Eat to beat the menopause
There’s no need for a heart-sinking diet plan. You can boost your hormones with a few simple steps — and STILL enjoy tasty treats
ARE you plagued by menopausal symptoms? In the second part of this compelling series, we reveal how easy it is to transform your life.
WHAtever the hormonal problem — whether it’s acne, premenstrual syndrome or menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes and dramatic mood swings — I am a great believer in the healing power of bio-identicals.
these natural hormones are made from plants and have the same chemical structure as the hormones our bodies produce — they are a wonderful, gentle way of tackling hormonal imbalances.
And it’s not just women who can benefit; as men’s hormones start to tail off in middle age they, too, can be helped with bio- identical testosterone (as you will see in tomorrow’s mail).
However, these products cannot work in a vacuum — in balancing your hormones you cannot overlook the significant contribution of diet, exercise, sleep, stress, supplements and lifestyle. Your diet doesn’t have to involve a complicated and rigid eating plan that adds stress to your life, nor do you have to launch into a lengthy exercise programme.
For I have devised a hormone-balancing diet that is gentle, realistic and achievable and can easily become part of your life. It will work for both women and men, whatever your age.
today, I’ll show you how easy it is to eat your way to balanced hormones. tomorrow, I’ll explain what kind of exercise can help . . .
HEALTHY HORMONE DIET PLAN
Forget the food pyramid, with its emphasis on eating mainly carbs, and throw away your diet books — those low-calorie meals will rob you of energy, deplete your body of the very hormones it needs to function and, besides making you feel miserable, won’t necessarily help you lose weight.
(or, if you do lose weight, it will come back as soon as you stop dieting.)
the most important thing to know is how food affects your hormone balance and how you feel.
You will be changing your eating habits just enough to balance your hormones and keep you functioning at your best.
In a nutshell, this means a diet that’s rich in protein (meat, eggs, fish, beans, soy, nuts, seeds and dairy products such as yoghurt), healthy fats (avocado, coconut oil and olive oil) and fibre (vegetables, nuts, fruit in small portions, oats, bran), and lighter in sugar (including starches such as rice, pasta and potatoes) and saturated fat.
But note that I don’t completely ban fats or sugar — we’re only humans after all, and we live in an increasingly stressful world. I’m the first to admit it’s not easy to give up bad habits.
However, there is no doubt that as we get older our bodies have to pay for every packet of crisps and glass of wine. Where, at the age of 20, two days of being good would be enough to get you back on track after a big night out, your recovery at 50 might be longer and all too often incomplete.
Following my simple rules, the aim is to do the best you can in a natural, realistic way, to stay healthy and to keep your hormones balanced so you feel great.
THE RULES
AIm to eat small amounts of food every three to four hours.
this helps to balance your sugar levels and prevents your insulin levels spiking — if this happens, it can raise levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, which quickly puts other hormones, including the sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone, out of balance.
mAke your evening meal small so you can digest it easily, and eat before 8.30pm. this will help you get a full night’s restful sleep (essential for the healthy manufacture and balance of hormones).
eAt natural — there’s no need to go all-out organic, but do cut right back on processed food.
our tastebuds might have been corrupted by the preservatives in processed foods, but our cells can’t deal with the chemicals pumped into them.
our enzymes are designed to digest natural foods — so stay away from junk food as much as you can.
eAt plenty of vegetables. the fibre in them is a hormone saviour, protecting us from ageing by reducing the blood-sugar peaks and troughs that send insulin levels crazy.
Because it is indigestible, fibre prevents other foods being rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream so slows their transformation into blood-sugar.
Fibre also reduces inflammation — the harbinger of ageing. eat as much fibre as you can as often as possible and ensure vegetables make their way into every meal.
Step off the sugar rollercoaster. refined sugars, in the form of cakes, biscuits, ice cream or even white pasta and rice, are our worst enemies in the fight to maintain hormone balance because of their effect on insulin, which then affects other hormones.
For teenagers, that can mean spots; for menopausal women, it can mean hot flushes, migraines or aching joints, and an ever-expanding middle; and for middle-aged men, it can be enough to herald an evening of grumpy lethargy.
Instead, choose vegetables, wholegrain breads, seeds, beans and fruits low in sugar (berries rather than bananas).
pAck in the protein: it is critical to the production of hormones and the maintenance of a happy hormone balance. It also helps us build muscles and stay strong — and youthful — as we age.
chicken, fish, beans, nuts, seeds and tofu are all good sources of protein — but keep meat and dairy foods such as cheese to once a week.
StIck to one cup of caffeinated coffee a day, or switch to tea (which has less caffeine).
Quite apart from its stimulatory effects on the nervous system and hormones in women, caffeine also increases breast tenderness and has been linked to osteoporosis.
WHAT TO EAT WHEN YOU’RE OUT
Never allow yourself to go hungry — the stress reaction it triggers plays havoc with your hormones. Be sure to avoid the
‘bad guys’ — coffee, alcohol, fizzy drinks (sugar-free or regular) — skip the bread and don’t over-eat or order dessert.
Choose something simple and hormone-friendly when you can, then on special occasions enjoy a great steak, pizza, chips or chocolate milkshake if you want.
But sandwich them between good sleep and exercise and you’ll be doing your best to protect your hormone balance as you indulge.
THE BEST AND WORST CHOICES
Italian
HORMONE FRIENDLY: Minestrone or seafood soup, mussels marinara, pasta with marinara or primavera sauce, breadsticks (no butter), veal piccata or Marsala, seafood dishes (not fried), steamed veg.
