The benefits of going through menopause (spontaneous care-free sex, clean underwear, etc.) are, unfortunately, tempered by the possible onset of specific health risks (osteoporosis, coronary artery disease, etc.). Some women may just prefer to reach for a bottle of pills or supplements to alleviate the symptoms or conditions, but it's just as simple and certainly more healthful to minimize those risks with a better diet.



These guidelines are worth consideration for a woman at any time of her life, not just middle age.

- Catch up on your calcium - eat or drink up to 4 servings of calcium-filled products each day, which doesn't have to come only from dairy. Calcium is also found naturally in beans and legumes, broccoli, spinach and kale, clams, salmon and sardines, rhubarb and almonds. And don't forget, frozen yogurt counts!

- Fill up on fiber - keep your body's digestive system regular with whole grains, whether in breads, pasta or cereals, and fresh vegetables and fruit.

- Increase your iron - women never get enough iron in their body, it seems, and it's important for your red blood cells, and transporting oxygen to the tissues. Make sure you get enough of this essential mineral by eating lean meats, fish, leafy greens, eggs and nuts.

- Skip the sodium - perhaps it's easier said than done, but try to take it easy on your salt intake, which has long been linked with increased risk of hypertension.

- Forget the fat - your daily caloric intake should include only 30% fat, and be sure to keep saturated fat below 10%. Too much saturated fat can raise cholesterol levels, and ups your risk of heart problems.

- Watch your weight - if you haven't done it before, there's no better time like the present to trim down and strive to reach your ideal weight. There's no need to go it alone, as there are online and in-person support groups that can help you meet your weight goal.

- Embrace exercise - exercise not only helps you tone up and lose fat, especially around the middle which seems to worsen in middle age, but there is evidence which shows that after exercise, a woman's estrogen levels see an increase, often enough to have an effect on hot flashes, reducing not only the incidents of them, but the severity.

These little changes are not earth-shattering or mind-boggling, and you can take a crack at 'em all at once or one at a time. But these little changes will go a long way towards ensuring a wonderful menopausal experience.