During and after the menopause women experience many physical and emotional changes. Unfortunately, along with the physical changes comes an increased risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, and breast cancer. This is partly due to changes in oestrogen production that occur during the menopause, and also to the types of food eaten in the years leading up to and including the menopause. In other words, what we eat affects our risk of getting certain diseases.

Because the risk of getting breast cancer is related to a woman’s lifetime exposure to the oestrogen circulating in her body, many studies have looked at ways of lowering the oestrogen that is thought to help cancer cells grow. For example, breast cancer cells have oestrogen receptors on their surface where oestrogen molecules can “land” and in some way, help the growth of these cells.

An area of expanding growth and interest is the role that foods with natural estrogens can play in reducing the risk of getting breast cancer and in easing the symptoms of the menopause. These natural estrogens that occur in plants are called phytoestrogens and are found naturally in a wide variety of foods.

Phytoestrogens can have a dramatic effect on the symptoms of the menopause and every woman over 40 should ensure she is getting enough.

 

Phytoestrogens are substances found in food that has a similar chemical structure to the oestrogen your body produces, and this may explain their hormone balancing effect. Studies show that they can not only take the place of natural oestrogens and increase oestrogen levels when they are too low but they can also reduce them when they are too high. As well as helping to balance hormones, phytoestrogens are also thought to have a protective effect on the heart. Studies show they can lower levels of bad cholesterol. In addition, they may contain compounds that can inhibit breast and endometrial cancer (often due to excess oestrogen) fibroids and help with osteoporosis.

 

Phytoestrogens mainly fall into the class of:

 

• Isoflavones – the richest source of all found in legumes, such as lentils and soya beans and chickpeas. There are 2 major forms of isoflavones: genistein and daidzein, both of which are found in soya products.
• Lignans – found in nearly all grains and vegetables with the best source being linseeds.
• Coumestans – found mainly in alfalfa and mung bean sprouts. 

 

In Japan where women have as much as one thousand times higher levels of isoflavones in their diet than the amount found in British and American diets the average age of menopause is 55 compared to 51 in the West. Breast cancer rates are also much lower and they experience fewer menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweats.

 

There are numerous research papers on the beneficial effects of phytoestrogens and isoflavones on hormone balance at the menopause. In a remarkable study reported in the British Medical Journal women going through menopause had their normal diet supplemented with phytoestrogens and this change in diet reduced the amount of FSH (the hormone which rises at the menopause) to pre-menopausal levels. The effect of the phytoestrogens was strong enough to reduce vaginal dryness and irritation and ease hot flushes. The study demonstrates that phytoestrogens may be crucial in warding off the symptoms of the peri-menopause and easing the transition to post menopause.

 

Although research has tended to focus on soya, which is a fine source of phytoestrogen it is important to note that there are plenty of other forms such as linseeds, whole grains such as brown rice, oats and legumes and chickpeas and lentils. Vegetables, in particular green leafy or cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and brussel sprouts, which have been shown to have hormone balancing and anti-cancer properties, are another great source of phytoestrogens. Other sources of phytoestrogen include herbs such as cinnamon, sage, garlic, hops, fennel and parsley, and seeds including linseeds, sesame, pumpkin, poppy, caraway and sunflower.

 

Note: As well as having a beneficial effect on women it seems that phytoestrogens may also have a protective hormone balancing effect on men. In Japan the death rate from prostate cancer is lower than it is in the West.

 

Take action

There are no firm daily recommended amounts for dietary phytoestrogens because these investigations are in their infancy. The best strategy is to eat a wide variety of foods and include foods that are rich in phytoestrogens.

Try to eat one serving of phytoestrogens a day.  Remember you don’t always have to eat soya; other legumes, such as chickpeas and lentils, are good sources of phytoestrogens too.  You could also take one tablespoon of ground flaxseeds (linseeds) a day.

 

There has been some negativity around soya including problems with thyroid function and Alzheimer’s.  These problems can be avoided if you eat soya in its traditional form, choosing products such as miso, tofu, or organic soya milk, and to avoid snack bars made from raw soya or process soya chunks etc.

 

If you are avoiding processed and refined foods, eating a whole food diet with plenty of vegetables and fruit and making sure you are getting enough healthy fat and protein the chances are you’re be getting enough antioxidants, phytoestrogens and all the other good things you need to help balance your hormones as you go through the menopause and reduce or eliminate any symptoms.  (If you need a bit of extra help then see Black Cohosh on the Resources Page).

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 1st, 2008 at 3:40 am and is filed under Menopause. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.