By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

I’ve always been a wine drinker, but lately I’ve been attracted to Sake.

I like sake for its light, clean, smooth flavor, and the way it pairs so well with many foods. We hear often about the health benefits of wine, but do you ever hear much about sake?

Wine or Sake?

Let’s take a closer look at sake first. The Japanese have a saying about sake, “Nihonshu wa ryori wo erabanai”. This means that, “Sake doesn’t fight with food.” Sake is a smooth and somewhat neutral backdrop for all kinds of cuisines and many styles of cooking—not just sushi.

Brewing/Fermenting Method

Sake is not just rice wine. Sake is brewed from four basic ingredients: rice, water, yeast, and koji–a type of mold that helps in the fermentation process. Sake, is basically an alcohol drink made from fermented rice.

Sake uses a natural fermentation brewing process, more similar to beer than wine. Sake also contains less sugar, less impurities, and byproducts of fermentation that wine contains.

Sake rice—especially for premium sake, is milled to a high degree of purity, making premium sake virtually hangover-free! In Japan, the saying goes, “You know good sake the next morning.”

Wine on the other hand, is made from fruit juice, which turns to sugar, and then ferments and creates alcohol. If you tend to avoid wine because of the histamines, sulfites, and tannins, definitely try sake. It’s much cleaner and more pure and far less likely to produce a hangover.

Sake usually contains around 15 to 16 percent alcohol, while grape wine can be anywhere from 9 to 15 percent.

Food Pairing

Both wine and sake pair well with particular foods. Contrary to what many believe, sake goes with many more dishes than just sushi. Since sake is light colored and has a smooth neutral flavor, it works better with chicken or fish, but there are quite a few varieties of sake, so knowing and understanding how their taste pairs with particular dishes is important.

The amino acid content in sake makes it very well suited to main dishes, as the amino acids heighten the umami (savory flavors).

Wine, as you know, comes in red, rose, and white–and in many different types, so that each can be paired to particular foods like beef, chicken, or fish. A lot depends on the taste, however and knowing whether wine is sweet, dry, tangy, or rich and earthy makes a big difference.

Both sake and wine can have a wide variety of flavors, depending on the regional varieties of the grapes or rice. For sake, it also comes down to the milling process and the purity of the sake production.

Calories/Carb Content

In general sake may be slightly higher in calories, but it contains less sugar and more alcohol. This would mean that there should be a tendency to drink less of it—making the caloric difference a wash. It’s difficult to compare sake calories to wine since there is a wide variation in sugar content and alcohol content. It’s a little like comparing apples to oranges. As far as sugar and carbs go, sake wins.

Health Benefits

Wine does have some health benefits, but many of the health benefits of wine come from red wine. Red wine contains polyphenol antioxidants, primarily resveratrol, which comes from the skin of the grapes.

Resveratrol is considered an anti-inflammatory substance that seems to help protect the blood vessels and lower inflammation in the heart. It is also thought to slow down aging. However, studies on resveratrol are mixed, and many studies have pointed out that a large quantity of wine would have to be consumed to receive the health benefits of the resveratrol. At that point, the negative health aspects of the alcohol would cancel out the benefits.

While sake does not contain resveratrol, sake does contain a unique blend of amino acids. Sake is known to contain about 20 different amino acids—which is more than that of red wine. This quantity and type of amino acids is where some of the health benefits of sake are.

Sake contains beneficial amounts of these amino acids:

• Glutamic acid—helps creates protein
• Alanine–found in collagen
• Leucine—good for muscle growth, increasing testosterone
• Arginine—increases nitric oxide which lowers blood pressure and increases oxygen

Another popular reason to drink sake is the fact that it contains far less acid than wine. In fact sake contains about 1/3 as much, making it easier on the stomach and less likely to produce heartburn and reflux.

The amino acids in sake also play an important role in preventing cancer, by shrinking or killing cancer cells. Akita University’s Dr. Takizawa concluded that amino acids in sake play a role in preventing cancer, especially bladder, prostate, uterine cancers.

