Many women have found that special menopause diets can minimize the symptoms of menopause and make the change of life transition much easier and smoother. Menopause diets are a good alternative to prescribed medication and are good for those who worry about adverse side effects. Most all gynecologists recommend that women who are in their pre-menopause stages adopt a menopause diet and stay on it throughout the transition to reduce stress, reduce symptoms, and to ensure good health. Black cohosh is one highly recommended herb to add to a menopause diet. Gynecologists urge that women begin using black cohosh for treatment of hot flashes. This herb is quite powerful and shouldn’t be used any longer than six months. If used any longer than this, although there is no exact effects determined, there could be unknown side effects. Japanese women intake a greater amount of soy in their everyday diet, and they are only 30% as likely to complain of menopause symptoms as women in the United States and other parts of the world. Soy includes estrogen like substances that are often used in menopause diets to help with hot flashes. The best way to take soy is through soymilk or tofu. There are some things that, unfortunately, are a large part of most everyone’s diet and are hard habits to break. However, these foods have adverse effects and can make menopause symptoms worse. Some of these are tea, alcohol, coffee, spicy food, soft drinks (with caffeine), and smoking. Try and keep high-calorie, sweet junk food to a minimum and eat as little of these as possible. The main food experts recommend for menopause diets are fruits and vegetables, basically just eating healthy. Boost your intake of fruits such as melons, oranges, and lemons. Potassium, found in bananas, helps with women who retain water. Good vegetables are dark leafy vegetables like collard greens, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, peppers, and tomatoes. Regular fiber intake is also a healthy part of menopause dieting. Instead of fried foods, try and stick to food that is broiled or baked. Instead of white bread and white rice eat more whole grains, like oats, rye bread, and brown rice. Try not to eat as many regular potatoes, but rather opt for sweet potatoes or pasta. Other good things to add to your everyday diet include, oily fish like mackerel or salmon, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and unprocessed oils for cooking. Other foods that are not so conventional but are recommended are different types of seaweed (ask at your local health food store) like Nori, Kombu, Arame, and Wakame. A well balanced, nutritious, healthy diet will help reduce symptoms and achieve optimum health in women. The key is to incorporate as many natural foods into your menopause diet as possible.