This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Menopause: Certain Foods Can Help You

In her groundbreaking books, The Secret Pleasures of Menopause and The Wisdom of Menopause, Dr. Christiane Northrup delivers the message that life has just begun at menopause. Her view is that the “change” is the beginning of a very exciting and fulfilling time, and that it’s not a collection of symptoms to be “fixed,” but a mind/body revolution which brings tremendous opportunity for happiness. 

If Dr. Northrup is correct, then something is going terribly wrong with my “mind/body revolution.” In fact, my bumpy stroll down Menopause Lane has been anything but “exciting and fulfilling.” 

My hot flashes, moodiness, night sweats, and insomnia have plagued me for years despite my vegan diet, and they still do post-menopause. I truly believed that if I waited long enough, my symptoms would disappear. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case. The sleepless nights, irritability, and hot flashes seem like an endless road to nowhere. So, what’s a menopausal (or post-menopausal) woman to do? 

Since I realized it was time to take action, I decided to read more books and search the Internet to find natural ways to alleviate my symptoms. I learned that various herbs such as Black Cohosh, Wild Yam, Ginseng, Gingko biloba and St. John’s Wort, along with exercise and acupuncture can be quite effective in reducing menopausal symptoms. Although I haven’t taken any herbs and am still considering acupuncture, I have had a good deal of success with “sweating it out” at the gym. However, that hasn’t been enough, and I’m not willing to take hormones or pharmaceuticals. 

Thank goodness, I learned that certain plant foods are very effective for menopausal relief. 

Yes, it’s true. According to an article in Natural Newsphytoestrogens which are found in a variety of foods contain plant-based estrogens called isoflavones. Isoflavones can provide natural relief for women with menopausal symptoms. 

U.S. News & World Report recently reported that menopausal women who lose weight in the context of a healthier diet (ie. a low-fat diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains) could reduce or eliminate their hot flashes and night sweats, according to a large new study. Studies have also suggested that if you eat less fat and more fiber, you’ll keep estrogen levels from fluctuating drastically. 

So, isn’t it worth giving a healthy plant-based diet a try during this “exciting and fulfilling” time of your life? After all, there is no downside.

Although I follow a plant-based diet, I learned that there are many superfoods to help alleviate menopausal symptoms. I also learned that there are many foods to avoid during this time.

To see the list of superfoodsfoods to avoid, and other natural ways to help alleviate menopausal symptoms...

- Go to: http://veganamericanprincess.com/menopause-certain-foods-may-help-ease-symptoms/#sthash.qvxgpGC2.dpu...

Debby Sunshine
Vegan American Princess
Voted #2 for Top 25 Vegan Blogs In Skinny Scoop!

Website: veganamericanprincess.com
Twitter: @debbysunshine1
Instagram: #veganamericanprincess
Click here to "Like Us" on Facebook

Learn more about living a vegan lifestyle- recipes, restaurant & product reviews, news, articles, style & beauty products- anything related to veganism! 

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?