In response to these results, the Japan National Cancer Research Institute conducted a 16-year study of its own. They picked 265,000 healthy adults from all over Japan to monitor the risk of cancer during that period. Those who drank sake moderately on a daily basis had a lower risk of cancer than then non-sake drinkers. [published studies are difficult to locate in google, since these studies are generally published in Japanese.]

Sake is also thought to prevent osteoporosis. Sake contains all three of the necessary BCAAs (Branch Chain Amino Acids) responsible for skeletal muscle health and function. Sake is also considered to help blood clots, boost circulation, maintain blood sugar, and help the immune system.

In addition, sake is 100% gluten free.

Choosing Sake

When choosing sake, it’s helpful to understand the different types and what they mean. The cheaper sakes are the ones that are often served warm, while the better premium sakes are served chilled.

As a rule of thumb, the more the rice grain is milled or polished away, the more smooth, light, and refined the sake taste. This is how most sake is priced. Sake with less polished rice produces a sake that has a bold, robust flavor.

The purest rice style of sake is called Junmai. The less milled and lesser quality types are called Junmai Daiginjo, or Junmai Ginjo. This has to do with how much of the rice grain is milled off. The highest quality style is just called Junmai. My favorite is Junmai sake which can be found at prices similar to affordable wine.

There are also some alcohol-added sakes with the names correlating to the milling process as well. The lowest quality of these is Daiginjo, then Ginjo, and Honjozo. One sake with no milling requirements is called Futsu-Shu.

For me, the clear winner is sake!

Serve high-quality sake chilled in your favorite wine glass or beverage glass instead of the small ceramic cups which are meant for the lower quality table sake which is served warm. “Kanpai” (Cheers!) as the Japanese say!

References
https://www.sake-talk.com/sake-health-benefits/
Y. Takizawa, 2000. ‘Health and Medical Science of Sake. Healthier life with Sake.’ < https://www.nrib.go.jp/kou/pdf/41kou07.pdf
H. Sumi, 1998. ‘Amazing Medical Efficacy of Sake’ Makino Shuppan.
Shiro, 1936. ‘Collection of references on Japanese and Chinese alcoholic beverages’ Yubunsha, Tokyo.
https://www.doyou.com/3-reasons-to-skip-wine-and-go-for-sake-90674/
https://motoldn.com/2020/03/23/sake-health-benefits/
https://shukuu.sg/blog/5-reasons-to-drink-sake
https://www.sakenomi.us/health

The post Wine vs. Sake appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

Are you at increased risk for bone fractures? The answer is most likely, yes—if you are over the age of 50. You probably have already heard of osteoporosis. This condition bone breakdown at a much higher rate, making your bones more fragile and putting you at a much higher risk of bone fractures.

Osteoporosis can be a silent killer. It’s an often-underdiagnosed condition, discovered when it’s too late to reverse. However, learning to prevent this condition before it develops into full-blown osteoporosis is the key to a longer, healthier life.

Before osteoporosis develops, a bone condition called osteopenia occurs. Osteopenia is a condition of low bone density, meaning the bones are not as strong as they should be. Osteopenia literally means, “poor bones”. Osteopenia often leads to osteoporosis, which is generally very difficult, if not impossible to reverse once your bones get to this point.

Prevention is key.

How Many People Suffer from Osteopenia or Osteoporosis in the United States?

Combined, the estimated number of adults with osteoporosis or osteopenia is 53.6 million, representing approximately 54% of the US adult population ages 50 years or older. A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also finds that more than four times as many women as men have either osteopenia or osteoporosis. Asian and Caucasian women seem to have the highest tendency towards low bone mass, while African Americans seem to have higher bone density.

The skeleton is made of living, dynamic tissue that requires proper nutrition, exercise, and care that the rest of the body needs for good health. Further, your bones actually play an important role in metabolism, hormone production, blood cell formation, and immune health. Bone health becomes even more critical as we age. Few things in the body are as important to your longevity, mobility, and quality of life–as your bone health.

How Our Bones Grow, Develop and Function

Your skeleton is a living organ that not only provides a protective structure for your soft tissues and organs, but it also serves as the storehouse for essential minerals used by the body.

