Delay menopause with food: Eat oily fish, legumes and soya products
Early menopause makes women vulnerable to heart-related problems, osteoporosis & depression.
By ET CONTRIBUTORS | Updated:
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By Dr Vaishali Sharma
Menopause not only has a dramatic effect on a woman's skin, hair and appearance, but also brings with it troublesome mood swings.
A woman is said to have attained menopause when she doesn’t get her periods for at least a year. The average age of menopause in India is 48 years while in the UK and the USA, women attain menopause at approximately 51 years.
Quite recently, it has been observed in studies that besides family history, chemotherapy or cigarette smoking, the age of menopause is also affected by the type of food we eat and diet that we follow.
A study at the Leeds University, UK, has documented the relationship between the type of foods and the onset of menopause. The researchers conducted an observational study in around 14,000 women and found that a high intake of healthy foods such as oily fish, and legumes like peas, green beans can help in delaying the onset of menopause. It was also found that consumption of refined white pasta and rice was associated with an early onset of menopause.
A selfless mother, an affectionate daughter, a dutiful wife or top boss; no matter what role a woman plays in everyday life, she does so with utmost passion. From managing the house to being running the show at work, and yet taking out time to spend quality moments with family and friends, women manage to do it all.
But in all the hustle, they often forget themselves. Making yourself a priority is not at the top of their list, and health gets taken for granted.
However, it is extremely important to care for the self as for others, and to start taking care of your health.
Dolly Kumar, Founder & Director at Gaia, shares 5 tips for women to stay healthy.
It’s not just a matter of beauty or physical appearance, but health too — early menopause predisposes a woman to increased risk of developing heart-related problems, osteoporosis, loss of memory, depression and sexual dysfunction.
Studies conducted at the Oregon State University, USA, have suggested that including plant-based foods rich in phytoestrogens may help women raise estrogen levels in their bodies. It is the depletion of these hormones that leads to all the troublesome effects associated with menopause.
Here is a list of foods, rich in phytoestrogens (plant-derived estrogens), which help delay as well as tackle the troublesome aspects of menopause:
- Chickpeas
- Moong dal sprouts
- Fruits — oranges, strawberries, peaches, dried dates, apricots
- Vegetables, especially carrots
- Seeds — flaxseeds and sesame seeds
- Turmeric — have turmeric with lukewarm water every morning or with lukewarm milk after dinner
- Whole grains (for example, roti and bread)
- Soya products — tofu, soya yogurt
Heartburn can strike anyone, but it usually happens to those who are obese and eat big and untimely meals.
From coffee to chocolate, everything you eat may make heartburn worse. But there are also foods that can ease your heartburn.
Here are some of them for you by Ayush Rekha:
HOW THEY HELP
Lignans and flavonoids in these plant products help delay the onset of menopause as well as overcome the symptoms of estrogen deficiency in females. Simultaneously, these also protect us from diseases like osteoporosis, dementia (loss of memory), depression, mood swings, heart diseases and hot flashes.
KNOW THIS TOO
A diet rich in refined carbohydrates is more likely to bring menopause one-and-ahalf years earlier than average. Cigarette smoking also has a damaging effect on our ovaries. So, we can delay menopause even by abstaining from smoking (both active and passive).
SOME WOMEN MUST BE CAUTIOUS THOUGH
There is a word of caution for women with a history of longstanding PCOD (which results in prolonged menstrual cycles) or those having a family history of cancers in the uterus, ovaries or breast. Such females are at a high risk of developing cancer, and so, they should avoid too much intake of such foods. For the rest of the women, these dietary changes may prove to be a boon for postponing menopause.
If we can delay ageing just by making some changes in our diet, then it’s definitely worth it. Also, being natural is way better than hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
(The writer is a Consultant Gynaecologist & Infertility Specialist at Fortis La Femme, Delhi.)
Thirty per cent of mothers feel guilty about the nutritional value of food they feed to their family. However, frozen food offers great options for a balanced diet.
While frozen peas can contain more vitamin C than their fresh equivalent, frozen chicken and fish are fantastic sources of protein for growing kids.
Menopause not only has a dramatic effect on a woman's skin, hair and appearance, but also brings with it troublesome mood swings.
A woman is said to have attained menopause when she doesn’t get her periods for at least a year. The average age of menopause in India is 48 years while in the UK and the USA, women attain menopause at approximately 51 years.
Quite recently, it has been observed in studies that besides family history, chemotherapy or cigarette smoking, the age of menopause is also affected by the type of food we eat and diet that we follow.
A study at the Leeds University, UK, has documented the relationship between the type of foods and the onset of menopause. The researchers conducted an observational study in around 14,000 women and found that a high intake of healthy foods such as oily fish, and legumes like peas, green beans can help in delaying the onset of menopause. It was also found that consumption of refined white pasta and rice was associated with an early onset of menopause.
But in all the hustle, they often forget themselves. Making yourself a priority is not at the top of their list, and health gets taken for granted.
However, it is extremely important to care for the self as for others, and to start taking care of your health.
Dolly Kumar, Founder & Director at Gaia, shares 5 tips for women to stay healthy.
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RISKS OF EARLY MENOPAUSEIt’s not just a matter of beauty or physical appearance, but health too — early menopause predisposes a woman to increased risk of developing heart-related problems, osteoporosis, loss of memory, depression and sexual dysfunction.
Studies conducted at the Oregon State University, USA, have suggested that including plant-based foods rich in phytoestrogens may help women raise estrogen levels in their bodies. It is the depletion of these hormones that leads to all the troublesome effects associated with menopause.
Here is a list of foods, rich in phytoestrogens (plant-derived estrogens), which help delay as well as tackle the troublesome aspects of menopause:
- Chickpeas
- Moong dal sprouts
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- Legumes — lentils, peas, pinto beans- Fruits — oranges, strawberries, peaches, dried dates, apricots
- Vegetables, especially carrots
- Seeds — flaxseeds and sesame seeds
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- Garlic, olives and olive oil- Turmeric — have turmeric with lukewarm water every morning or with lukewarm milk after dinner
- Whole grains (for example, roti and bread)
- Soya products — tofu, soya yogurt
From coffee to chocolate, everything you eat may make heartburn worse. But there are also foods that can ease your heartburn.
Here are some of them for you by Ayush Rekha:
HOW THEY HELP
Lignans and flavonoids in these plant products help delay the onset of menopause as well as overcome the symptoms of estrogen deficiency in females. Simultaneously, these also protect us from diseases like osteoporosis, dementia (loss of memory), depression, mood swings, heart diseases and hot flashes.
KNOW THIS TOO
A diet rich in refined carbohydrates is more likely to bring menopause one-and-ahalf years earlier than average. Cigarette smoking also has a damaging effect on our ovaries. So, we can delay menopause even by abstaining from smoking (both active and passive).
SOME WOMEN MUST BE CAUTIOUS THOUGH
There is a word of caution for women with a history of longstanding PCOD (which results in prolonged menstrual cycles) or those having a family history of cancers in the uterus, ovaries or breast. Such females are at a high risk of developing cancer, and so, they should avoid too much intake of such foods. For the rest of the women, these dietary changes may prove to be a boon for postponing menopause.
If we can delay ageing just by making some changes in our diet, then it’s definitely worth it. Also, being natural is way better than hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
(The writer is a Consultant Gynaecologist & Infertility Specialist at Fortis La Femme, Delhi.)
While frozen peas can contain more vitamin C than their fresh equivalent, frozen chicken and fish are fantastic sources of protein for growing kids.
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of www.economictimes.com.)
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