“The way the menopause is depicted in the media, you’d think it was some kind of degenerative disease”

Kate Cook, Dip ION (MBANT), Nutritional Therapist, Director of The Nutrition Coach – www.thenutritioncoach.co.uk

MENOPAUSE – Smooth Passage

The way the menopause is depicted in the media, you’d think it was some kind of degenerative disease, instead of a natural process that all women will go through at the end of their reproductive life.  Our youth obsessed culture and the new trend in corrective surgery, makes us think that being young is the only way we can value ourselves and that once in the menopause, we, as women are “past it” – However, some woman are able to view this metamorphosis as a liberation and the part of their lives where they become themselves for the first time – a reason to celebrate and not commiserate.  As for the “nasty” symptoms,  there is no reason why a woman shouldn’t sail through this inevitable transition with very little side effects by eating the right diet,  doing a little exercise, and with the right attitude.

The menopause happens because, quite simply you have run out of eggs – most baby girls are born with about 2 million eggs but over the course of life, due to disintergration and ovulation by the age of 45 there may be only 10, 000 eggs left.

The menopause is rarely an instant process but a gradual slow down and change of hormones and the eventual cessation of the monthly period which can happen over many years.  Often there is a pre-menopausal stage where the periods, although regular, changes might appear – and the first symptoms such as hot flushes and mood changes may emerge.  Next, a peri-menopausal stage is where the function of the ovaries declines, and the periods can become more irregular and the symptoms may become more pronounced.  Finally, post-menopause is the point of your final period and beyond.

One sign that the menopause may be approaching is that there is a serge in Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) – This hormone stimulates the follicles in the ovaries to grown and as the menopause approaches, the cycles in which are eggs are released becomes rarer.  Oestrogen starts to decline in the first two weeks of the cycle and as FSH works on a feedback mechanism dependent on oestrogen, the weaker signal from the declining levels of oestrogen, doesn’t switch off FSH and so FSH levels increase in the bloodstream, as the body registers that ovulation has not taken place.  The doctor can test the FSH in your bloodstream and this is an indicator of which stage you have reached.

Contrary to popular belief, oestrogen is still produced by the ovaries for about 12 years after the start of the menopause (although of course, not in the quantities of your reproductive years) and the body fat still produces oestrogen, together with the adrenal glands (which are situated above the kidneys)

The symptoms women suffer are widely different – and some of the symptoms could be an inevitable part of reaching middle age rather than being menopausal – in fact some symptoms blamed on the menopause also apply to middle age men – think depression, anxiety, declining libido, weight gain, ageing skin and hair, and irritability.  Psychological changes are also attributed to the menopause but middle age is often a time of life when children are off and leading independent lives, and ageing parents are becoming a worry and a drain on emotional energy.

Fighting Back!

Hippocrates the Father of Modern medicine said “Let Food by thy Medicine!” – Foods can have a positive or negative effect on the body’s biochemistry – during the menopause, you need to optimise the way the body functions and the way it produces hormones.  The first step you need to take is to balance your blood sugar.

Phytoestrogens – are foods that contain plant oestrogens and are thought to have a balancing effect on your hormones.  It is quite well known that soya products are phytoestrogens but there are plenty of other foods that are helpful too.  Studies have shown that phytoestrogens could help reduce hot flushes – foods that contain these helpful natural chemicals are – legumes, natural fermented soya, lentils, chickpeas, aduki beans, peas, garlic, celery, sesame, pumpkin, poppy, rice, wheat, barley and rye.  Apples, plums and cherries. Broccoli, carrots, rhubarb and potatoes. Alfafa and mung beans – herbs such as cinnamon, sage, red clover, hops, fennel and parsley.

Oils – make sure that you are getting enough essential fat – these fats (clue in the title are ESSENTIAL!) – and can help balance your hormones – Get these fats from nut butters, nuts and seeds oily fish and tahini

Fruit and Veg – provide antioxidants (which help counter the effects of ageing) and are full of important vitamins minerals and fibre.

Complex Carbohydrate – give you energy and help raise serotonin (happy brain chemical) – whole grains full of vits and mins

Natural Fibre – is found in fresh fruit and veg – fibre of course, makes the bowel function efficiently – and soluble fibre (found in grains such as oats, brown rice and fruit and beans) helps the body to get rid of “old” oestrogen entering the blood stream again

Fluid – Drink pure water (around 8 glasses) – water transports nutrients into the cells, helps regulate body temperature, and helps elimination

Foods to Avoid

Ups and the Downs
Blood sugar is the amount of sugar you have in your blood stream at any one time – if you are eating sweet foods or foods that encourage the sugar in your blood to rise suddenly – you will experience a crash in energy as insulin (hormone) lowers the level back down again – leaving you craving for more “hits”.   Wholefoods (natural foods) with plenty of fibre will help steady your blood sugar and subsequently your mood (blood sugar swings can lead to irritability, depression amongst other symptoms)

Sugar – sugar has been a relatively recent addition to our diet – on average each of us consumes 1 kg of sugar a week – we are eating 25 times the amount of sugar we ate only 200 years ago.  Sugar disrupts the handling of our blood sugar and how much insulin we are producing to counter this effect – and don’t be tempted to use artificial sugars either – aspartame (fake sugar) has been linked to depression and mood swings – and ironically can lead to weight gain as it has been shown that these fake sugars increase appetite.

Stimulants – avoid stimulants such as sugar, tea, and coffee as they have an adverse effect on blood sugar – whilst alcohol is a social poison or cytotoxin, that is a drug that is toxic to your cells.  Alcohol also can act as a depressant and depletes the system of vital nutrients especially zinc – Alcohol can also impair the function of your liver – the liver is a vital organ for “processing” hormones – if you want to have efficiently processed hormones, then looking after your liver is key

Animal Product are a major source of saturated fat which are linked to disease and strokes and should be eaten in moderation, along with dairy products – remember, a cow gets its calcium from grass – you don’t have to eat grass of course, but you can get plenty of calcium from green leafy vegetables.

Salt – is the major mineral that affects blood pressure and water retention – but it is quite easy to cut down on salt by avoiding pre-prepared food and opting for fresh, homecooked foods – flavour foods instead with lemon juice, tamari (wheat free soya sauce)

Additives and GM foods – of course it is almost impossible to avoid some additives in the modern world – but again eating freshly prepared food will help you avoid additives naturally.  Some additives are thought to have an adverse effect on the function of the body and are best avoided.  The jury is very much out on GM foods – the government would have us believe it is the solution to a growing population’s food needs.  GM is man made manipulation of DNA of plant or animal – and forcing this process is untried and untested and the effects may not be known for generations.

Last but not least – change the way you view the menopause – a time where you can be yourself and a time to reinvent the way you are!  The children have left – there is more free time to enjoy who you are. Celebrate.

Books

The New Natural Alternatives to HRT – Marilyn Glenville
Eat Your Way Through the Menopause – Marilyn Glenville
Balancing Hormones Naturally – Kate Neil

Interested to find out more about how Nutrition Coaching can help you?



Call us on 0845 0502442 for an informal, confidential, no obligation conversation.

To book your first appointment email:

Click here to go to our current Newsletter