| Your Health: | | | | |  | Health Issues |
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| | Foods for Managing the Menopause | | | | |
Nature can be so cruel. Not only does a women have to go through the ‘change of life’ when she’s half a century old, she may also experience menstrual irregularities, hot flushes and irritability anywhere between five and ten years beforehand. And there’s more - after this major milestone in life, she faces a decline in bone mass and an increased risk of heart disease!
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| Luckily, many women sail through the menopause hardly noticing it has happened. Others however are distressed to varying degrees by unpleasant symptoms of hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings and memory problems.
These symptoms are caused by the lack of the female hormone, oestrogen, which the ovaries stop producing in and around the age of fifty. Some women opt for hormone replacement therapy to provide relief from their menopausal symptoms. However recent scientific studies raised concerns about the how long-term therapy can increase the risk of breast cancer and more women are motivated to look out for alternatives. Maybe it’s simply a belief that nature should take its own course. | | | | Japanese women rarely suffer from menopausal symptoms perhaps because of their high intake of phytoestrogens. The major dietary sources of phytoestrogens (in particular isoflavones) are soyabeans, tofu, soyabean flour, soya milk and linseed. Although these phytoestrogens are much weaker than the real oestrogen womens bodies produce, they can bond to oestrogen receptors in the body and in its absence have just enough of an effect to put a damper on those uncomfortable symptoms. | | | | Soya also reduces cholesterol absorption form the gut and increases cholesterol excretion. The overall effect is the lowering of LDL (bad) cholesterol by up to 30% and a simultaneous increase in HDL (good) cholesterol by up to 15%. | | Soya can even help in cases where blood cholesterol is much higher than normal. Italian doctors examined the cholesterol lowering effects of soya in patients with hypercholesterolaemia, a genetic condition associated with extremely high blood levels of cholesterol and a very high risk of heart disease. They found that by adding soya to a low fat diet the cholesterol levels dropped by an impressive 26% . As a result, the Italian National Health Service now provides soya in the form of textured vegetable protein free to all patients with hypercholesterolaemia. | | | | Asian women eat between 25 and 200mg of isofavone-rich soya every day. At this point in time we don’t know enough about isofavones to recommend a daily amount that we should eat but it appears that an intake of 50-120mg isoflavones a day has some therapeutic effects. On average this can be provided by 1 or 2 portions of soya products a day. | | The following foods contain approximately 50mg isoflavones. | | 100g firm tofu | | 200g soft tofu | | 100g miso | | 50g soya flour, cooked soya beans or TVP |
| | | | The role of calcium in preventing bone mineral loss during the menopause has been studied extensively. Calcium supplementation doesn’t seem to have any major effect on bone density at the time of the menopause. However, calcium supplementation seems to slow bone loss in women 5-years post-menopause. More research is needed in this area. At present it’s advisable to include a range of calcium-rich foods in the diet to ensure optimal intake. Some of the best sources of calcium are dairy products, including milk, cheese, yoghurts and dairy based desserts. Other sources include canned fish eaten with bones, bread and cereal foods, pulses, some green vegetables (broccoli and spinach) and some nuts and seeds (sesame seeds and peanuts). Exposing your face and arms to sunlight results in the manufacture of vitamin D, which is critical for the absorption of calcium. Dietary sources of vitamin D include fortified spreads, meat and meat products and oily fish (salmon and mackerel). | | | | At the menopause, when periods stop, the iron requirements of women are reduced to the same level as men (8.7 mg/day). Even though iron requirements are not as high in post-menopausal women, it is still important to include a range of iron containing foods in the diet. Lean red meat, poultry and fish are the best sources of iron. Iron is also found in pulses, nuts, dark green vegetables and dried fruit, but is less well absorbed from these sources. Including vitamin C containing foods such as fresh orange juice, salad or green vegetables can help absorption of iron from these plant foods. | | | | Although the menopause is a change in life, there’s no reason why it can’t be a change for the better. More and more women are living longer and healthier lives, contributing significantly to our work force and family lives. Variety and balance are the cornerstones of a good diet and many women are living evidence that life begins at fifty! | | | | | |
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