South Fairfax News

5 Nutrition Tips for Women Over 50

A healthy, well-balanced diet is essential to overall wellness. However, the natural aging process affects nutritional needs, especially for women over 50.

“Women’s nutritional needs change with age for several reasons,” explained Madeline Kolpin, a registered dietitian at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Jacksonville. “Older women don’t need as many calories, often due to less activity. There’s also metabolism, menopause, and age-related loss in bone and muscle mass.”

Menopause and Nutrition

Commonly associated with not-so-pleasant symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings and weight gain, menopause is a natural part of aging that occurs for women in their late 40s and early 50s.

Menopause marks the end of your menstrual cycles. This process occurs when you are no longer producing high levels of estrogen and progesterone hormones needed for reproduction. The changes in hormone levels influence how our bodies use calcium and maintain blood cholesterol levels. Menopause also increases the risk of osteoporosis.

Medications and chronic conditions can affect your dietary needs. Before you make changes to your diet, consult your doctor.

Five Tips to Improve Diet

Boost Calcium and Vitamin D

Calcium and vitamin D pack a one-two punch. Calcium keeps bones strong, and vitamin D helps absorb calcium. “A loss of bone density can lead to osteoporosis and a higher risk of fractures in older adults,” said Kolpin.

Calcium-rich foods include:

• Dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, arugula and romaine lettuce, acorn and butternut squash
• Vegetables: Collard greens, turnip greens, Bok Choy, broccoli, brussels sprouts
• Legumes: Tofu, beans (red, white and spotted), chickpeas, peas and green beans
• Dairy products: Skim milk, low-fat yogurt, cheese and dairy alternatives like soy milk

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