Healthy Diet

How should women look after themselves when they are entering midlife?

Have a HEALTHY DIET & watch what you eat!

Many women put on some weight as they move into menopause, so it is very important to watch what you eat and have a healthy diet.

To do this you should aim to:

Eat High fibre foods: High fibre foods are good for your heart and help you stay healthy. These include oats and brown rice. Sweet potatoes, green vegetables and beans are also helpful.
Get enough calcium: Calcium is a mineral that helps to keep your bones strong and is very important for women who are going into the menopause. Foods that are high in calcium include dairy foods like milk and yoghurt, fish with bones such as kapenta, and green leafy vegetables like okra.

Get enough protein: Protein helps you to build muscle and stay strong. Foods that contain protein include beans and peas, nuts, fish, eggs and meat like chicken and beef.

Only eat as much food as you need: It is important that you only eat as much as you need to stay healthy and active. If you eat more than this you will gain weight, even if the food is healthy.
Eat less ‘white’ starchy foods: White starchy foods are not as healthy as brown foods. These white starch foods include sadza, white rice and white bread. Eat less of these.
Cut down on sugary foods, sweets and drinks: Sugary foods and cold drinks are high in sugar. They are not healthy and make you gain weight. Where possible cut out all sugary drinks and try to have fewer spoons of sugar in your tea or coffee. Sometimes it is hard to give up sweet things, but you can begin by cutting down the number of teaspoons of sugar you have in your tea slowly so you will get used to having less sugar and still enjoy your hot drink.
Eat less fat: Fat is an important part of your diet. However, some kinds of fat are healthier than others. Healthy fats include avocados and nuts. But try to avoid eating too much unhealthy fat found in fatty foods such as cakes, biscuits, pastries and butter, as these may make you gain weight.
Eat less salt: Salt is one of the main causes of high blood pressure. To reduce your salt, try to eat fewer salty snacks like chips and don’t add it to your cooking and meals.
Drink plenty of water: Drink at least 6 glasses of water each day.