Bones are continuously in a process of tearing down old bone tissue and growing new bone tissue through a process called remodeling. Bone remodeling involves the removal of older, more brittle, mineralized bone. This older bone is broken down through a process called “resorption” and sent to the kidneys, where it comes out in the urine. New bone matrix is laid down that then becomes hardened and mineralized.

Bone remodeling consists of three phases:

1. Resorption, which is when osteoclasts digest old bone and get rid of it.
2. Reversal, when mononuclear cells prepare the resorbed surface for osteoblasts, which generate a newly synthesized, bone matrix.
3. Formation is the phase when osteoblasts lay down new, stronger, and more resilient bone structure, until the resorbed bone is completely replaced.

This process of bone remodeling adjusts the structure of the bone to meet the changing mechanical needs of the body. In other words, if you are stressing your bones (in a good way) through weight resistance training or running or other weight bearing activities, your body will stimulate new, stronger bone tissue to grow, which helps to strengthen, protect, and repair the existing bone matrix.

Therefore, weight resistance training and other stresses to the bones are the key to prevention of osteoporosis or osteopenia. Bone remodeling goes on all through a person’s life cycle, although peak bone mass usually occurs around of 20-30 years.

Bones also serve as a mineral storehouse which is affected by hormones that respond to changes in blood calcium and phosphorus. When calcium and phosphorus are in short supply in the body, the hormones that regulate these minerals will take them out of the bones to serve more vital functions in other systems of the body. These hormones include parathyroid hormone, calcitriol, growth hormone, cortisol, thyroid hormone, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.

When bone loss from excess bone breakdown, combined with low levels of bone rebuilding occur, osteopenia, or ‘thinning’ of the bones occurs, and if this process continues, osteoporosis will be the result. Osteoporosis literally means “porous bones”. This leads to very weak, brittle bones that can easily break with little force. Osteoporosis is officially diagnosed when there is a bone mineral density (BMD) of 2.5 standard deviations below the mean of healthy young individuals.

The scary fact about both osteopenia and osteoporosis is that these bone conditions are usually silent, developing over many years, and going unnoticed, until you experience a bone fracture. With osteoporosis can come major bone breaks, causing problems with healing, mobility, disability, and even life-threatening complications. In the elderly, there is an increased risk of death. About 20 percent of seniors who break a hip are still at high risk of dying within one year.

The most common symptoms of osteoporosis include:

• Fractures, most commonly in the hip, the spine or wrist bones.
• Limited mobility, along with difficulty completing everyday activities.
• Bone pain, which can be both permanent and intense.
• Loss of height or more than one inch.
• Hunched or stooped posture. “Dowager’s hump” which occurs when the vertebrae in the upper back become weaker or develop tiny breaks in the bones.

What Causes Osteopenia and Osteoporosis?

Often, chronic inflammation anywhere in the body can increase the risk of low bone mass. Low bone mass is usually caused by a combination of factors including:

• Being female
• Asian descent or northern European descent; having a small frame or being thin
• Sarcopenia, or low muscle mass
• Celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity (even undetected gluten sensitivity)
• Chronic inflammation in the body leaching minerals from bones, causing osteoporosis
• Sedentary lifestyle with no stress on the bones
• Diet—High sugar, processed foods, alcohol, soda
• Smoking cigarettes
• Too much calcium in diet or from supplements (higher than 500mg/day) which causes an imbalance in the other important minerals needed for bones
• Decrease in estrogen and progesterone in women (hysterectomy, perimenopause, or menopause), low levels of testosterone in men
• Aging
• High thyroid /hyperthyroid condition
• Nutritional deficiencies in vitamin D, vitamin K2, magnesium, phosphorus, boron, and other trace minerals
• Long term use of certain medications
• High chronic stress levels
• Extreme weight loss, severe dieting, malnutrition, poor protein intake

A variety of other health conditions can also lead to osteoporosis due to the inflammation involved, disease process itself, or medications used. These health conditions include:

• Breast, prostate cancer, or other sex-hormone related cancers
• Diabetes, type 1 or 2
• Hyperparathyroidism
• Cushing’s syndrome
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Autoimmune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), lupus, multiple sclerosis, Graves’ disease
• Parkinson’s disease
• Female athlete triad–irregular/absent periods, premature menopause
• AIDS/HIV
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including emphysema
• Chronic kidney disease
• Liver disease, including biliary cirrhosis
• Organ transplants
• Spinal cord injuries

In addition, certain medications taken over a long period of time can also decrease bone density. These medications include:

• Corticosteroids
• Thyroid Supplements
• Hormone Blocking Drugs
• Certain Diabetes Medications
• Proton Pump Inhibitors or Antacids
• Mood Stabilizers Containing Lithium
• Some Blood Thinners
• Loop Diuretics
• Some Anticonvulsant Medicines for Epilepsy
• Antiretroviral Therapies
• Tramadol Pain Reliever

Diagnosing Bone Density

Prevention of bone loss is much easier than trying to reverse bone loss—especially when your bones become so thin and brittle that you are diagnosed with osteoporosis. Early diagnosis and monitoring of your bone health is key, especially if you are at risk of any of the above conditions.

Most physicians use a Bone Mineral Density test (BMD) often with a low-energy x-ray called a DEXA scan. Other tests used to help detect bone density include looking at medical history, urine and blood tests and checking inflammation levels in the body.

Conventional Treatment for Osteoporosis

Conventional medical treatment for osteoporosis usually involves prescription medications. There are a wide variety of medications available that act on your bones, your hormones, or other physiological functions. Doctors will also recommend exercise and taking calcium supplements.

Conventional treatment of osteoporosis is usually treated with a class of drugs called Bisphosphonates. These drugs include Fosamax, Boniva, Actonel, Alendronate, Actonel, Atelvia, Reclast, Zometa and more.

Bisphosphonates work by inhibiting the osteoclasts that tear down old bone tissue for resorption. Since osteoporosis is caused by too much bone resorption, bisphosphonates seem to make sense in the treatment of osteoporosis. Bisphosphonates, however, have been noted to have a significant collection of adverse side effects.

Yes, they do help to reduce some vertebral fractures by an average of about 49%. However, vertebral fractures are not the most dangerous type of fractures. Hip and leg fractures are. These kinds of fractures reduce mobility drastically and even with surgery, recovery can be slow, and there is an increased risk of death due to the fracture, the recovery process, and the lack of mobility.

Unfortunately, bisphosphonates are not very good at reducing hip and leg fractures. A review of the published studies with over 27,000 patients, found that taking alendronate (Fosamax) risedronate (Actonel) or etidronate (Didronel) does not reduce hip fracture risk in people who had not previously suffered a hip fracture. And in the cases of Actonel and Didronel, they did not prevent hip, leg, or vertebral fractures.

Other serious adverse effects of bisphosphonates include esophageal bleeding, stomach or esophageal ulcers, death of the jawbone (osteonecrosis) vomiting, bone pain, nausea, and acid reflux.

Bisphosphonates promote bone density by increasing the minerals in the bone. They do not build bones by promoting the connective tissue growth, which is also necessary for healthy bones. Because they inhibit the dynamic bone remodeling and rebuilding stage of bone growth, the bones themselves become hardened—but very brittle—and more prone to breaking.

Consequently, while bisphosphonates seem to help prevent osteoporotic bone fractures in the early years of treatment, beyond 5 years, femur fracture risk increases.

Natural Treatments for Osteopenia and Osteoporosis

The very most important thing you can do for your bone health is prevention. Bone health is critically dependent on getting the proper nutrients in the diet, effective and healthy ‘stress’ on the bones, and supplementing if necessary.

You can prevent bone loss by knowing your bone density, especially early on, so you can catch bone loss and take steps to prevent it. Frequent screening for bone density, every few years past the age of 40, is crucial to catch this bone disease before it gets too far.

It’s also prudent to check inflammation levels since inflammation is one of the leading contributors to bone loss. You can help lower inflammation in the body by avoiding processed foods, omega 6 vegetable oils, sugar, and grains.

