Much of what happens in a woman’s body is linked to menstruation and the menopause. Research shows that foods can help to counter the challenges faced by women at all stages of life, including conditions such as anaemia and breast cancer.
The end of a woman’s reproductive life is a natural part of ageing. Most women experience the menopause between the ages of 45 and 55, and it can have wide-ranging effects.
Before the age of 40, women tend to have more fat cells in their thighs, hips, and buttocks, so fat accumulates under the skin in those areas. But around the menopause, the decline in hormone levels can lead to fat deposits shifting to areas in and around the belly. Known as visceral fat, this fat concentrates around the abdomen and comes with extra health risks related to heart disease and cancers. A diet rich in refined foods, sugars, and saturates encourages this “belly fat”, so steer clear of those. If you want to shift weight, then fill up on wholegrains and fibre-rich pulses, eat natural fats in foods, and try out the fat-burning power of chillies.
The menopause sees ovaries cease to release eggs and the end of menstruation, with consequent drops in levels of oestrogen and progesterone. Studies have shown that women are at a greater risk of depression compared with men. A study in 2015 discovered that the fluctuations in oestrogen levels around the menopause make women more susceptible to depression and sensitive to stress. Up to a third of women will develop depression when oestrogen levels fall. So, it’s good to know that food may have a role to play. Certain foods, such as soya, contain plant-based oestrogen compounds (phyto-oestrogens) and these may mimic the effects of oestrogen and help to counter the effects of the menopause. Japanese women, for example, who have a diet high in soya appear to suffer fewer menopausal symptoms. Another food solution is omega-3 fats in fish, which can improve mood.
Women with waistlines over 88cm (35in) are more likely to die from heart disease and cancer.
As levels of hormones fall, at and around the menopause, the vaginal walls become thinner, less rigid, and less elastic, while lubrication is produced at lower levels and more slowly than before, all of which can result in irritation, dryness, and discharge. The internal environment of the vagina also becomes more attractive to microbes. Research shows that soya foods can ease vaginal dryness, and probiotics may also help avoid infections.