Menopause and Women's Health - Patient Information Leaflet

Keeping Hot Flushes at Bay

• Breakfast – 250 ml of soya milk with porridge oats/or 100g soya yoghurt with Blueberries, 1-2 tsp of Linseed/Flaxseed powder/oil (whole flaxseeds are not absorbed hence not as effective)
• Mid morning snack – handful of unsalted mixed nuts/fruit
• Lunch – add 100g of Soya Yoghurt/Soya latte/soup or Salad with beans/chickpeas/ marinated Tofu
• Dinner – stir fry vegetables with Tofu or miso soup/soy mince spaghetti/vegan sausages Red Clover 40 mg/daily

Prevention of Osteoporosis

• Weight bearing exercises, under supervision (use small weights) – ideally get expert advice from an instructor for a couple of lessons
• Walking 30 min/day, especially while sunny, improves mood, posture and balance Improves mood, posture and balance
• Diet ( see Men and Women’s Health leaflet)
• Supplement of Calcium and Vitamin D -500mg -1000mg to be taken daily depending on dietary intake.

Factors to Avoid

• Excess Alcohol, stress, cigarettes, dairy, meat Salty and fried foods, saturated fats – cakes, crisps, biscuits

Avoiding Alzhiemer's Disease

• Yoga/Tai-Chi/Pilates – improves tone & helps pelvic floor and continence
• Encourage group activities
• Encourage new hobbies – Sudoku puzzle, learning a musical instrument, bridge
• Fresh fruit/vegetables and nuts/turmeric in food
• Spinach, especially, for vision/avoiding cataracts
• Avoiding saturated fats –baked goods/crisps/biscuits
• Eating fresh organic local produce, where possible

Nitu Bajekal, Consultant Gynaecologist, March 2014