Think how you hydrate your body! – Tip #7 Nutrition in Menopause
So, you think that a healthy breakfast includes a glass of freshly-squeezed glass of orange juice. Orange juice is healthy, right? Think how you hydrate your body!
Wrong!
It is full of sugar, and we know sugar is detrimental to a woman’s health.
In the 1950s, oranges were different. When the oranges of the 1950s and the oranges of the 2000s were compared, there was evidence that they had at least 50% less vitamin C and a big drop in other nutrients. The content of sugar, on the other hand, was higher. Today it is said to be 3 times higher than the oranges of our youth.
Nobody told us that in cultivating the new types of high yield orange trees, vitamins and minerals were sacrificed for the sake of the fruit’s sweetness.
So, if freshly squeezed juice is problematic, how about the store-bought beverages we drink?
Tropicana, the most popular orange juice brand in the US, declares that it is 100% pure orange juice. Its label declares that one 8 Oz glass ( 0,24l ) of juice contains 22 g of sugar (equivalent to 5 teaspoons!!!) and no dietary fiber.
How about coffee & tea?
What about coffee and tea? If you drink these in moderation and without sugar, that’s okay! The moment you start adding spoonfuls of sugar, you are creating problems for your body.
Caffeine, mostly found in coffee, can also trigger hot flashes for some women. In my personal experience, the more coffee I drank, the more severe my hot flashes were.
Think how you hydrate your body!
Do you regularly drink sodas? 
Sodas are everywhere, whichever way you turn.
Many people who regularly drink sodas say that they are addicted to the “sweet goodness” of the fizzy drinks. It’s all that sugar!
People are only now realizing how detrimental sugar is to their health and how addictive it is. They are beginning to take the problematic nature of drinking too much soda seriously. Reducing sugar, and by extension, sodas can feel like going through “rehab.”
The fact that many artificial sweeteners are as bad as sugar does not make the 0 sugar drinks any better for your health. The most controversial artificial sweeteners are aspartame, cyclamate (Sucaryl), saccharin (Sweet’N Low), and maltodextrin.
Think how you hydrate your body!
What about unwinding with alcohol?
After a long day, some of us like to unwind with a cocktail or a glass or two of wine. If this helps and does not interrupt your sleep or intensify your hot flashes, go for it. But… there is a but sometimes with things that taste good. Isn’t there?
A cocktail or a nice glass of wine may make you sleepier at bedtime, but the metabolic processes for digesting alcohol will disrupt sleep later in the night.
Sleep in menopause is a scarce commodity for many women, so be careful with your daily alcoholic intake.
The Mayo Clinic recommendation is:
“Moderate alcohol use for healthy adults generally means up to one drink a day for women and up to two drinks a day for men.
Examples of one drink include:
Beer – 12 fluid ounces (355 milliliters)
Wine – 5 fluid ounces (148 milliliters)
Distilled spirits (80 proof) – 1.5 fluid ounces (44 milliliters)”
It is a much better idea to settle down in the evening with a mug of a nice herbal tea that helps you to relax and unwind. Among the best teas for relaxation and sleep are mint, chamomile, and lavender.
Finally, the best thing to drink is water, of course.
It is important to avoid as much possible drinking water from plastic bottles of any kind, particularly for women in menopause.
There are “estrogen-mimicking” substances in the plastic that bottles are made of. These estrogenic chemicals seep into the water and are tied to breast cancer. Whenever you can, try and drink out of glass bottles or take your own reusable bottle and refill it from a safe water source. Just keep away from water stored in any type of plastic.
Give your body the best hydration it deserves!
Think how you hydrate your body
To learn more about nutrition in menopause, click here.
