Which foods to avoid during menopause

Every woman dreads the idea of going through menopause, while men hate being at the receiving end during this phase. </em><br /> <br /> Your heart beats faster than you can count sheep, sleep evades you, and your body disowns you. Yet, women pull through by hook or by crook. A well established fact remains - a healthy diet combined with a great exercise plan can make menopause more bearable. We collate for you ways to cheat menopause and live a happier and healthier life. Here are foods that you should avoid during menopause. <br/><br/> <strong>How much alcohol to consume?</strong> <br/><br/> Menopause can be stressful and you desperately need alcohol to calm the nerves, but is it a good idea? Alcohol only intensifies the mood swings and causes fatigue. It is advised to stick to one glass or unit of alcohol a day to avoid those irrational fights with your loved ones. <br/><br/> <strong>Go easy on fatty meat...</strong> <br/><br/> For the simple reason that woman tend to put on weight during this fragile and unnerving time. The only option is to fine tune your diet by excluding unhealthy fats and balancing this diet choice with exercise. Cut out fats from all possible sources, espeically the saturated fats and trans fats. Choose lean meat, change your milk from whole to skimmed, and watch out for cheese, butter, and fried foods. Grilling your food or using healthy oils to cook your food is one of the best habits to maintain your figure. <br/><br/> <strong>Salty threats and sugary frights</strong> <br/><br/> Sugar and salt is present in every meal possible, unless you prepare your food from scratch. Take control of your meal, moderate your salt and sugar intake and maintain a healthy diet. Sodium is a perpetrator for high blood pressure while salts from processed food cause cancer. Sugar on the other hand 'goes straight to your thighs'. But sugar also makes you lazy and tired, apart from depleting your body of nutrients gained from healthy foods. Practise clever control over sugar intake. <br/><br/> <strong>How do carbs affect you?</strong> <br/><br/> Menopause is another reason to cut bad carbs; therefore, avoid pasta, white bread, rice and potatoes to avoid fatigue and mood swings. The trick is in knowing which carbs are good and which are bad. Any refined, processed carb source with a high GI will spike your blood sugar levels and then cause crashes immediately after. Simply put, this will cause fatigue, weight gain, and lifestyle diseases like diabetes. Be weary of processed and unhealthy carbs. <br/><br/> On the other hand, good carbs like whole and coarse grains, fruits and vegetables will go a long way in promoting good health and weight control. Therefore, draw a list of good and bad carbs and stick to it. <br/><br/> <strong>Can you still consume caffeine?</strong> <br/><br/> Women mostly complain of hot flashes and insomnia during menopause. Caffeine is known to keep you up and about; hence it is best to avoid your favourite drink before hitting the sack. Coffee is also accompanied with either sugar or cream, both equally bad for your body. <br/><br/> <strong>Mistress of spices</strong> <br/><br/> We, being Indians, love a fiery bowl of curry. But menopause and spices is a bad combination. Spices will make you all the more uncomfortable and intensify your hot flashes. However, this is not a hard and fast rule, and nor is it exact. <br/><br/> For starters, do not confuse hot or chili-heavy food with spicy food. Food cooked with red chilies, green chilies, or their powders is 'hot.' Food cooked with excessive spices like garam masala, turmeric, sambhar masala, etc is 'spicy.' Therefore, how well you can handle 'hot' food depends on your capacity to eat chilies. But, 'spicy' or food heavy in processed spices/masalas is usually unsettling for one and all. <br/><br/> Therefore, reduce the spices and oil in your favourite Indian curries to better enjoy meals when going through menopause.