the mena blogI’m Charlotte, founder of Mena-pause.com, a food company that harnesses the power of nature to create a healthy and nutritious range of menopause-friendly food. As a scientist and keen herbologist, I want to allow women to easily incorporate plant oestrogen-rich foods and beneficial botanicals into their diet, and bring women natural relief from unwanted symptoms of peri-menopause and menopause.
Charlotte Blackler, Founder |
When you go through menopause, normally between the ages of 45-55 years, you lose your fertility, as a result of changing hormone levels. As your body’s oestrogen decreases, it brings a range of physical changes. These can include an increase in blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and decreased levels of calcium which can cause a risk of osteoporosis, anxiety, mood swings, hot flushes, night sweats, joint pain, bladder issues, insomnia, changes to heart rate, changes to hair and skin, and poor concentration levels and weight gain. So ensuring you are eating a diet that is both balanced and healthy is sensible at this stage, and can help to ease and offset some of the problematic symptoms.
Menopause in countries There are cultural differences in how menopause is experienced by women across the globe. In Japan and Asia, women appear to suffer fewer adverse menopausal symptoms. They also statistically have a lower incidence of heart disease, osteoporosis, and some cancers, which has prompted research into the difference that diet is making. Do plant oestrogens help menopause? Japanese women eat greater levels of plant oestrogens or phytoestrogens which are naturally found in a vegetable and soy-rich diet. So what can we learn? Are plant oestrogens or phytoestrogens good for menopause? Menopause food Many women have reported dietary and lifestyle changes can help ease the worst symptoms of menopause and perimenopause. Although Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can also help many, some women choose not to or others cannot take HRT. Phytoestrogens or plant oestrogens are natural substances which have the same chemical receptors as human oestrogen and can help reduce some of the worst symptoms of menopause. Mena-pause.com At Mena-pause.com we work in harmony with the natural world, selecting the finest ingredients to make it easy for women to incorporate oestrogen-rich foods and snacks into their daily diet.
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Phytoestrogens, also known as plant oestrogens are naturally occurring substances that are present in a wide range of foods.
Phytoestrogen effects on females Phytoestrogens are compounds which have a molecular receptor which acts in a similar way to oestrogen. It is the huge drop in oestrogen levels that causes most of the symptoms of menopause. If your diet contains high levels of plant oestrogens it can help your body keep its hormones in balance and allow it to adapt to fluctuating hormone levels of perimenopause and menopause. Isoflavones, lignans, flavones, coumestrans are the four main phytoestrogens for easing menopause symptoms. Here is a list of oestrogen-rich foods for menopause. Soy-based products, flaxseeds and sesame seeds, apricots, oranges, strawberries, peaches, including many dried fruits, carrots, alfalfa sprouts, kale, celery, rye bread, lentils, peas, beans, chickpeas, olives and olive oil, turmeric, thyme, sage. What foods contain isoflavones? Isoflavones are primarily found in soybeans and other products made from soy like tofu and miso, soy milk and soy flour. What foods contain lignans? Lignans are found in whole grains like barley, buckwheat, flax seeds, millet, oats, rye and wheat. It is also found in sesame seeds and kale, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and in fruit like strawberries and dried apricots. What foods contain flavones? Flavones are believed to have anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties. They can be found in tea and wine, leafy vegetables, onions, apples and berries, celery and red peppers, soybeans, and in citrus fruit like lemons, grapefruit, limes and oranges and in parsley, chamomile and mint and in high levels in ginkgo biloba. What foods are high in coumestrol? The highest levels of coumestrol are found in sprouting clover, chickpeas, and alfalfa. But it is found in legumes such as lentils, split peas, kidney beans, pinto beans, as well as in sunflower seeds and spinach. Foods such as soya and flaxseed contain the highest levels of plant oestrogens, they also have the benefit of being heart-friendly so another good reason to include them in your diet. By increasing your intake of foods which are rich in phytoestrogens and ensuring you have a diet packed full of plant oestrogens, you can help relieve some of the problematic symptoms that come along with menopause.
Many people have discovered that eating a natural diet which is rich in phytoestrogens, or plant oestrogens can help relieve menopause symptoms. As women age, our bodies naturally slow down in preparation for stopping menstruation. As a result, oestrogen hormone levels drop, during the initial phase called perimenopause. Women can start experiencing symptoms that can impact every aspect of their life; physically, mentally and emotionally.
What are the signs of menopause? The symptoms of menopause can begin long before your periods actually end. The signs usually begin between the ages of 45 and 55 years. Perimenopause can cause symptoms of anxiety, mood swings, with periods becoming heavier and more erratic. During menopause itself, a year after your periods have stopped, your body’s hormone levels become more stable, but it can still cause further unwelcome side effects for years afterwards. What are menopause symptoms? Lower levels of the oestrogen hormone can affect everyone differently, but symptoms can include; hot flushes, night sweats, joint pain, bladder issues, insomnia, vaginal dryness, changes to heart rate and bone density and issues with dry hair and skin, low mood and anxiety, poor concentration levels and low libido. These symptoms have a huge impact on some women’s lives. Menopause in different cultures There is evidence that women from Japan and Asia experience less severe menopause symptoms than their western counterparts. Their diet contains a higher percentage of vegetables and soy than ours in the west. These foods contain higher levels of phytoestrogens or plant oestrogens, and it is believed that increasing your intake of food, which is rich in phytoestrogens or having a diet rich in oestrogen-rich foods can help relieve menopause symptoms naturally. At Mena-pause.com we work in harmony with the natural world, selecting the finest ingredients to create great-tasting foods which make it easy for women to incorporate oestrogen-rich foods and snacks into their daily diet.
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For some women incorporating foods containing phytoestrogens or plant oestrogens into their diet can help relieve menopausal symptoms. For many women, the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause can badly affect their lives. Hormone replacement therapy, HRT, is also an option but it’s not suitable for everyone. You should discuss the options available to you with your doctor. As an alternative to medical therapies, changing your diet to include more plant oestrogens can help regulate fluctuating hormone levels during both perimenopause and menopause for some women.
Find a natural way to manage your menopause symptoms Phytoestrogens or plant oestrogens are substances which naturally occur in a wide variety of foods. They have the same receptor structure as oestrogen, one of the main female hormones, and can help moderate fluctuating hormone levels and lessen the unwanted side effects of menopause. Functional foods These ‘superfoods’ go above and beyond, they offer more positive health benefits than just their nutritional value. Functional foods like oats contain beta-glucan a type of fibre which reduces inflammation, enhances immune function, and improves heart health. Fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants which help protect against disease. Likewise, phytoestrogens or plant oestrogens are natural chemicals found in food which can help balance out oestrogen levels. Eating a plant oestrogen-rich diet Some women find eating foods containing phytoestrogens eases menopause symptoms while others may not experience any benefits. To get the positive effects from them you need to eat them in sufficient quantities on a regular basis. How successful they are in easing menopause symptoms depends on each individual’s response, but it can also be affected by differences in gut bacteria. Some of the food which has some of the highest levels of phytoestrogens are soybeans and soy-based products, such as tofu, tempeh, and soy milk, flaxseeds and flaxseed oil, legumes like chickpeas, lentils and kidney beans but they are also found in a huge range of plants and fruits. Mena-pause.com At Mena-pause.com we work in harmony with the natural world, selecting the finest ingredients to make it easy for women to incorporate oestrogen-rich foods and snacks into their daily diet. Find out more about menopause and dietOur first menopause friendly foodie product will be on the shelves of carefully selected retailers from the middle of March 2023.
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