Get a change for the better with the menopause

Soundbites: Nature can be so cruel

Soundbites: 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 10 years beforehand.

And after this major milestone "the menopause", she faces a decline in bone mass and an increased risk of heart disease!

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 around the age of 50.

Some women opt for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for relief. However, recent scientific studies have raised serious concerns about long-term HRT and the associated risk of breast cancer. As a result, more women are motivated to look for alternatives.

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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 women's bodies produce, they can bond to oestrogen receptors in the body and in its absence have just enough of an affect to put a damper on those uncomfortable symptoms.

Soya also reduces cholesterol absorption from the gut and increases cholesterol excretion. The overall effect is the lowering of LDL (bad) cholesterol by up to 30 per cent and a simultaneous increase in HDL (good) cholesterol by up to 15 per cent. Soya can even help in cases where blood cholesterol is much higher than normal. 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, it seems to slow bone loss in women five 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, 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, the iron needs of women are reduced to the same level as men (8.7 mg/day). But 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.

Although the menopause is a change in life, there's no reason why it can't be a change for the better. Variety and balance are the cornerstones of a good diet and many women are living evidence that live begins at 50!