Question for Women Aged 40+

[Barbara L]

I just read that when women are over 40 and start going through peri-menopause they often do not taste sweet things as much (and consequently sometimes add more sugary foods to their diets than they used to). I have been going through peri-menopause for the last five or so years. Contrary to what I read, I don't seem to want sweets as much as I used to (Don't get me wrong, I still love them!) and some foods that I have loved for years seem to taste too sweet to me. I just noticed a sensitivity to a couple sour things I have always loved to eat. It is probably just a temporary thing, but it got me to wondering.

My sense of smell has also seemed to be off a little lately. I read years ago that women have a stronger sense of smell during child-bearing years, so I guess it makes sense. I have't noticed huge differences in anything, but just enough to make me curious about others.

If you have reached this stage, or further, in life, have your tastes changed? What about your sense of smell?

Barbara

 

[getoutamykitchen]

Actually I've heard that also about sweets and I don't seem to crave sweets anymore or less. An occassional stash of M & M's in my nightstand drawer, but otherwise it's always been about salt for me. I love salt, I live for salt, I then take that prescription for high blood pressure every day. I turned 49 in september.

 

[Claire]

Thank You! It is so nice to know I'm not crazy (well, at least not in the insane category). For me it was about two years of not liking a lot of foods I liked before. Everything smelled ... rotten. I think I'm past menopause now (not sure), and most of my sense of smell and taste come and go. The one that persists is an aversion to cucumbers and watermelon. Two of my once-favorite summer treats. To me they now smell and taste identical. I've always been a person who loved all kinds of foods, so suddenly thinking everything smelled bad and tasted worse was horrid.

 

[LadyCook61]

As a 60+ , already been thru the stages of menopause , I can say from my own experience, my sense of taste and smell are the same. I've always had strong sense of taste and smell, maybe because I don't smoke or it is just me. I have read somewhere people do vary in their senses.

 

[VeraBlue]

I'd agree with the changes in my sense of smell. These changes don't affect my sense regarding food, though. It's perfume that's killing me lately. Either my sense of smell regarding perfume is heightened or people have suddenly taken to bathing in swill scented with a ton of decaying flower stems.

 

[quicksilver]

As a 50+, I don't think anything has changed. But I was never a big "sweets" person. Give me a good roast beast sandwich with tons of mayo, salt & pepper on rye. Or fresh italian bread or challah with tons of butter and a good cup of coffee.
I too love salt....and things garlicy or vinegary. But then I always have. I used to come home from school and eat a pickle.
The one plus of being a smoker though is that if things taste better not being a smoker, I'm glad I am. I'd be 500LBS!
And I can't do the perfume thing either. Mens' or womans'. It gives me a headache. But again, have always been like that.
Sorry, Barb. No help, was I?
The thing that has changed is that I used to be able to eat anything, anytime without a care, even though I was never a big eater - more like an all day nibbler - no weight gain. Now my motabilism has slowed and I have to watch more carefully. And no right before bed nibbling. It seems keep me awake.
I never pay much attention to the generalizations, though. They never seem to fit me.

 

[letscook]

54 yrs went though menopaus @42 so it has been awhile the only i notice is a lover of hot & spicey food sudden not so hot and not so spicey anymore. Use to eat hot peppers like pickles, now one once and while.
The only big thing is the HOT Flashes.
Husband and i can't sleep in air condition for long periods, (Sinus problems) So we have our on timers on each side of the bed. we turn it on when we go to bed and then if you wake up and need it twist the timer on . Welllll one night during the prime of the hot flashes, I kept waking up and turning it on. after awhile my husband said If your turn that x*#@%! airconditioner one more x*#@%! time I am going to turn into a x*#@%! iclcle. Leave it to say he wasn't happy with me. after all it was about 50 degrees in the room I was comfy.

 

[Barbara L]

Thanks for the comments. It is interesting how differently (and sometimes the same) these changes affect us.

My mom started having a sensitivity to perfumes as she got older as well.

I haven't noticed any big differences in anything, but I have noticed subtle changes. I still love hot and spicy foods, but I haven't gotten in the mood for hot wings as much as I used to. I am still almost perpetually in the mood for Mexican food though. I don't get in the mood for sweets as often, but when I do, you'd better not be in my way! I also have almost insatiable salt cravings sometimes and end up getting Chinese or I go on a chips and salsa binge. My ankles do not like me when that happens!

Hot flashes are definitely a pain! According to the book I am reading (Body for LIFE for Women) some of that can be alleviated through dietary changes and exercise.

Quicksilver, don't worry--I wasn't looking for answers. I was just curious how similar/different each of our experiences are. Sometimes it helps to see that we aren't the only ones going through something.

Barbara

 

[quicksilver]

Barbara, I'd love to hear suggestions on dietary change ideas for relieving hot flashes. I've had them over 10+ years. And I used to always be freezing.

 

[babetoo]

i had a surgical menopause in my early thirties. didn't notice a change then. i have always enjoyed sweets. my ever expanding waist line will attest. to that

 

[ChefJune]

so many things change over time, and no two of us age exactly the same. Anything is possible, Barbara.

I found the most helpful book was "The Silent Passage," by Gail Sheehy. I think it's still available on amazon, and I would recommend any woman going through this period (or who still ahs it to look forward to) to own the book and keep it as a reference for when life gets "just plain weird."

 

[Fisher's Mom]

I'm 52 and I have noticed that some things smell strange to me - foods especially. I didn't really connect it to this but it's got me thinking.

For the hot flashes, I've been taking a homeopathic medicine that my doctor gave me and for me, it's worked splendidly. I don't know anything about homeopathy and when my doc suggested them, she said to try it for a month or so and see if it helped. I was flash-free within a week! I was pretty sure it was kind of a placebo effect thing because it worked so fast, but then 2 friends of mine tried it and it worked just as well for them. Anyway, I'm not affiliated in any way with this company, etc., but I thought I'd share since it's very inexpensive and no side effects that I'm aware of. It's called Klimaktheel and a bottle of 100 is $20-25 on the net. You're supposed to let one tablet dissolve under your tongue 3 times a day initially. (Don't chew it because the acids in your stomach will "kill" it.) Do this until you get relief of your symptoms and then cut back to twice a day. Then back to once daily, if you have symptom relief. Here's a link that lists the ingredients:
Heel Klimaktheel at Smallflower.com
(I just buy it where ever it's on sale when I run out.)

 

[Katie H]

Had surgical menopause 10 years ago and have seen no changes in anything following the surgery. I'm approaching 60 so I would think that I'd notice any differences by now. Can eat anything, haven't noticed that I eat fewer sweets or anything else and aromas/fragrances don't bother me any more than normal. Haven't had a hot flash in 10 years.

 

[Barbara L]

Barbara, I'd love to hear suggestions on dietary change ideas for relieving hot flashes. I've had them over 10+ years. And I used to always be freezing.

One of the things Dr. Peeke (in the book I mentioned) mentions is a study that found that perimenopausal and menopausal women who ate a diet rich in whole-food plant estrogens (tofu or edamame--whole soybeans) had fewer hot flashes and less dryness (the censor won't let me say where, but I'm sure you can figure it out), and they maintained greater bone density. She also said that women (in a study) who drank 8 ounces of soy milk each day had fewer hot flashes than women who drank other things.

I have been very fortunate. Like my mom, I am not having a lot of problems other than some occasional hot flashes.

Barbara