Some inflammatory markers to ask your doctor to check include: hs C-Reactive Protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate, plasma viscosity, fibrinogen, ferritin, and several other acute phase proteins.

Bones need stress to become stronger and to stay strong. You can place healthy stress on your bones by strengthening your muscles–the muscles pull on the bones, which helps make them stronger. Weight resistance is also an excellent way to stress your bones to add density.

Nutrition and Supplements for Stronger Bones

Calcium–While most conventional doctors will direct you to take in more calcium, calcium is usually not the problem. In fact, people in the United States have one of the highest intakes of calcium, through dairy products and calcium supplements, yet, the US also has one of the highest rates of osteoporosis in the world.

In this study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, Harvard researchers evaluated evidence on dairy consumption and health outcomes, including growth and development, cancer risk, bone health, and body weight.

The conclusion was that high consumption of dairy products does not protect against bone fractures in adults and it may increase the risk for fractures, prostate cancer, and endometrial cancer. Evidence does not support an increase in dairy products for calcium.

Magnesium—In terms of bone health, magnesium is often defined as the forgotten mineral. Magnesium and calcium must exist in the proper balance for bones to absorb these minerals. It is known that a magnesium deficiency will contribute to osteoporosis by acting directly on the bone cells and indirectly by impacting on the secretion and the activity of parathyroid hormone (which governs bone health) and by promoting low grade inflammation.

Evaluating Magnesium/Calcium balance seems to be one of the more important assessments in terms of measuring bone density, but it is often overlooked. Optimizing Mg intake might represent an effective and low-cost preventive measure against osteoporosis in individuals with Mg deficiency (which includes about 80% of the population).

Protein–Protein makes up about half the volume of bone and about one-third of its mass. In healthy bones, the bone matrix is undergoing continuous turnover and remodeling, and an adequate supply of amino acids and minerals are needed to support the formation and maintenance of bone across the life span. Older adults tend to eat less protein than younger people, but because they need to feed not only their muscles–but their bones–older adults should be sure to include plenty of high-quality protein in their diets.

Vitamin K2—Vitamin K2, or menaquinone, is an often-overlooked vitamin which serves a very important role in bone density. While vitamin K1 comes mostly from leafy greens, it is a little more difficult to get vitamin K2 from our diets. Vitamin K2 is found primarily in grass fed dairy, sauerkraut, natto–a Japanese dish made from fermented soybeans, and grass-fed butter, meat, liver, and egg yolks.

Vitamin K2 works with vitamin D to help shuttle calcium in the body out of the blood vessels and into the bones and teeth. Vitamin K2 can lower the risk of cardiovascular damage and improve overall heart health, and bone health. According to this 2015 review article, K2 activates a protein that prevents calcium deposits from forming in the walls of blood vessels. Instead, vitamin K-2 promotes healthy bone mineral density by working with osteocalcin, a protein that binds calcium to bones and teeth.

Vitamin D—Vitamin D is a very important part of bone density. Research shows that inadequate vitamin D intakes can lead to bone demineralization. Low vitamin D levels can lead to decreased calcium absorption and ultimately a release of calcium from the bones to maintain circulating calcium concentrations. Continuous bone turnover and resorption can weaken the structure of the bones and increase the risk of fracture through secondary hyperparathyroidism. This can lead to the development of osteomalacia and osteoporosis.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids– Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oils have been shown to decrease markers of inflammation and decrease death due to heart disease. Several studies in animals suggest that fish oil (with high levels of EPA and DHA) supplementation inhibits bone break down. Omega 3’s also helps to increase the amount of calcium absorbed from the diet and enhance the calcium placement in the bones.

Anything that causes inflammation will also activate the osteoclasts, the bone cells that break down old and brittle bone material. Once this happens, the osteoblasts are supposed to move in and start rebuilding new bone. However, when inflammation becomes chronic, it causes the bone-breakdown portion of remodeling to go into overtime. Too much osteoclast activity causes more bone thinning.

