52 healthyfoodguide.com.au
POSSIBLE REASON:Menopause
Have you noticed extra fat around your tummy
that wasn’t there before? Many women find this
happens as they get older, and it can be due to
hormonal changes that occur during menopause.
Your metabolism slows by around 10 per cent
during menopause, so you burn fewer kilojoules.
At the same time, excess weight may accumulate
around your middle due to falling oestrogen levels,
giving you an apple-shape, when you may previously
have been more a pear-shape. This kind of belly fat
increases your risk of cardiovascular disease and
type 2 diabetes, so it’s best to deal with it early.
Hot flushes are another unfortunate side-effect of
menopause for some women, and diet can play a
role. Drinking coffee and alcohol can bring on hot
flushes, so it’s probably a good time to reduce your
intake. (Alcohol is also a culprit behind weight gain.)HOW DIET CAN HELP
ÅWatch portion sizes Even if you’re making
healthy choices, big servings mean more kilojoules.
Aim to fi ll half of your plate with vegies so there is less
room for meat and carbs, which are higher in energy.
ÅEat more soy Soy foods, such as soy milk and
tofu, may help reduce hot fl ushes, which are caused
by changing oestrogen levels.
ÅSnack on yoghurt During menopause, your
rate of bone loss increases. Dairy foods maintain
healthy bones and prevent osteoporosis. Women
over the age of 50 need to boost their calcium
intake from 1000 to 1300mg per day, so add an
extra tub of calcium-rich yoghurt as a snack.POSSIBLE REASON:
Endometriosis
It is often during the investigation
to see why you are not falling
pregnant that your doctor will
discover endometriosis.
Endometriosis affects about
one in 10 women. And, about a
third of women who are having
trouble falling pregnant will find
endometriosis is the reason.
It’s a condition where the
tissue that normally lines the
uterus also grows outside of it.
These abnormaltissues respond
to a woman’s hormones in thehfg FEATURES
We all suffer from emotional stress,
but our frantic, fast-paced lifestyles
can wreak havoc on our health.
Research shows that our main
stress hormone, cortisol, aff ects our
entire body. Chronically high levels of
cortisol can lead to weight gain, high
blood sugar levels and fertility issues.
Mental tension also aff ects our gut
and can play a role in triggering IBS
symptoms. Stress even impacts our
food choices (hello, ice cream!).
Regularly getting enough sleep
is important to manage stress, as is
exercise, such as yoga, walking and
swimming, which can help you unwind.
If your stress levels are starting
to impact your day-to-day life, it’s
important to seek help through a
family member, GP or counsellor.WHY WE ALL NEED
TO STRESS LESSHormonal
changes can
cause extra
belly fatChicken recipe photo: Mark O’Meara.“I can’t shift that
stubborn tummy tyre”“I’m having
trouble falling
pregnant”