Striking The Hormone Balance Through Diet During Menopause

The body processes are practically controlled by hormones which are chemical messengers. They tend to control metabolism, reproduction and even the menstrual cycle. Since hormonal imbalance is the root cause of menopause, achieving that perfect hormonal balance can be important during this period in a woman’s life. As much as the production of hormones is a natural process, certain diet plans can affect the balance of hormones and therefore a good diet during menopause can be advantageous during the transitional period. Understanding the different foods and how they affect the hormones as discussed below can be really beneficial.

Plant foods and estrogen

At menopause, levels of estrogen may significantly subside in turn causing night sweats, hot flashes, and menstrual irregularity all associated symptoms of menopause. Estrogen being the primary sex hormone in women cannot be obtained in normal diet; however, it can be compensated by plant foods containing phytoestrogens which act like estrogen.

Phytoestrogens chemicals such as isoflavones are primarily associated with soy. These chemicals tend to increase vaginal lubrication and reduce severity of hot flashes. Another source of such chemicals is flax seeds.

Diet and insulin

Maintaining a balanced diet is paramount during menopause. Knowing what to partake and what to keep of is vital. Excess calorie intake will most likely cause weight gain. Going for complex carbohydrates such as whole grain bread, beans, legumes and starchy vegetables rather than refined carbohydrates like cookies and white sugar should also be considered. Some women even have had great success with menopause supplements such as Amberen.

This is because the carbohydrates when broken down to glucose, travels into the blood stream triggering the pancreas to release insulin. When the pancreas releases insulin and it is resisted by the muscle and fat in a condition known as insulin resistance, the pancreas will in turn release more insulin to help the glucose travel to body cells. When there is increased calorie intake and in turn deposited as fat, the condition of insulin resistance is normally developed. At menopause this may cause a woman to change shape from pear shape to apple shaped.

The pancreas also secrets glucagon opposite to insulin, its work is to signal the liver to convert stored glycogen into glucose which is supplied to the blood stream to serve as energy source when there is deprivation of food. Maintaining a balanced and correct diet is therefore effective in achieving a good hormonal balance during menopause.

Caffeine/Alcohol and hormone Cortisol

Cortisol is a stress hormone produced by adrenal glands and is part of the flight-or-fight human response during danger. Having excess of this hormone will cause heightened stress levels, blood pressure and fat deposited in the midsection making it to achieve that apple shape. Alcohol and caffeine are contributing factors to the production of cortisol, therefore during menopause a woman is advised to regulate the caffeine and alcohol intake.