The menopause club is a big one. Millions of women around the world are experiencing peri-menopause, menopause, or, like myself, post-menopause….. While our experiences can be deeply personal and as unique as we are, there is research that suggests that our culture and where you live may affect our experience.
In Japan, considered the poster child for how to ‘do’ menopause, women report dramatically less peri-menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats than women in the West. One school of thought is that the Japanese diet has been high in soy for the last 6,000 years, which contains a phytoestrogen called isoflavones, that mimic estrogen. This is important because many meno symptoms occur due to a lowering of estrogen levels.
In the U.S., Canada and Australia, research has shown that 75% of women experience hot flashes and many others experience sleepless nights, vaginal dryness, weight gain and mood swings. So why aren’t we eating soy?
Well first off, American’s had a bad start with soy. We ‘discovered’ soy in the 1970’s-80’s. We were at first game, eating soy scrambles, soy sausages, soy veggie burgers, soy ice creams…..But then ‘The Women’s Health Initiative’ hit the news. The rumors went wild of estrogen in soy leading to breast cancer, even in men!!! Even though the plant-base phytoestrogen in soy is 1000 times less potent than the estrogen our body produces. And though this very weak plant-based estrogen is believed to have a balancing effect on fluctuating hormones, this info never reached us and general opinion did not shift. We went into a dead halt on soy and returned to getting our protein from meat. Big Ag was happy because there is more money to be made from animal sources of protein then legumes.
THE WOMEN’S HEALTH INITIATIVE
You may have heard about this. In 1991 the Women’s Health Initiative, sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, launched a long term study to focus on strategies for preventing heart disease, breast and colorectal cancer and osteoporosis in post-menopausal women. More then 160,000 women, age 50 to 79, participated in the 15-year study, making it one of the largest prevention studies involving women in the U.S.
But then, in 2002, all hell broke lose. It was discovered that post-menopausal women taking a combination hormone therapy of estrogen and progestin, also known as HRT, for menopause symptoms, had an increased risk of breast cancer as well as heart disease, blood clots and stroke. As a result of the report, many women stopped taking HRT.
PRESENT DAY
Today, the FDA urges women to take HRT at the “lowest helpful dose” for the “shortest amount of time” in the early years of peri-menopause because it has been found to be too dangerous during post menopause.
The Mayo Clinic says “There are risks associated with using HRT. These risks depend on the type of hormone therapy, the dose, how long the medication is taken, and your individual health risk….and for best results each person should be reevaluated every so often”. To me that sounds like recommending you bake a cake by checking into the oven “every so often”….
The Mayo Clinic goes on to say that estrogen-progestin combined increases the risk of certain serious conditions including heart disease, stroke, blood clots and breast cancer. Is it me losing my mind or does the 2023 info parrot the same info from 2002??
HOW I COACH MY CLIENTS: EDUCATION IS KEY
First off, I never go head to head with anyone concerning HRT recommended by their doctor. Any woman taking it, or considering taking it, is suffering from very real peri-menopausal-menopausal symptoms that are making their life miserable. I start by educating them on how the endocrine system dictates the hormonal system in the body and how living in the modern world may be playing a part in the imbalanced symptoms during this stage of life.
The endocrine system is a no-nonsense series of glands that produce and secrete hormones the body uses for a wide range of functions. It’s delicate balance is tricky on a good day. This observation has led scientists to believe that even low amounts of endocrine-disrupting chemical exposure can alter the bodies sensitive systems, causing havoc to our hormonal balance.
According to the Endocrine Society there are more than 1,000 man-made chemicals believed to be endocrine disruptors that we are exposed to daily. Many in our food from soil to the table. Evidence has been documented that heavy metals serve as endocrine disruptors in humans, affecting hormone homeostasis, triggering imbalances. The big three heavy metals; cadmium, lead and mercury, are of major concern because they can mimic estrogen, (called metalloestrogens). These heavy metals are found in the sewage sludge from industry and pharmaceuticals used to fertilize our non-organic fruits and veggies. They are absorbed into the cells of the plants; then absorbed into us when we eat them.
CREATING A PLAN OF ACTION
The first thing I recommend to anyone suffering from peri/menopausal symptoms is to embark on a gentle detox cleanse (and I do mean gentle) to allow the toxic metals stored in the bone, soft tissue and kidneys to leave the body over time. Dealing with toxic metals is very hard on the liver, so it is important to eat liver supporting juices and foods. An important Food as Medicine detoxer is sea veggies, known to bind to heavy metals and help them pass from the body. And, of course, plenty of filtered water to keep everything flowing…..
After the gentle detox period I recommend transitioning to an 80/20 diet. This consists of 80% raw/live foods and 20% healthy cooked foods, as always 100% organic. You don’t want your client to de-tox, then re-tox……
The consumption of tofu in moderation is a great choice. Not to be confused with food products made from un-digestable soy isolates like are found in protein drinks, fake meats or protein bars. Instead, soy consumed the way Japanese women eat it, in the forms of firm and silken tofu, unpasteurized miso, and tempeh…..
THE MOOD JOURNAL
The first step toward making positive change in one’s life or health is to name your current experience and allow yourself to feel it fully. During the detox process, I always suggest my clients keep a “Mood Journal”. A mood is a collection of persistent feelings, and though we may not be sure how we’re feeling or why, we just feel ‘off’. Keeping a mood journal can be a powerful tool for increasing self-awareness and connecting the dots of our emotions. In this way the client can gain valuable insight into patterns of thought and behavior and develop strategies for coping.
After a period of getting in touch with their own bodies in a more holistic way, women can then reevaluate their opinion of HRT and if it is the right choice for them.
NOTE: Dear Healers: Research has found that 80% of clients seeking out Health Coach guidance are women. It is important that we stay aware of their concerns if we are to serve their needs and build a successful business. If you want to know more about the Food As Medicine advice that you can recommend to your female clients I suggest you join us for our upcoming “New Year’s 2025 Certified Holistic Nutrition Coach/Cancer Coach” training. It’s a game changer. FIND OUT MORE HERE!
#detox #perimenopause #HRT #hormonereplacementtherapy #womenshealthinitiative #breastcancer #endocrinedisrupters