Almonds and Menopause
Why should menopausal women include almonds in their diet?
During menopause, a woman’s body goes through significant changes.
This new chapter in your life needs to be the starting point for a healthy lifestyle, even if it was not part of your life before.
Remember, it is never too late to make healthy lifestyle changes to protect yourself from various health problems.
The key to optimal health lies in choosing a healthy lifestyle that suits you, rebuilding your relationship with food, and understanding your hormones.
Almonds are good for bone health.
An unhealthy diet during menopause can lead to osteoporosis, among other health problems. Diet plays an essential role in preventing this bone disease.
As we grow older, osteoporosis can be a threat. Eating a rich plant source of calcium can help prevent osteoporosis.
One ounce (about 28 grams) of almonds contains 32% of the recommended daily manganese intake, which contributes to bone health, and 76.3 mg of calcium.
The healthy fats, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and copper in almonds can promote bone health and help fight osteoporosis.
Almonds can help relieve the symptoms of menopause.
Almonds are among the best sources of vitamin E: 37% of the recommended daily intake is in just one ounce of almonds (about 28 grams). Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant that supports immune function and fights infections.
Vitamin E may help reduce the severity and frequency of hot flashes.
Almonds can improve your mood.
Almonds are rich in magnesium – 1 ounce (about 28 grams) of almonds contains 75 mg of magnesium, about a quarter of the recommended daily intake.
Magnesium is nature’s relaxing mineral that can help you fall into a peaceful slumber.
Almonds are rich in magnesium, which can help relieve menopausal symptoms such as mood swings, insomnia, anxiety, and depression. In addition, magnesium contributes to bone health.
The unsaturated fats in almonds help increase serotonin levels, improving sleep quality.
Serotonin is considered a natural mood stabilizer that can alleviate depression and anxiety.
Almonds have an anti-aging effect on the skin.
I think almonds could be a delicious nutty addition to your skincare routine, especially if you are going through menopause. One ounce (about 28 grams) of almonds provides 6 grams of vegetable protein, 7 grams of vitamin E, fiber, and other vitamins and minerals that can be good for your skin.
There is evidence that menopause accelerates the aging process because collagen production decreases as we age, so the skin begins to sag and lose its elasticity.
During menopause, our skin becomes wrinkled as we lose about 2% of our skin collagen every year. According to studies, a woman’s skin loses about 30% of its collagen in the first five years of menopause.
Almonds contain healthy fats and vitamin E, a fat-soluble antioxidant that does wonders for the skin. Vitamin E has a moisturizing and healing effect on the skin.
One ounce of almonds contains 50% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin E.
Also, our skin becomes dry during menopause. Linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid in almonds, helps prevent skin dryness. One ounce of almonds (about 28 grams) provides 3.5 grams of linoleic acid.
Almonds also contain copper, an essential nutrient for our bodies that plays a role in collagen production and is responsible for skin elasticity. Our skin has 15% of the copper in our body.
NOTE:
If you regularly include almonds in your diet, it will nourish your body and thus have an anti-aging effect on your skin.
If you include almond oil in your daily skincare routine, it will add glow and make your face and skin supple.
Almonds are a source of protein.
One ounce (about 28 grams) of almonds provides your body with about 6 grams of protein.
On the one hand, we lose muscle mass as we age after 40. To counteract this and maintain your quality of life and independence, you need to increase your protein intake. We need protein to maintain muscle mass.
On the other hand, decreased hormone activity and a slowed metabolism during menopause can lead to bone and muscle loss.
Therefore, a balanced diet is a foundation for optimal menopausal health. Adding plant-based proteins and healthy fats to your diet is key to good health, especially after 40.
We need to make sure we consume enough protein during menopause because protein is vital to our bodies.
To give you an idea of the importance of protein, imagine that every cell in your body needs protein, our skin, organs, nails, muscles, the hair also needs protein, many hormones are made up of protein, etc.
How much protein do you need?
During menopause, we need a decent portion of protein with every meal, which can be about the size of a palm.
The healthiest protein options are plant-based sources like nuts, seeds, beans, quinoa, egg whites, lean and high-quality meats, fish, etc.
Studies I have come across over the years show that women benefit more from eating plant-based proteins than red meat and other animal products, lowering the risk of heart disease and premature death. However, this does not mean that you should completely ban meat from your eating habits, but that you should eat white meat and fish rather than red meat.
Almonds promote hair growth.
During menopause, a woman’s body goes through significant changes, including hair.
One of the first things I noticed during menopause was that my hair became much thinner and grew slowly. These changes are due to the decrease in estrogen and progesterone levels.
The good news is that almonds and almond oil can contribute to your hair health.
Almonds are rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which make your hair strong and shiny.
The high magnesium content supports hair growth.
Beauty tip:
- Regular hair massage with almond oil promotes hair growth, reduces hair thinning, and gives your hair a shiny aspect. It also seems to delay graying of the hair.
- Almond oil is an excellent moisturizer for skin and hair.
Almonds can be a healthy addition to a healthy lifestyle that can nourish your body while being your secret anti-aging beauty ingredient.
Since moderation is the key to everything, you should include almonds in your diet in reasonable amounts. Excessive consumption of almonds can be detrimental to your body weight.
Almonds are effortless to incorporate into your diet:
– Garnish your porridge
– Add a few soaked almonds to your salad to make it more filling and crunchy
– Add them to your desserts
– Add them to baking or use them as a topping for your cakes, smoothies, etc.
NOTE:
Daily intake of nuts should not exceed a palm-sized serving. A handful of nuts of your choice, including almonds, could be the perfect healthy snack for you.
To reap all the health benefits, choose raw, unprocessed almonds.
People who are allergic to almonds should avoid them and almond oil.
Till next time, let your hair down and keep healthy.
Warmly,
Gabby
Disclaimer:
No content on this blog should ever be used to substitute for medical advice from your practitioner or other qualified doctors.
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