Your osteoclasts are only supposed to remove old and brittle or damaged bone. A job they do very efficiently. Then, they’re supposed to clear out and let the bone-building osteoblast cells start the more time-consuming job of rebuilding new bone to replace the bone your osteoclasts have removed.

But when inflammation is chronic, bone osteoclasts go into overtime. Since building new bone takes much longer than breaking down old bone, too much osteoclast activity can result in bone thinning (or osteopenia) and, ultimately, in osteoporosis. That’s where the omega 3 fatty acids come in.

Omega 3 fatty acids tune down the inflammatory signaling that causes the accelerated bone breakdown. So, omega 3 fats slow down bone loss and protect the bones.

Collagen—Collagen is a protein found abundantly in the body. It is used to make up the connective tissue, joints, ligaments, and tendons. Collagen is also what provides structure to the skin to help it look younger. Collagen is by far, one of the major substances in the bones.

As we age, collagen production in the body decreases, along with bone mass. Collagen supplements can inhibit the bone breakdown process that can lead to weakened bones and osteoporosis. Collagen also helps the bones retain their resilience and help prevent the brittleness that can occur with bone mass loss.

In this 1-year study, women took a calcium supplement with 5 grams of collagen or the calcium supplement without collagen. At the end of the study, the women taking the collagen had significantly lower blood levels of proteins that promote bone breakdown than those taking only the calcium supplement. One other study found similar results. The women taking the collagen showed an increase of up to 7% in their bone mineral density compared to those not taking collagen.

Hormones—The sex hormones (for men and women) are also extremely important in regulating the growth of the skeleton and maintaining the mass and strength of bone. The female hormones estrogen and progesterone, as well as testosterone, have positive effects on bone health in men and women. These hormones are essential to bone health because they promote the activity of the osteoblasts, the bone building cells. Many women take bioidentical estrogen and progesterone and testosterone to help keep their bones strong. Men often take testosterone to help with bone loss.

What About Calcium?

Your conventional doctor may tell you to take calcium supplements of 1000-1200 mg a day and nothing else. Unfortunately, studies show that calcium supplementation not only throws off the natural balance needed between magnesium and calcium, but it may also collect on the blood vessel walls, the kidneys and other delicate organs.

There may be a link between excessive calcium intake and heart disease. A study published in the British Medical Journal showed calcium supplements associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction.

A similar controversy surrounds calcium and prostate cancer. Some studies have shown that high calcium intake from dairy products and supplements may increase risk, whereas another more recent study showed no increased risk of prostate cancer associated with total calcium, dietary calcium, or supplemental calcium intakes.

Your best bet is to get calcium from your diet, but you don’t have to load up on dairy foods. In fact, too much dairy can have adverse effects on your health. This well-known study, called Milk and Health, shows the relationship of milk consumption to an increased risk of fracture, obesity, cardiovascular disease, allergies, and various cancers.

Dark leafy greens are one of the best sources of dietary calcium, and they contain a good balancing dose of magnesium, iron, potassium, and manganese. They also provide a good dose of K, C, E and B vitamins. Dark green vegetables also include many powerful phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which protect our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related problems, among many other effects. Dark green leaves, like kale, and chard even contain small amounts of omega-3 fats. Sardines also provide a good dose of healthy calcium and omega 3 fats as well.

Lifestyle Changes for Your Bones

There are many studies showing how well strength training not only builds muscle but it slows bone loss, and some studies even show resistance training can build bone. This can be a big factor in slowing bone loss, especially for women after menopause.

Any activity that puts stress on the bones can promote bone-building cells to go to work. Stress that comes from the muscles and ligaments tugging and pushing on bones during resistance training will result in stronger, denser bones. Weight bearing exercise like running and walking are also helpful in stressing the bones to become stronger.

Weight training targets the bones of the hips, spine and wrists, sites that often are high risk for fractures. And best of all, weight training increases muscle strength, power, and balance which helps promote mobility, stability and reduces the risk of fractures as well.

