If you replace all refined foods with unrefined, there is no way you can go wrong with what is served at the table. Today there is no dearth of alternatives available. You can make popular foods like pizzas and burgers the natural way too. If you have opposition, at least eat well yourself, the example will influence her future habits.

Fresh fruits, lightly cooked raw vegetables including greens and whole cereal are essential. Chyawanprash is an addition (check with your Ayurvedic doctor about which one). You can also give her Spirulina powder (not tablets). Alfalfa sprouts, flax seeds, nuts, seeds, dried fruit are all great add on foods to the basic diet. But besides food, your daughter needs exercise, activity and sunshine. This should have her well-prepared for her teen years.

If you are partaking of regular Indian fare consisting of refined foods then you will feel exhausted. Mind you, relatively speaking, the common Indian diet is far superior to the general western diet but is still lacking in nutrients that are needed for energy and good health.

If you simply begin living and eating with some awareness you will be able to improve your energy level. We tend to eat poorly when we do not plan our meals. So ensure you plan from a variety of natural and whole foods. Eat lots of fresh seasonal fruit on an empty stomach. Also brown rice, lightly cooked vegetables, nuts and seeds. Eat roti and millets instead of bread, add alfalfa, mung and methi sprouts to salads, and substitute sugar with jaggery. Use rock salt and sea salt instead of iodised salt and cold-pressed or filtered oil instead of refined oil. Also, remember that it is not just wrong food that can zap energy. Long hours on the computer and cellphone, too little sunshine and fresh air, lack of exercise, stress and unhappiness are other major causes. While it is okay to feel tired after a day’s hard work, a perpetual state of exhaustion is not normal. Examine your lifestyle and see where you can make small changes. If you send me details of your activity level and food intake, I will be able to help your further.

Since menopause is a phase that has gained much recognition today, please talk to your family about it. This in itself will make life easier for you and them. If they are able to take your mood swings in their stride, then the problems are much less. Allow yourself to give vent to your hormonal changes through your emotions without guilt. Try to reorganise your life to avoid rushing around with chores when you need a break.

Food is a tricky situation at this point. You need good nutrition as in all phases of life but at the same time, you may want to avoid foods that make you feel hot. Concentrate on simple foods with emphasis on fresh vegetables and fruits. All food groups are necessary but these two need extra helpings during this time. Read answer to next question as it applies to you too. Keep active and make sure you get plenty of fresh air and sunshine. In the cooler months, a light weekly massage with cold-pressed almond or sesame oil is helpful in relaxing the body. Cold-pressed coconut oil is good for warm months. Keep cheerful, take care of your mind and body and menopause will be a breeze.

Here is a list of calcium-rich foods:

All greens – including leaves of various vegetables (like cauliflower, knol khol, carrot, beetroot, celery, colocasia, coriander, curry, drumstick, fenugreek, spinach, pumpkin, turnip, watercress, amaranth, lime, artichokes and, radish. Also gram, tamarind, ragi, whole bengal gram, horse gram, rajma, rajgira, dried lotus stem, bean, dried coconut, palm jaggery. Nuts like almond, walnut, sesame, sunflower seed, watermelon seed, poppy seed, sea weed, piper longum, apricot, bael, fig, raisin, dried dates, dried karonda, betel leaf, mahua flower, mango powder (amchur), roasted tamarind seed kernel, most spices but particularly cumin and bishop’s weed (lavage/ajwain), tapioca, and most fish and snails. Calcium, however, is best absorbed only when there is enough sunshine.

You are right, you cannot take heavy foods. I would suggest using brown & red rice and millets like jowar, bajra, ragi and proso as your main food and eating a good variety of vegetables with it. Add only a pinch of rock salt (sindhav) to your food & cook only with ghani ie cold-pressed oil. I hope I don't have to repeat no sugar, no iodized salt, no refined oil, no packaged refined foods, no white bread, no white rice, minimal dairy or best none.

Eat non-sweet fruit like mousambi, oranges. apples. Two things to remember for you: eat them on an empty stomach and eat them very slowly, one bite at a time. Do not juice, chew each piece. Other foods like dals and nuts: please eat sparingly only in addition to the main meal of rice & vegetables. Lots can be done to the rice for example it can be made into porridge and into patties mixed with left over vegetables. Eat some raw vegetables too.

However perfect a diet, it is only part of the cure. You need to find a reputed ayurvedic doctor. If you are in Mumbai, I can suggest one excellent one. You need to make sure you are getting enough activity & enough rest. Balance is crucial if you want to gain weight.

Meditate to find out your emotional reasons for getting ill. If it is disappointment in life, try & choose to experience each moment rather that staying in the past. Everything happens for the best. You can be joyful if only you allow yourself to. And lastly I would recommend doing a short vedic puja called Agnihotra. It needs to be done daily if possible. This can have a greatly influence your body's capacity to heal. Check it out at agnihotraindia.com

And let me know if you need any further assistance with it. If you send me your blood type, I will be able to help you further. In the meanwhile, the above suggestions will make you stronger and make you gain some weight. Provided you let the sun shine on you.