Menopause is often the point when we are forced to consider our overall health as our body responds to the changes we are going through.

Why a good midlife diet is essential

If you want to have a healthy menopause and beyond then the better your overall health and diet then you are creating the best conditions to deal with the symptoms that arise.

Unfortunately we live in an age of information overload where you can get to the point where you are just not sure what to believe. The newspapers tell you one thing, then you find something on the Internet that contradicts it and a friend ‘knows’ it is something else altogether.

So what can you do to sort through this maze? Start by going back to the basics of good, wholesome natural ingredients and the minimum of processed foods, additives and sugar.

A recent book for women from 40 and beyond called ‘The Midlife Kitchen’ offers some interesting recipes that are claimed to restore, rejuvenate and revive.

It’s a big claim but if you want some simple, sustaining recipes with plenty of health-giving ingredients then authors Mimi Spencer and Sam Rice new book could be what you need. Mimi Spencer is the co-author of The Fast Diet book with Dr Michael Mosley, so her credentials for helping with weight loss are already established, and there are certainly some interesting food combinations in this new book.

Start the day right

Breakfast is claimed to be the most important meal of the day, but to be honest it can get a bit boring so here’s an idea for something different – Carrot Cake Porridge. This is one of my favourite cakes, but to be honest the idea of it for breakfast had never occurred to me, but this recipe makes enough for two.

Ingredients:

50g jumbo oats

250ml milk (skimmed, semi or full fat as you prefer)

1 tsp flaxseeds

1 small carrot (50g) peeled and grated

1/2 tsp each of ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger and allspice

2 cardamon pods

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 mashed ripe banana

20g sultanas

Method:
Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and cook over a low heat for about five minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened to your liking. Remove the cardamom pods and serve with optional extra raw seed mix and walnuts if preferred.

The reason this porridge is so healthy is because it will increase your antioxidant level. Also carrots are very high in beta carotene, a pigment which converts to vitamin A in the body. This is essential for good vision and for maintaining your immune system function and once carrots are cooked their vitamin A absorption is improved up to 6.5 times more than when raw.