Identify The Best Diet

“Saying there’s one best diet for everyone is a little like saying there’s one best type of music for everyone,” Michael Dansinger, M.D., director of obesity research at the Atherosclerosis Research Laboratory at Tufts-New England Medical Center, says. People should consider a broad spectrum of options.

1) Cut The Easiest Calories First.

Eliminating the nonnutritive foods that are least important to you can have a major effect. Avoiding sugared soft drinks and juices and outsized baked goods, such as mega-bagels, alone could eliminate 500 to 1,000 calories a day from your body.

2) Choose A Safe Dietary Plan.

If you have any kind of medical condition, check with your doctor before starting a weight loss attempt, especially if you’re drawn to one of the more nutritionally extreme diets such as Atkins. Don’t strive for rapid weight loss. Losing more than 1 to 2 pounds a week can cause undesirable health effects, with the Medifast weight loss plan being the exception. Increase fiber intake gradually and drink a lot of water to avoid digestive upsets. Also, consider taking a multivitamin pill while you’re cutting the calories.

3) Consider Personal Preferences.

Someone who doesn’t like red meat will find Atkins very difficult to follow, and someone who does will probably find the vegetarian Ornish diet intolerable. Those who like variety may tire of the limited menu of a meal replacement diet.

4) Follow the Rules.

If the diet says to eat one half cup of rice, be sure to measure it in a measuring cup. If you’re supposed to eat a snack at 3 p.m. then eat it. The more faithfully people adhere to a diet, the more successful they will be.

5) Be Ready To Switch.

”You have to ‘date’ the diets and be ready to fail a few times before you find the right one that you can stick with. If after three weeks, you find a diet too difficult or unpleasant to follow or you are not losing weight then try another.

Whatever option you choose it’s very wise to seek personal support and encouragement. Surveys show that a counselor was second in effectiveness only to devising their own personal diet and exercise plan. Whether support is one-on-one or in group support behavioral support can help people lose weight. One of the largest diet studies ever conducted, involving more than 3,200 overweight people at high risk for diabetes, found that intensive counseling to support diet and exercise changes worked better than a drug to prevent diabetes and induce consistent weight loss.

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7 Foods That Boost Your Immune System

Lisa Mosing,
MS, RD, FADA, LifeScript Director of Nutrition

To make it through cold and flu season unscathed, your immune system needs to be strong enough to fight off germs and viruses lurking, well, everywhere. Eating nutrient-rich foods is a great way to keep your family healthy. But with tight schedules, many of us eat on the run and sacrifice good nutrition, which can undermine the health boost that a normally nutritious diet offers…

Even at the edge of springtime, colds and flu can sneak up on you and your loved ones. More than 200 viruses can cause cold symptoms. That’s a lot of bugs to fend off. Luckily, eating healthfully may be just the immune-system booster you need to ward off illness.

A healthy immune system is a defense against pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, and carcinogens that can make you ill. Immune cells are found throughout your body – in your tonsils, lymph nodes, spleen, thymus gland, and bone marrow. By focusing on nutrient-rich foods instead of high-calorie foods like cookies and ice cream, you and your family can ward off illness.

1. Go Fishing
For a stronger immune system, nutritionists suggest consuming at least two servings a week of fatty seafood, such as sardines, salmon, herring, and mackerel. The omega-3 fatty acids in these fish and in other foods such as walnuts, flaxseed, and canola oil are known to boost the immune system and reduce inflammation in the body by increasing the activity of while blood cells called macrophages, which engulf troublesome bacteria. Monounsaturated fats in foods such as olive oil and wheat germ also protect our bodies from microorganisms, bacteria and viruses. In fact, researchers have found that diets low in fat weaken the immune system and increase depression.

2. Pick Protein
Zinc, a mineral abundant in meats like calf’s liver, beef and lamb, works with protein found in meat to help to strengthen the immune system. (Vegetarians can get their zinc from whole grains and fortified breakfast cereals.) In fact, certain types of immune cells, including white blood cells, cannot function without zinc. Other proteins that can help reinforce your body’s defense system include chicken, fish, tofu, eggs and dairy foods.

