A dance through menopause: at 52, life's a ball for Kathy Smith

At first glance, Kathy Smith's home looks like any other upscale ranch-style house in the Los Angeles suburb of Brentwood. But looks are deceiving. Once inside, you are surrounded by strategic colors, light and movement. And the view from the back reveals a kidney-shaped pool, tennis courts and Smith's meditation area, which is surrounded by greenery. She shares her home with daughters Peri (12) and Kate (15).

Smith, who looks years younger than her 52, is aware that her body is going through normal menopausal changes of mood swings and poor sleep, but she says that they have evened out lately. The Queen of Fitness has recently discovered the benefits of flaxseed oil, soy and the elimination of sugar in her daily eating plan.

"Nutritionally I've shifted in the last few years," says the single working mom. "I've cut out sugar--it was definitely a trigger for me with my hot flashes and not sleeping well. I was a chocolate junkie all my life, but I've almost weaned myself off of chocolate and sugary foods." Through trial and error, Smith has come up with some sweet-tooth substitutes including baked apples with walnuts, raisins and pineapple juice. "I also make a great nighttime snack for me and the girls with vanilla yogurt, blueberries and strawberries, so it's sweet but we're getting our antioxidants too."

Savoring Soy

Soy has become an important nutrient in Smith's busy day, one she passes on to her active teenage daughters. "Soy is a good source of protein, but it's also important for heart health. As we know, the number one killer of women is heart disease, and when women begin losing their estrogen through menopause, it's something we should be thinking about. Studies have shown that soy has an estrogenic effect on women, meaning that it can reduce the number of hot flashes and reduce some of the symptoms. I mainly get mine from shakes, but I also love eating edamame for snacks." Other soy products included in her diet are tofu with stir-fried vegetables and tofu with soups.

Focus on Flax

Flaxseed oil, says Smith, is good for heart health, but "it's also great for the immune system. Knowing that flaxseed oil helps keep the immune system strong is important for me, but it also adds needed oil to your body as you age. I've always been prone to dry skin, dry hair and dry nails, so I really noticed a huge shift when I began adding more oil to my diet. I think we all went through a phase years back about cutting fats out of our diets, but many of us went a little too far. You want to lose weight, cut out fats. In the latest research on heart health, it's not about eliminating oils or fats, it's actually about having the right amount of fat in your diet, which is 25 percent, making sure that only 10 percent is from saturated fats and the rest is coming from good oils."

Daily Diet

Smith starts her day with oatmeal sprinkled with almonds or walnuts and flaxseed. She tends to eat four meals a day. When she's in a hurry, a scooped out papaya half with cottage cheese topped with sliced almonds will suffice in the early morning. Late morning is always a protein shake. Lunch could be a nicoise salad or a piece of grilled fish with some veggies. "If I'm making salads, I'll put some chopped turkey or chicken on top with a hard-boiled egg." Dinner again is a combination of protein with two vegetables--one of which is usually a dark leafy green such as kale, spinach or collard greens. "I love the variety of vegetables," says Smith, "and I try to eat the dark leafy ones five times a week, but I also like summer squash, beets and green beans."

Mindful Meditation

Another over-50 change in Smith's life came in the form of meditation and relaxation. "Learning how to handle stress is the biggest thing women have to focus on--kids, deadlines, time restraints--it's learning how to juggle everything.

"All that stress will get you to a place where you are impatient, and you'll have more hot flashes with interrupted sleep patterns. Focus on 5 minutes of meditation in the morning and letting go of all your thoughts. It's almost a miraculous sense that you feel you can handle anything."

Exercise Enthusiasm

What hasn't changed is Smith's belief that there are a growing number of fitness buffs who are somehow squeezing aerobics, running, swimming and yoga into their schedules. Dedicated to her own workouts, Smith knows first-hand how hectic fitness can be. In her latest book. Flex Appeal, she explains ways to look and feel great by combining regular yoga moves to ease tension and stiffness while strengthening and toning muscles to help you live with greater vitality. "It's taking yoga and dance movements to begin this feeling of looseness and fluidity." The exercise-video star says "exercise can give you the strength and confidence to pull yourself out of a bad situation."

For example, when Smith lost her parents at a young age, she turned to running. "That was a tough time for me," she admits. Her dad passed away from a heart attack at age 42, and her mother died in a plane crash when Smith was just 17. "That was within a year of one another, and I sometimes think of how I coped with it all. I have never had an issue with dying; my issue is about aging and the quality of life as you get older. You have to make powerful choices for a healthy life, and I'm very grateful to be where I am right now, in a body that serves me.