HORMONE UNFRIENDLY: Antipasto, focaccia and other breads, fettuccine alfredo ( parmesan and butter sauce), parmigiana dishes, meat sauces, lasagne, cannelloni, desserts.
Indian
HORMONE FRIENDLY: Dahl, mango chutney, sweet and sour cabbage, vegetable curries, naan bread, basmati rice with vegetables, tandoori chicken and fish, biryanis.
HORMONE UNFRIENDLY: Puri (fried bread), curry sauces with coconut milk, samosas, Mughlai.
Mexican
HORMONE FRIENDLY: Black bean soup, gazpacho, ceviche (marinated fish), nopalitos (cactus salad), salsa, grilled chicken or prawns, stewed seafood dishes, fajitas (without the sour cream), tortillas, guacamole.
HORMONE UNFRIENDLY: Nachos, tacos, tortilla chips, refried beans, chimichangas, sour cream, enchiladas, fried tortillas.
Japanese
HORMONE FRIENDLY: Miso soup, sushi, sashimi, teriyaki, oshinko ( pickled vegetables), yakitori (boiled chicken), yakimono (boiled fish or chicken), maki rolls, steamed tofu, shabu- shabu (boiled meat, seafood, vegetables).
HORMONE UNFRIENDLY: Tempura, tonkatsu (fried pork), torikatsu (fried chicken), fried tofu.
WILL HERBAL REMEDIES HELP?
I DoN’T often recommend herbal remedies.
While most vitamin and mineral supplements are chemically very similar to substances manufac- tured by our bodies, herbal remedies are foreign. And unless the herb has undergone rigid pharmaceutical processing — including purification and standardisation (ensuring each dose contains the same amount of the herb) — I don’t feel confident about prescribing it to my patients or taking it myself.
Herbal remedies, like most drugs, have potential side- effects, and some are sufficiently powerful for there to be real concerns, so tell your GP or pharmacist what you’re taking so they can check for possible overlaps or contraindications.
only choose products marked with a ‘THR’ symbol (Traditional Herbal Registration), which have been backed up by safety studies.
Popular remedies for menopausal symptoms include black cohosh, iso- flavones, ipriflavone, genistein, soy derivatives (such as soya milk), agnus castus and dong quai.
These contain phytoestrogens, which are plant forms of oestrogen; their chemical make-up resembles human oestrogen molecules closely enough for the body to misread them. For this reason they can alleviate some of the symptoms of oestrogen deficiency.
However, they are not identical to human hormones, unlike the bioidentical treatments I prescribe (and which I wrote about in yesterday’s Mail). They are not oestrogens, and there is no research data to show that they offer oestrogen-like benefits for the heart, bones or brain.
And until we have definite proof of soy’s benefit to women, I do not recommend soy- derived supplements to my patients, and I emphatically advise against remedies based on soy, such as isoflavones, ipriflavone and genistein.
However, this does not mean you should stay away from soya milk, edamame, tofu or other soya products. Soy — in its natural form and in moderation — is an excellent source of protein.
WHAT ABOUT OTHER SUPPLEMENTS?
VITAMINS and mineral supplements are a way of correcting the imbalances that our bad foods and eating habits have created, and I do recommend a selection to my patients.
When used correctly, the following (shown in daily doses) can enhance hormone balance and keep us all energetic and healthy.
Choose a good brand — in the right preparations they are bioavailable (able to enter the body’s circulation) and they do work.
VITAMIN E: 400 international units (IU). This may protect against cancer, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke and improve memory.
VITAMIN C: 1000 mg. Stimulates immune function, protects against recurrent urinary tract infections, reduces the risk of atherosclerosis (furring of the arteries) and stroke.
VITAMIN D: 2000 IU. Boosts calcium absorption and strengthens bones, it may also help maintain healthy brain function, improve sense of wellbeing and mood and protect against cancer.
FOLIC ACID: 800 mcg-1 mg. Relieves PMS and reduces risk of colon cancer.
VITAMIN B6: 100 mg, and VITAMIN B1: 100 mcg. They help to reduce hot flushes, PMS, mood swings and muscle cramps.
CALCIUM: 1000 mg. Helps build bones and reduces risk of colon cancer, stroke and blood pressure; may also help relieve PMS.
MAGNESIUM: 400 mg (take with calcium). Helps relieve PMS and fatigue, and aids building bones. It also reduces angina, palpitations and blood pressure, relaxes the muscles and keeps us regular.
ZINC: 25 mg (take with calcium). Protects against dementia and depression — it’s also a great immune booster.
COENZYME Q10: 10- 120 mg. Revitalises the heart, stimulates energy production at cellular level and delays brain ageing.
L-GLUTAMINE: 500 mg before meals if you have sugar cravings. Helps stabilise blood- sugar levels so you’re more likely to make healthy food choices and not succumb to sugary treats.
OMEGA-3 FISH OILS (DHA AND EPA): 1000 mg. Support brain and immune function, keep skin and hair youthful.
PROBIOTICS: Beneficial bacteria improve digestion, reduce bloating, help boost immune function and protect us from viruses and infections.
TURMERIC: Cook with this to reduce inflammation and joint pain.
n AdApted by Louise Atkinson from the 30-day Natural Hormone plan by dr erika Schwartz. For more information, go to drerika.com.