5 good diets for middle-aged women

Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet is healthy for most people. This diet prioritizes vegetables, beans, fruits, nuts, and whole grains. Olive oil is the main source of fat, dieters eat less saturated fat.

Although this diet is mainly plant-based foods, you still consume a moderate amount of fish and milk, eggs, poultry, and red meat. The Mediterranean diet also contributes to reducing the risk of many age-related chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and dementia. This diet is flexible, you can still choose snacks and red wine with little frequency.

DASH diet

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), high blood pressure is one of the main risk factors for heart disease, which increases significantly after menopause. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is designed to prevent and support the treatment of high blood pressure.

DASH encourages dieters to reduce sodium content, focusing on foods rich in calcium, potassium and magnesium, which help lower high blood pressure. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends limiting salt intake to 1,500-2,300 mg per day, equivalent to about half a teaspoon to one teaspoon of salt per day.

The DASH diet prioritizes vegetables, fruits and low-fat dairy, moderate amounts of whole grains, beans, nuts, fish, and poultry. Red meat and sweets are generally not recommended but can still be consumed by those on a diet. N Avoid processed or salted meats.

Flexitarian diet

Flexitarian is a semi-vegetarian diet that is primarily plant-based, sometimes including meat, eggs, dairy, and fish. This is a good diet choice for people who want to increase their fiber and vegetable protein intake but still need to get nutrition from animal products.

Compared to a vegetarian or vegan diet, this flexible diet provides more iron and omega-3 from foods such as red meat and fish. Dieters tend to get more calcium to maintain bone health, especially postmenopausal women. This diet brings benefits to heart health, helps prevent diabetes, and keeps fit.

MIND diet

Age and gender are the main risk factors for dementia. The MIND diet is a dietary method that combines the DASH and Mediterranean methods, contributing to preventing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related intellectual decline.

MIND supports brain health, focusing on foods such as whole grains, berries, green leafy vegetables, beans, olive oil and fatty fish. Fried foods, red meat, butter, cheese and sweets are not recommended.

Intuitive eating

For people who have tried many diets but find them unsuitable, intuitive eating may be a suggestion. On this diet, there are no forbidden foods, no rules governing portion sizes or eating times. Instead, the main goal is to help dieters listen to their body’s natural hunger and feelings of fullness. Intuitive eaters can improve their psychological health and reduce the risk of eating disorders.