3. Reach for Plant Foods
By serving your family a variety of fruits and vegetables at meals and for snacks, you ensure that their bodies get plenty of phytonutrients. These compounds help boost your immune system, strengthen your heart and blood vessels, and even fight some cancers. In the winter months, most markets offer a wonderful array of fresh choices, from winter squashes, greens and root vegetables to cranberries. And you can always reach for canned and frozen fruits and vegetables. Processed just after harvest, canned and frozen produce can actually sometimes have more nutrients than produce that has spent days in transit.

4. Don’t Skimp on Citrus
Go ahead and indulge in leafy greens, bell peppers and citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit, all rich in vitamin C. This vitamin inactivates histamine, the substance responsible for your runny nose and congestion, and helps reduce the inflammation that accompanies colds and viruses. In fact, according to a study at the University of California at Berkeley of 160 healthy adults, those who took 500 milligrams of vitamin C a day for two months had a 24% drop in C-reactive protein, a protein associated with inflammation and chronic disease. Brightly colored greens and other vegetables also contain large doses of immune-enhancing antioxidants that help fight wintertime illnesses. So, load up on strawberries, cantaloupe, blueberries, tomatoes, broccoli, and sweet potatoes – all a boon for your immune system. To make winter and spring vegetables more appealing, consider adding some to soups, stews and sauces. And down a glass of low-sodium tomato or vegetable juice now and then – they’re both great sources of vitamin C.

5. Go Nuts
Instead of chips or cheese doodles for an afternoon snack, reach for a handful of nuts or seeds. Studies show vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant, fights respiratory infections, including colds. It boosts the responses of antibodies and certain immune system cells when we’re under stress – and who isn’t? A quarter cup of sunflower seeds has almost all the vitamin E you need daily. A quarter cup of almonds provides 50% of your need. And Brazil nuts pack a whopping dose of selenium, a mineral that also boosts wintertime defenses.

6. Hit the Spice Rack
Both garlic and onions contain compounds that rev up the activity of immune-system cells called natural killer cells and T-helper cells. While they’re fending off colds, they’re also helping defend us from cancer and heart disease – not a bad side activity at all. If a cold does catch you and you get stuffy, a bite of garlic will also help clear your nose (not to mention the room).

7. Spoon in the Yogurt
In a year-long study at the University of California, adults who ate three-fourths cup of yogurt a day had 25% fewer colds that those who didn’t. The yogurt cranked up the production of a substance called gamma interferon, which helps squelch virus reproduction, a death knell for your cold.

Dehydration can also lower your defenses. Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water and other fluids every day. And if you’re already sick, double that.

Now you know what to eat. But what foods should you avoid?

Skip Sugar and Fat
Even as little as two sugary sodas a day can lower the power of your cold-busting immune cells by 40%. And animal studies have shown that diets high in both sugar and fat reduce the numbers of natural killer cells.

For a healthy immune system, health experts also encourage reaching a healthy weight, taking a multivitamin that provides essential minerals (like zinc and selenium), exercising 30 to 60 minutes most days, and sleeping at least eight hours every night.

Are You a Health Food Nut?
Lentils. Fish. Nuts. You know health food is good for you, but that doesn't necessarily make a bland block of tofu any more appealing. Experts insist that health food is essential to your diet, but do you know why? Test your knowledge on healthy fare - from garlic to green tea - with this health food quiz.

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Diets That Fight Cancer

Susan Burke MS, RD, LD/N, CDE
eDiets.com Chief Nutritionist

Cancer. It’s the diagnosis everyone dreads. But this is not a story about fear, it’s about hope. There’s hope for those diagnosed with cancer, because new techniques, treatments and medicines help people live longer. And although there’s no guarantee that lifestyle will prevent cancer, how you live, what you eat, and your daily habits can lower your risk for getting many types of cancer, even breast cancer.

Cancer is a disease that may be managed, though not usually completely cured. Although heart disease kills more Americans, cancer is a close second. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) reports that although cancer research has improved the outlook for people already diagnosed with cancer, it remains one of our most “urgent health concerns and the disease many fear most.” More than 1.3 million new cases will be diagnosed this year, and more than a half million people will die from cancer.

Breast cancer follows lung cancer as the second most common cancer in women. The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that one in every seven American women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. More than 220,000 American women will develop breast cancer this year, more commonly in older (greater than age 60) women. Risk increases with a family history (grandmother, mother, sister, daughter or two other close relatives).