Key Points for Better Bone Health

• Bone scans early on (age 30-40) can help to establish a baseline for your bone health. Bone scans should be done regularly starting at age 50 to catch any early signs of bone deterioration—before osteoporosis sets in.
• Don’t smoke cigarettes—they decrease bone mass.
• Avoid eating foods that contain gluten. Gluten can be one of the primary causes of bone loss.
• Eat a healthy diet, including lots of bright colored fresh vegetables, healthy proteins, and healthy fats.
• Avoid processed foods, omega 6 fats, sugar, and grains.
• Go easy on dairy products.
• Work on getting more vitamin K2 in your diet from grass fed butter, cheese, natto, meat and egg yolks.
• Review medications that may speed up bone loss with your physician and avoid taking them for long periods of time.
• Reduce inflammation as much as possible.
• Take additional supplements for bone health.
• Get regular weight bearing or weight resistance exercise. Stress your bones!

Remember preserving your bone health can lead to a longer, healthier life with better mobility!

Speaking about preserving our bone health, ever wonder how our own ancestors fared with their bone health.

While we’re on the topic of your bone density and preventing Osteoporosis, did you know there are 5 common foods that can slowly DISSOLVE your bones?

Yes, they’re really that bad – AVOID these foods if you’re over 60.

==> 5 foods to Avoid for Osteoporosis

References
https://arthritis-research.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/ar3325/figures/3
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db405.htm
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12107201/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17308163/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK45504/
https://www.hss.edu/conditions_bisphosphonates-concerns-regarding-risks-and-side-effects.asp
https://www.nbihealth.com/how-conventional-osteoporosis-treatments-fall-short/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4089021/
https://www.endocrine.org/-/media/endocrine/files/patient-engagement/hormones-and-series/hormones_and_your_bones_what_you_need_to_know.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4757905/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/the-big-number-141-million-americans-50-and-older-suffer-osteoporosis/2021/04/09/7ae5f382-9885-11eb-962b-78c1d8228819_story.html
https://www.marksdailyapple.com/skeletal-health/
https://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/guide/osteopenia-early-signs-of-bone-loss
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7pox72DAmY
https://www.webmd.com/diet/foods-high-in-vitamin-k2
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325059#health-benefits
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/calcium-supplements/art-20047097
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/collagen-benefits#benefits
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/estrogen-and-osteoporosis

The post The Truth About Osteoporosis appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

Perimenopause and menopause start in the 40s and continue into the 50’s for most women. Some of the uncomfortable symptoms can last for 10 years or more as hormone levels decline.

The majority of women in the U.S. and Europe and other modern countries experience many of the uncomfortable symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, insomnia and fatigue.

As hormone levels continue to decline, menopausal women are at higher risk of developing serious chronic diseases such as heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes and fatty liver disease.

While hormone therapy is available, many women are not comfortable using it, often because of a fear of health risks. Some women have tried hormone therapy and found they experienced adverse effects from them and stopped using them. And other women just prefer to go it alone and deal with perimenopause and menopause naturally.

Many women turn to diet, lifestyle, natural supplements and other remedies for relief. These are the best options to consider first. The biggest plus about making diet and lifestyle changes is that these things have a positive impact on your overall health as well as helping with hormone balance.

Proper hormonal balance can change your outlook, your health, and the entire trajectory of your life. Hormones most definitely have an effect on us—physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Hormones for women include more than the sex hormones of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Our bodies function optimally with the proper balance of sex hormones, thyroid hormones, leptin, insulin, cortisol, growth hormone, serotonin, melatonin and more.

When any one hormone level goes up or down, it can wreak havoc on all the other hormones. So instead of a symphony of hormones working together, out of whack hormones can become just a cacophony of noise. And that’s when we get a lot of the unpleasant hormonal symptoms.

Hormones can affect almost every function in our body. Hormones play a part in our hunger or satisfaction, how well we sleep, how we react to stress, how we respond to exercise, how we metabolize our food, our sex drive, our moods, our energy levels and how quickly we age. And, hormones have a lot to do with our feelings of self-confidence and overall wellbeing.

