Well, I personally wouldn't choose to go on the diet with 1/2 cup soybeans to reduce menopausal symptoms myself, because I am intolerant to soy, but the point is that YES, there are ALWAYS other ways to improve one's health!
WHY oh why do people, even those who live 'alternative' lifestyles, choose to see their 'doctor' (ie a medico) when they're not sure about something that's health-related? It's like people WANT to be sick!
Other legumes contain many of the same compounds found in soy, although in lower amounts, so there are definitely soy-free alternatives.
Your question about why so many people hang around doctors is one that has intrigued me for many years. I have definitely known people who derive a lot of their identity from having XYZ diagnosis. They really pride themselves on having such a serious condition, and being 'under' the best specialists for it. Others are driven to frequent doctors because of hypochondriasis; every little twinge triggers intense anxiety which they attempt to resolve by seeking medical attention, but the more often they do this, the worse the anxiety becomes (the classic OCD downward spiral).
And then there's the broad-scale disempowerment which has infected every domain of life. Most people lack any sense of confidence in their ability to do much of anything at all, under their own steam. They don't believe they can raise their own children, manage their own finances or cook their own food, so why would they believe they can be responsible for their own health? The events of the last 3+ years have convinced me that this hyper-domestication of human beings has been very intentional. We have been progressively disempowered to prepare us for the technocratic tyranny that is being slotted into place right now.
Absolutely. There are many plants that contain bioactive compounds that help with menopausal (and other hormone-related) symptoms. Legumes and seeds are particularly rich sources.
Robyn, are you able to comment on the coumarins and/or isoflavonoids in red clover (Trifolium pratense) as a natural estrogen hormone replacement therapy for women?
It's not generally my first recommendation but certainly works well for a proportion of women. I would start with diet and lifestyle interventions (aside from the diet deployed in the WAVS study, increasing muscle mass through weight training is effective - see https://empowertotalhealth.com.au/muscle-up-to-beat-hot-flushes/). For women whose hot flushes persist after addressing diet and lifestyle, I generally start with black cohosh, which is effective for many women, and if that doesn't work, I move onto red clover.
Thank you! My wife is using white clover at the moment to help with circulation, although she doesn't get hot flushes she hasn't had her menses for at least the last 4 years.
Thank you for this information. My hot flushes are not disabling but it would still be nice not to have them anymore. I am already on a mostly plant based diet but I have been trying to remember where I saw the info about the soybeans so very grateful for you posting this article. (-:
Many years ago, a friend of mine who was going through menopause told me that if she ate about 100 g of tofu per day, her hot flushes went away. So I think these results might apply to other soy products too!
The limiting factor with miso is the high salt content. At some level of consumption, the benefit of the soy would be offset by the harm of the excess salt!
Good point, I will keep that in mind. I found a great recipe for miso glazed sweet potatoes that actually has you adding salt and pepper to the miso. As if the miso needed any help with flavour! It's pretty delicious actually, just mix half a cup of white miso with a quarter cup of olive oil and then mix it with sweet potato cut into discs. Only one layer of veggies in the baking dish and cook for 20-25 minutes. So good and even good on toast the next day!
How you lot (women) put up with all those reproductive cycle health issues for around four decades of your life is beyond me. Thank goodness you have the pharmaceutical industry to help you out (I've just been listening to The Stone's Mothers Little Helper, so I may have got their message and your article's a bit mixed up).
Valium, HRT... it all shades into one Big Pharma blob! Robert Mendelsohn's book Malepractice was a great polemic about the commodification of women by the medical-industrial complex.
Well, I personally wouldn't choose to go on the diet with 1/2 cup soybeans to reduce menopausal symptoms myself, because I am intolerant to soy, but the point is that YES, there are ALWAYS other ways to improve one's health!
WHY oh why do people, even those who live 'alternative' lifestyles, choose to see their 'doctor' (ie a medico) when they're not sure about something that's health-related? It's like people WANT to be sick!
Other legumes contain many of the same compounds found in soy, although in lower amounts, so there are definitely soy-free alternatives.
Your question about why so many people hang around doctors is one that has intrigued me for many years. I have definitely known people who derive a lot of their identity from having XYZ diagnosis. They really pride themselves on having such a serious condition, and being 'under' the best specialists for it. Others are driven to frequent doctors because of hypochondriasis; every little twinge triggers intense anxiety which they attempt to resolve by seeking medical attention, but the more often they do this, the worse the anxiety becomes (the classic OCD downward spiral).
And then there's the broad-scale disempowerment which has infected every domain of life. Most people lack any sense of confidence in their ability to do much of anything at all, under their own steam. They don't believe they can raise their own children, manage their own finances or cook their own food, so why would they believe they can be responsible for their own health? The events of the last 3+ years have convinced me that this hyper-domestication of human beings has been very intentional. We have been progressively disempowered to prepare us for the technocratic tyranny that is being slotted into place right now.
Also have a soy issue here. There are other options.
Absolutely. There are many plants that contain bioactive compounds that help with menopausal (and other hormone-related) symptoms. Legumes and seeds are particularly rich sources.
Robyn, are you able to comment on the coumarins and/or isoflavonoids in red clover (Trifolium pratense) as a natural estrogen hormone replacement therapy for women?
It's not generally my first recommendation but certainly works well for a proportion of women. I would start with diet and lifestyle interventions (aside from the diet deployed in the WAVS study, increasing muscle mass through weight training is effective - see https://empowertotalhealth.com.au/muscle-up-to-beat-hot-flushes/). For women whose hot flushes persist after addressing diet and lifestyle, I generally start with black cohosh, which is effective for many women, and if that doesn't work, I move onto red clover.
Thank you! My wife is using white clover at the moment to help with circulation, although she doesn't get hot flushes she hasn't had her menses for at least the last 4 years.
Thank you for this information. My hot flushes are not disabling but it would still be nice not to have them anymore. I am already on a mostly plant based diet but I have been trying to remember where I saw the info about the soybeans so very grateful for you posting this article. (-:
Many years ago, a friend of mine who was going through menopause told me that if she ate about 100 g of tofu per day, her hot flushes went away. So I think these results might apply to other soy products too!
Might explain why I like miso so much. Maybe I need to eat it in bigger quantities.
The limiting factor with miso is the high salt content. At some level of consumption, the benefit of the soy would be offset by the harm of the excess salt!
Good point, I will keep that in mind. I found a great recipe for miso glazed sweet potatoes that actually has you adding salt and pepper to the miso. As if the miso needed any help with flavour! It's pretty delicious actually, just mix half a cup of white miso with a quarter cup of olive oil and then mix it with sweet potato cut into discs. Only one layer of veggies in the baking dish and cook for 20-25 minutes. So good and even good on toast the next day!
Anything with sweet potato in it gets my vote!
How you lot (women) put up with all those reproductive cycle health issues for around four decades of your life is beyond me. Thank goodness you have the pharmaceutical industry to help you out (I've just been listening to The Stone's Mothers Little Helper, so I may have got their message and your article's a bit mixed up).
Valium, HRT... it all shades into one Big Pharma blob! Robert Mendelsohn's book Malepractice was a great polemic about the commodification of women by the medical-industrial complex.