Here are our top tips based on NHS advice:
1. Base your meals on higher fibre starchy carbohydrates. These should make up over a third of the food you eat and the best ones are high fibre and wholegrain rice and cereals and potatoes with their skins on. Try to limit the fats you add to these when you cook them.
2. Eat lots of fruit and veg. Fresh, canned, frozen or dried is all good, it is recommended that we all eat at least five portions of fruit or veg a day.
3. Eat more fish! If you eat fish, aim for at least 2 portions a week and for one of these to be an ‘oily fish’ like salmon, sardines or mackerel- fresh, frozen, tinned or smoked.
4. Cut down on saturated fat and sugar. Saturated fat is found in fatty meat, hard cheese and butter (and all the things made with these like pastry). Vegetable oil or olive oil are unsaturated fat examples. Food labels help with spotting high sugar content – but it’s all the obvious fizzy drinks, biscuits and also the unobvious with many packaged foods. Best to check!
5. Eat less salt! It can increase your blood pressure and lead to heart disease. If you are post menopause you will be at increased risk of heart disease.
6. Get active- see our previous post with tips on how to get more active and enjoy it!
7. Hydrate for health! 6 – 8 glasses of water a day is the goal
8. Eat a high fibre, low fat, low sugar, low salt breakfast every day and it’ll set you up for your training for the Go Red Run!
If you are going through, or are post menopause, we have some advice and information from Dr Rupy Aujla, from The Doctor’s Kitchen, about nutrition to help reduce your symptoms and lower your risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. Click here to read his tips.