Phytoestrogen rich foods
It seems that Mother Nature has provided us with foods that allow us to top up on our oestrogen levels, at the time of the menopause and beyond, quite naturally. Dietary Recommendations:
- Include the plant oestrogens in your diet, particularly soya products incorporating soya milk, tofu, linseeds, chick peas, lentils and mung beans.
- Apart from a phytoestrogen rich breakfast, have a "Phyto fix" later in the day. Two slices of Burgen Bread will provide 22mg of isoflavones per day.
- Reduce your intake of sugar and junk foods.
- Cut down salt intake. Salt causes fluid retention and induces calcium loss from the body in the urine.
- Over spicy food, hot drinks and alcohol can aggravate flushes.
- Three portions of vegetables, three servings of fruit, and a salad should be eaten every day, as they contain plenty of essential nutrients.
- Limit your consumption of red meat to one or two portions each week meat eaters have a lower bone density than their vegetarian counterparts.
- Use cold pressed oils such as safflower, sunflower, olive, sesame, rapeseed instead of animal fats.
- Make sure you consume a nutritious diet including plenty of foods rich in calcium and magnesium such as milk, green leafy vegetables, unsalted nuts and seeds, wholegrains and bony fish like sardines or whitebait.
- Drink plenty of liquids, preferably the equivalent of six glasses of water daily.