6 Essential Vitamins and Minerals For Postmenopausal Women

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This post lists 6 essential vitamins and minerals for postmenopausal women to support you so you can enjoy the energy and health you need to to do whatever you want to do in life. Join the circus as one of the sideshow attractions, take up cancan dancing, attract the attention of Ryan Gosling or even to avoid nodding off in the middle of seeing the latest hot show in town.

It is always important to make sure you are getting a good range of vitamins and minerals in your diet but as we get into our 50’s and beyond it becomes paramount to supporting our health and wellbeing to enable us to pick and choose what we want to do in life and not be consigned to the daytime-tv-armchair-brigade.

Vitamin A

This is excellent for us who are over 50 who want to keep our eyes and skin as healthy as possible.

There are two types of vitamin A: retinoids and carotenoids. Both are important for keeping skin, eyes, cells and tissues healthy and increasing immunity. The main difference is where you get them from. Retinoids are more readily found in animal products while carotenoids are usually plant-based.

As a general rule of thumb, you’ll find vitamin A in lots of orange foods, including carrots, sweet potato and melon. Some of the less obvious sources include kale, spinach, liver, eggs, milk, red peppers and mangoes.

Most of us will get enough vitamin A in our diet if we eat the right foods but be wary of supplementing as too much vitamin A can be dangerous, especially if you’re pregnant. Your body stores it rather than flushing out any excess and too much can be toxic. Stick to getting your vitamin A intake from foods and you shouldn’t have anything to worry about!

How about making a delicious sweet potato salad to get your dose of vitamin A in a very delicious way?

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is more of an antioxidant than a vitamin and can help to protect your body against the damaging effects of free radicals. Without this, oxidative stress which has been linked to many health issues can become a problem.

Almonds are a great natural source of vitamin E. You can also eat sunflower seeds, spinach, kale, asparagus, celery, cucumber and tomato to boost your vitamin E intake.

Add all of these into a salad and enjoy vitamin E nirvana.

Here’s a nice recipe for Paleo almond, choc chip cookies –

Paleo and Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Iron

If you’ve been lacking in energy and feeling out of breath lately, it could be a sign that you’re not getting enough iron. Women can be particularly prone to iron deficiency, anaemia. Iron helps haemoglobin, the pigment in red blood cells, to transport oxygen around the body.

Liver is a really good source of iron but if you are not keen on eating organs a regular piece of red meat the size of the palm of your hand should help you to keep your iron levels good. If you don’t eat meat, you’ve still got plenty of other options. Spinach, beans, lentils, chickpeas, soybeans, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds can also give you an iron boost. Bonus points if you can team these with a vitamin C rich food so that the iron is absorbed more easily.

A good example of this combination is this sweet potato curry recipe is full of iron boosting chickpeas and spinach, plus vitamin C to help with absorption – Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Spinach Curry

Magnesium

If chronic fatigue and muscle cramps are common problems for you, it may be a sign you need to up your magnesium intake. This is a mineral that many are deficient in particularly if you eat a low carb diet. Bad news for some of us given how many key roles it plays in the body. From heart health to protecting against osteoporosis, this is a mineral you really don’t want to be lacking in!

Worried you’re not getting enough magnesium? You can get more of it through bananas, dark chocolate, leafy greens and pumpkin seeds.

These raw chocolate bars are a yummy, natural way to boost your magnesium levels – Magnesium Rich Dark Chocoate Bars

Potassium

Potassium plays a part in keeping muscles and nerves healthy and is also important for your kidneys and digestive system. Like magnesium, it is important to make sure you are getting enough in your diet.

Good sources of potassium include avocado, bananas, potato, sweet potato, prunes and raisins. You can also drink coconut water, which often also contains other minerals such as magnesium and zinc.

These Banana and Sweet Potato Muffins are a great way to combine two potassium rich ingredients and is totally delicious – Vegan Banana Sweet Potato Muffins   For those that don’t have sugar 1. GOOD ON YOU and 2. Xylitol or a little Natvia would work fine here.

Chromium

Chromium is a little-known mineral. It is vital for ensuring every cell in your body can receive the energy it needs. A deficiency in chromium, you may leave you with sugar cravings.

Whole grains, meat, most vegetables and some herbs all contain chromium.

This chicken curry recipe gives you a healthy dose of meat and veggies and is super easy to make too! – Healthy Simple Chicken Curry

Eating a balanced diet full of whole foods is a way to get the essential vitamins and minerals you need. Eat the rainbow and you are less likely to become deficient in any of these key nutrients.

For information on adding supplements to your diet check out this post:

The Best Supplements For Energy In Midlife