Overweight Increases Risk for Cancer

Let’s get down to brass tacks. If you’re having a hard time finding motivation to lose weight, then think about cancer, because the risk for cancer increases along with overweight and obesity. Overweight women have a higher risk for breast cancer, especially if they gained weight after menopause. According to the NCI, obesity and physical activity may account for up to 30 percent of postmenopausal breast cancer, as well as colon, endometrial, kidney and esophageal cancer.

From 11,000 to 18,000 deaths per year from breast cancer in American women over age 50 might be avoided if women could maintain a BMI under 25 throughout their adult lives. For example, a 5-foot-6 woman who weighs 165 pounds has a BMI of 26.6; losing 15 pounds makes the BMI about 24.2.

A study in Cancer Detection and Prevention (June 2003) reported that approximately 41,000 new cases of cancer in the U.S. were linked to obesity, and 20 percent of cancer deaths in women were due to overweight and obesity. Obesity may increase estrogen levels, which supports rapid growth of breast tumors. Before menopause, the ovaries are the primary producer of estrogen, but after menopause fat tissue becomes the primary estrogen source.

Obesity is linked to type 2 diabetes, a risk factor for gallbladder, ovarian and pancreatic cancer. The online journal Diabetes Today (September 26, 2006) reported those with type 2 diabetes were more likely to develop cancer, especially of certain organs, such as the pancreas and liver. Researchers hypothesize that type 2 diabetes produces excess insulin that may promote cancer-cell growth in the liver or pancreas.

According to the ACS, obesity is known to increase cervical, endometrial, ovary and gallbladder cancer risk in women, and colorectal and prostate cancer risk in men.

Losing weight after menopause decreases risk for breast cancer. The best advice is to avoid gaining weight to begin with, and staying at a healthy weight.

Prevention

The ACS notes that there are some risk factors you can control, some you cannot. Your age (over 50 increases risk), gender (women are 100 times more likely to get breast cancer than men), and genes (certain gene mutations increases risk by 80 percent) cannot be controlled. But other risk factors, including excess alcohol and obesity, increase risk for cancer. Your weight and your diet are two factors that are absolutely controllable. Take control.

The Best Diet

Managing your weight with healthy diet and exercise not only lowers your risk for breast cancer, but also can help prevent cancer reoccurrence.

Jennifer K. Nelson, Mayo Clinic’s director of clinical nutrition, says research supports including more fruits and vegetables in your diet daily to lower the risk for many serious diseases, including cancer. Rather than taking supplements, getting the health-providing compounds from foods means more phytonutrients, minute chemicals that are immunity-boosting and protective against cancer-causing free radicals.

“Eating a variety of plant foods -- fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds -- helps ensure that we get a variety of what Mother Nature intended for us to get," she said.

Jennifer also notes that managing your weight through diet and physical activity can "play a role in preventing breast cancer and keeping it from returning."

A study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (September 20, 2005) found that women who increase their intake of vegetables and fruits following early-stage breast cancer diagnosis had a greater rate of recurrence-free survival.

Lower your risk for cancer by managing your weight. The Mayo Clinic Plan gives you virtually unlimited vegetables and fruits, plus a variety of healthy choices from all of the food groups. More variety increases your intake of beneficial phytonutrients in different fruits and vegetables. Lose weight and improve high blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as reduce your risk for heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.

The Mayo Clinic experts have developed this plan to help you live a longer, healthier life. Join eDiets.com and get a personalized approach to weight management, support and reliable information.

Physical Activity Lowers Cancer Risk

Moderate to vigorous regular activity reduces risk of developing colon and breast cancer, and since physical activity is a key factor in maintaining or achieving a healthy body weight, make it your business to stay active. Physical activity has beneficial effects against heart disease and diabetes too, so find something you like to do and get moving.

Your eDiets Fitness Plan is also personalized to your current level of fitness, and is modified to be more challenging as your strength and fitness increases.

Early Diagnosis

Early diagnosis means early treatment, perhaps even a cure. Monthly breast self-exams can save your life. Depending upon your individual risk factors, women should have a mammogram every year beginning at age 40. Prostate cancer will affect almost all men at some point in their life and staying at a healthy weight and activity lowers risk. Prostate is usually a slow-growing cancer, not as easily detected, and men also need a digital exam starting at age 40. Early detection means a better chance of survival. Find out more about early detection at http://www.nbcam.org/aboutBC_earlyDetection.cfm.

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