By J.C. Carroll

(NC)-When estrogen levels start to decline, a woman can feel very unlike her normal self.

Hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings and irritability are the most common symptoms of menopause, often leading to loss of bone density, fractures, cardiovascular problems and heart disease. Estrogen plays such a vital role in maintaining a woman’s health and well being, so the question is why, as early as age 35, would nature purposely deprive the body of them?

Scientific research suggests that nature didn’t get it wrong and a big part of the answer may lie in our diet. The Western diet is far different than that of our ancestors and researchers note that the incidence of acute menopausal symptoms and long-term, post menopausal health issues (osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease) is far greater for women in North America, Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, compared to women in Asian, Central American and Mediterranean countries, where dietary ingredients have remained largely the same.

A key factor in Eastern diets is the high consumption of legumes (beans, peas, soy), a rich group of plant estrogens, called isoflavones. Asian, Mediterranean and Latin American communities consume on average 30 to 50 milligrams of isoflavones every day, while it is estimated that women from Western countries, consume just a fraction of that. These isoflavones are able to mimic the effects of estrogens because their structures are remarkably close to those of human estrogens and the body accepts them as such.

Dietary choices

Isoflavones are found mainly in legumes, such as lentils, split peas, chickpeas, broad beans and soy. Not all legumes contain all four of the most important isoflavones however. Red clover does and as a result of several successful clinical trials, it is now standardized as a valuable treatment option. Red clover (sold as Promensil) contains all four of the necessary isoflavones and contains 10 to 20 times the quantity found in soy, making it an effective remedy for menopause symptoms. Sold in the form of Promensil After-Menopause, this botanical is particularly effective for post-menopausal women, or when estrogen reaches its lowest level.

If you want to know more about how to treat your particular menopause symptoms, including dietary supplements, be sure to speak to your doctor or pharmacist.

Credit: www.newscanada.com

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