Related Topics: Features, Menopause, Nutrition

4 Key Nutrients To Help With Symptoms Of The Menopause

Bioidentical hormones can provide relief from menopause symptoms, but you can also help yourself with the right nutrition.

Julie Lamble

Hormonal balance is vital for good health and immunity.  The onset of menopause upsets this delicate balance, which in turn leads to a number of unwelcome side effects including: hot flashes, excessive sweating and a red face, ‘night sweats’, irritability, memory loss and lack of mental agility, and the onset of osteoporosis.

To help minimise the impact of menopause and ease the uncomfortable symptoms, there are number of ways in which women can help maintain healthy hormonal levels. The first step is to eat as healthy a balanced diet as possible, rich in fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, poultry, pulses, wholegrains, nuts, and seeds. Also try to eliminate, salt, red meat, processed foods, dairy products, caffeine, alcohol, and also smoking.   Regular exercise is a must, since it helps to keep hormones stable, and helps with nutrient absorption.

Four key nutrients at menopause

If you’re in doubt about your nutritional intake, top-up your diet with a high strength multivitamin and mineral supplement to ensure you’re getting all the important nutrients needed for all-round health and wellbeing.   Ensure your choice of supplement includes Vitamin K, essential for bone mineralisation and rebuilding of joints when oestrogen levels decline during the menopause, increasing the risk of osteoporosis.  Also, Folic Acid, which research shows can help maintain a healthy heart and reduces the risk of stroke, another condition which is more likely to occur after the menopause.  It is also important to ensure a high intake of  Vitamin E, as this vitamin helps maintain a healthy heart; it also reduces the uncomfortable condition of vaginal dryness, which commonly occurs in menopausal women.

Red Clover:

There are a number of scientific studies showing that red clover may help relieve menopausal symptoms and our ancestors typically used it for many complaints, but today we use it primarily for dealing with menopausal symptom.  Red clover contains large amounts of a group of compounds called isoflavones, a type of phyto-estrogen, which mimic the effect of the female sex hormone oestrogen.  The plant oestrogens are believed to be the key to red clover’s ability to modify symptoms of the menopause.  Studies show that a red clover supplement can reduce menopausal symptoms, if the content is over 40mg.

Additionally, two specific isoflavones, Genistein and Daidzein, possess the ability to help lower the risk of heart disease, and prevent osteoporosis, other problems associated with the menopause, so be sure to check that the red clover supplement you are taking contains both these constituents.

Sage:

The herb sage is also highly beneficial for those experiencing hot sweats caused by the menopause; this is due to the herb’s volatile oils, which possess special anti-perspiring properties.   Also, since sage possesses no hormonal actions, it is safe to use alongside bioidentical hormones as well as HRT and other herbal remedies.   Be sure to select a sage supplement though that’s high strength, including 300mg of pure powered herb per capsule.

Soya:

Soya beans and soya foods contain the most significant dietary source of isoflavones, compounds that research confirms help maintain the health of our hearts, breasts, and bones.  It is also exceptionally efficacious at helping minimise the distressing affects of the menopause, including over-heating.  Interestingly, Asian women, who eat a diet high in soya foods, do not suffer any of the side effects from the menopause, suffered by western women!

A daily intake of soya isoflavones is also exceptionally beneficial for those wishing to protect their bones against osteoporosis.  This common, progressive condition causes the bones to become weak and brittle, and tends to affect us in middle age.  Post-menopausal women are particularly at risk, as estrogen levels decline. Take at least 40mg of soya isoflavones daily, preferably in a supplement that provides the whole goodness of the soya bean.

Ginkgo Biloba:

The extract taken from the leaves of the Ginkgo Biloba tree contains two active substances: flavone glycosides and terpene lactones, both of which are thought to be responsible for the herb’s health promoting benefits.  These components possess powerful antioxidant properties that counter the effects of free radicals, believed to cause premature ageing and dementia.  Modern research confirms that Ginkgo Biloba helps improve memory function, enhances concentration, and improves cognitive impairment; often a problem for those going through the menopause.

It is also known to help those suffering from anxiety, depression, or poor circulation, and also assists with healthy ageing, helping to guard against cardiovascular and liver disease and cares for the brain and central nervous system by improving the delivery of oxygen and glucose to nerve cells.  It is important to choose a standardised supplement that provides 120mg of Ginkgo Biloba extract, to ensure you are taking a therapeutic dose of this herbal remedy.

Information in this article has been supplied By Julie Lamble,Qualified Nutritional Biochemist and State-Registered Nutritionist for vitamin, mineral, and herbal supplements company, Lifeplan Products Limited

More information:

https://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2012/01/26/progesterone-and-protection-from-menopausal-heart-problems/

https://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2012/04/17/hrt-or-bioidentical-hormones-heres-why/

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Comments 6
Sorted by:  Date | Recommended
AnnA Rushton | 11:22 am, June 11th, 2017

20-1, which is a combination cream with the majority ingredient of progesterone with two natural oestrogens added, is best for anxiety, mood and depression Patricia. This article may be helpful:

https://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2016/05/09/how-to-help-5-key-signs-of-anxiety-mood-swings-and-depression/

Patricia Byrne | 4:35 pm, June 10th, 2017

Can you recommend what is best for mood,mine is.ok one day and down the next.I have spoke to my GPS and all I get offered is antidepressants,please help

Nola | 2:39 am, April 23rd, 2014

I too can recommend Harmony MENOPAUSE. I had been using it with great success for years, but wanted a change and recently started using Serenity cream. Harmony is a great all-rounder but it was especially helpful for mood-swings as my family can attest to. It may take a bit of time to kick in but you will notice slight changes after about a week. Double dose to start with. Serenity? Noticed a positive change 2nd day with hot flushes. This is not typical I have read so don’t be disappointed if this isn’t your experience. Hang in there!

Eileen | 10:44 am, September 15th, 2011

keep up intake of water to help with hot flashes and i am trialling a supplement called Harmony which assist with all menopausal symptoms, particularly the weeping side of the menopause for no reason at all or the weeping for what if??? and then the irritability. Will keep you all posted on progress, Hoping it will help with my memory as well.

Khatt | 12:47 pm, November 28th, 2010

Hello I’m Katrin Ocio. Your article is totally informative. Please allow me to use your article in my research paper. Thanks a lot 🙂

Brenda | 3:47 am, October 22nd, 2010

I have found alot of things that are recommended are oestrogen promoting, which of course is the noticeable hot sweats. Have you thought of chasteberry. It was very helpful to me. I have to be careful, because I suffer with Oestrogen dominance, and have found Gingkgo biloba and panax ginseng contributed to it. My levels actually went thru the roof with the panax ginseng. Have a look at Rhodiola (Natures sunshine) stess adapt has really helped me as well.

 
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