Menopause increases risk of asthma, but food not HRT may be the answer.

Research presented at the annual Congress of the European Respiratory Society in Stockholm has shown that the hormone Oestrogen plays a protective role in lung health. The results of the study which involved 1300 menopausal women from Europe and the United States unveiled new evidence that declining oestrogen during the menopause can increase the risk of respiratory problems such as asthma.

Dr Gomez Real, who led the research, suggested that Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) could help reduce potential respiratory conditions by normalising oestrogen levels.

Urbod Nutritionist, Amanda Michie, says that there are more natural ways of balancing oestrogen levels than going straight on HRT. HRT can be beneficial for certain women, however, food can have an incredibly positive effect on menopausal symptoms without the side effects that HRT can bring. Foods such as soya, tempeh (made from fermented soyabeans), lentils, pulses, flax seeds and rye bread are a few of the foods that contain “phytoestrogens.” These are compounds found naturally in hundreds of foods and have a mild oestrogenic effect on the body. They work by attaching to oestrogen receptor sites around the body where they help to maintain healthy oestrogen levels whilst, blocking stronger and potentially dangerous oestrogens (commonly found in tap water and pesticides) from binding.

It is a matter of balance: too much circulating oestrogen can put women at risk from oestrogen-receptive cancers such as breast cancer, yet too little oestrogen can cause respiratory conditions and unpleasant menopausal symptoms. Phytoestrogens in food may well be an essential factor when it comes to maintaining hormonal equilibrium during the menopause.

Vegetarian diet reduces PMT and painful periods.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists have unveiled evidence that a vegetarian diet can help alleviate painful periods and PMS. The first phase of the trial involved 33 women who followed a vegetarian diet for 2 menstrual cycles. During the second phase, they went back to their customary non-vegetarian diet whilst taking a placebo pill. Body weight, pain duration and intensity reduced during the first phase of the trial and mean durations of premenstrual symptoms such as water retention, behavioural change and poor concentration reduced significantly compared to the second phase. Sex-hormone-binding globulin levels increased during the first phase.

Despite being a small trial, these are very interesting results, says Urbod Nutritionist Amanda Michie. There are several reasons why a vegetarian diet may help relieve painful periods and PMS. Oestrogen dominance can cause heavy menstruation, painful periods and pre menstrual tension. It is more commonly caused by excess availability and reduced clearance from the body rather than by an over production from the ovaries. Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) helps to mop up excess oestrogen so helping to lower total circulating oestrogen. A vegetarian diet tends to be richer in lignans than a non vegetarian diet. Lignans are involved in production of SHBG. Furthermore, saturated fat found in meats increase a type of prostaglandin in the body that is involved in inflammation and pain, so by cutting out or reducing animal products in this way can have an indirect effect on the pain involved during menstruation. Vegetarian foods such as legumes, green leafy vegetables and soy products all have added benefits for women suffering from painful, debilitating periods.

Amanda Michie works at Urbod in the City and regularly sees clients with female health issues.

Vitamin E alleviates painful periods

Dysmenorrhoea or painful periods, is a condition that affects 50-70% of women. According to research published in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, supplementing 400 iU of vitamin E per day can relieve menstrual cramps within four months says Amanda Michie, a Urbod Nutritionist working in the City. The study involved 278 young women aged 15-17 years who were given a placebo or 200IU of vitamin E twice per day beginning 2 days prior to menstruation and continuing for 3 days of bleeding. The results showed that those given the vitamin E supplement experienced less pain and less blood loss. It is unclear as to why vitamin E helps to relieve painful periods, but it is thought that it helps to inhibit a type of prostaglandin which is involved in inflammation and pain.

Cutting the calories improves symptoms in women with polycystic ovaries

Researchers at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Unit of Metabolic Medicine at St Marys hospital, London have shown that overweight women with polycystic ovaries can improve menstruation and their chances of fertility by following a calorie-restricted diet says Urbod Nutritionist Amanda Michie.

Portion control and blood sugar balance are key to maintaining a healthy weight and improving insulin response. Eating refined, sugary foods or over- eating at meal times causes a surge of blood glucose which triggers the release of a large amount of insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced naturally by the pancreas to regulate the amount of glucose in the blood stream. However, long term elevated insulin can lead to insulin resistance which is believed to play a significant role in weight gain and polycystic ovaries.

Calorie restriction does not mean that you have to starve yourself says Nutritionist, Amanda Michie. Much of the processed convenience foods today are very high in calories but are lacking in nutrients. Eating nutrient-dense foods such as whole-grains, legumes, lean meat, fish and vegetables provide the body with the correct calories and nutrients to maintain a healthy weight and to avoid complications such as insulin resistance.

To find out more about Nutritional support for female health problems contact UrBod Nutritionist Amanda Michie Dip.ION (mBANT) who works in the city of London, EC2.