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Here's a Hot Flash

How to Manage Menopause Naturally

By Kelly Burgess

Sometimes that may seem difficult, but there are actually foods and supplements that can help stabilize a woman's hormonal balance. Dr. Larrian Gillespie has written a book on the subject called The Menopause Diet (Healthy Life Publications, 2003). Dr. Gillespie was working in her successful urology practice when she hit 40 and began to gain weight – even though she'd always been naturally thin. Furthermore, she seemed to always be hungry, particularly for refined carbohydrates.

In her quest to find out why her body seemed to be changing so rapidly, Dr. Gillespie began to do research on women's hormones and how mid-life changes affect weight gain. Eventually, she changed careers to focus on the issues of women's health.

While The Menopause Diet offers some very specific recipes for easing menopause symptoms, both Spataro and Dr. Gillespie agree on some basic lifestyle approaches that can keep a woman at her optimum health as she goes through these changes.

Eat foods as close to their natural state as possible. Rely heavily on lean sources of protein such as fish, poultry and tofu, and eat red meats sparingly. Carbohydrates should come primarily from whole-wheat bread products, vegetables and fruit. Avoid "white" carbs such as rice, white brad and pasta.

"I gained 35 pounds doing what everyone said you're supposed to do, which is an emphasis on less protein and more low-fat products, which tend to be more carbohydrates," Dr. Gillespie says. "In fact, you need to increase your protein intake and decrease your carbs as you get older because it helps stabilize both insulin and estrogen levels."

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