The need for nutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals) does not decrease as a woman gets older, but her need for calories decreases. It is important, therefore, to eat foods that have a high concentration of nutrients and to avoid sugary, fatty foods that are “empty calories.”

Regular exercise enhances the ability to cope with stress and depression. It increases energy and helps keep weight off. The basal metabolic rate gradually declines with age, and unless boosted by exercise, the tendency is to gain weight gradually.

It is most important for women to know that exercise combined with calcium supplementation can slow the development of osteoporosis, a bone condition producing porosity and fragility.

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What Diet Is Best?

The following suggestions are excerpted from the book Natural Menopause​—The Complete Guide to a Woman’s Most Misunderstood Passage, by Susan Perry and Dr. Katherine A. O’Hanlan.

Protein

• Reduce your protein intake to no more than 15 percent of your total caloric intake.

• Get more of your protein from vegetable sources and less from animal sources.

Carbohydrates

• Eat more complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, breads and pastas, beans, nuts, rice, vegetables, and fruits.

• Eat less sugar and fewer foods containing large amounts of sugar.

• Eat more food rich in fiber.

Fats

• Reduce your total fat intake to no more than 25 to 30 percent of your total calorie consumption.

• As you decrease your total fat intake, increase the ratio of ‘good fats’ (polyunsaturated) to ‘bad fats’ (saturated).

Water

• Drink six to eight eight-​ounce glasses of water each day.

Vitamins and Minerals

• Eat a variety of vegetables and fruits each day.

• Milk, dairy products, broccoli, and green leafy vegetables are good sources of calcium.