Signs that Your Hormones May be Out of Balance (no matter what your age)

• Weight gain—especially around the middle
• Low thyroid symptoms—weight gain, fatigue, depression, hair loss
• Moodiness
• Anxiety and depression
• Endometriosis
• PMS
• Breast tenderness
• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Loss of interest in sex
• Fatigue
• Hot flashes
• Hair loss or hair growth in unusual places
• Blood sugar instability
• Food cravings
• Lack of ambition and drive
• Fluid retention
• Headaches/Migraines

Estrogen and Health Issues

Estrogen is the hormone that makes us ‘female’ and is responsible for our female characteristics such as breast development, menstrual periods, and the tendency to store fat around our hips. Estrogen surges at adolescence and begins its decline in our forties.

Estrogen comes in different forms—estradiol, estrone and estriol. Each of these have different roles in our bodies. Estrogen is produced by the ovaries pre-menopause, produced in large quantities by the placenta during pregnancy, and even after menopause we still produce small amounts of estrone in the adrenals and body fat. The more body fat a woman has, the more estrogen is produced.

Estrogen also has a dark side and too much of it can cause many of the uncomfortable symptoms that women experience in perimenopause and menopause. Estrogen is responsible for causing weight gain, especially in the hips, thighs and breast tissue. Too much estrogen can also raise the risk of breast, ovarian and endometrial cancers.

What is Estrogen Dominance?

Estrogen dominance is a condition that occurs when estrogen levels are too high in relation to progesterone. This can be characterized by symptoms such as:

• Breast tenderness or fibrocystic breasts
• Premenstrual syndrome
• Mood swings
• Decreased sex drive
• Uterine fibroids
• Weight gain

Estrogen dominance also dramatically raises your risk of ovarian cancer and breast cancer. Estrogen dominance can also contribute to depression, headaches, infertility, insomnia, thyroid dysfunction and water retention. Estrogen dominance is present in the majority of women in their 40’s and 50’s.

What Causes Estrogen Dominance?

• Conventional hormone therapy using synthetic estrogen, or contraceptive pills
• Exposure to Xenoestrogens (artificial estrogens in plastics, personal care and our environment)
• Being overweight
• Hysterectomy
• Declining progesterone levels (often begins in the forties)
• Peri-menopause
• Menopause
• Diet and inflammation

As we age, progesterone levels tend to drop fairly quickly after the age of 40 or so. By the time we reach menopause, our progesterone has hit rock bottom, while estrogen is still in a gradual decline. Due to diet and lifestyle factors, most women in American tend to have estrogen levels approximately twice as high as they naturally should be.

Many of the peri-menopause and menopause symptoms we attribute to lack of estrogen are actually from low levels of progesterone.

In fact, at menopause, progesterone decreases to about 1/120th of our premenstrual levels, while estrogen only decreases by about ½. While conventional thinking is that we have too little estrogen by the time we reach menopause, in fact, most women have too much estrogen in relationship to progesterone.

In less industrialized countries such as rural China and Japan, women who eat a primitive diet consisting of large amounts of vegetables, high fiber and wild caught fish, have far lower levels of estrogen. Not surprisingly, women from these cultures do not report difficulties with menopause or peri-menopause.

Fiber in the diet also helps to clear the body of excess estrogen by carrying it out in bowel movements. Circulating estrogen is sent to the liver to be processed, and then sent to the large intestine to be eliminated. If there is not enough fiber in a woman’s diet to carry out the estrogen, estrogen gets reabsorbed. So consequently, a diet high in fiber is helpful to balance out estrogen dominance.

What about Xenoestrogens?

Let’s talk briefly about Xenoestrogens. Xenoestrogens are artificial, chemically-produced estrogens. Xenoestrogens are far more potent and dangerous to our health than natural estrogens. Xenoestrogens compete at the same receptor sites in our bodies as our natural hormones and can easily cause estrogen dominance. In fact, Xenoestrogens are powerful enough to affect even men. Ever seen a man with ‘man boobs’? This is the effect of Xenoestrogens. Xenoestrogens can dramatically increase cancer risk (for men or women) as well as exacerbating estrogen dominance.

Where do Xenoestrogens come from? Unfortunately, they are all around us. Xenoestrogens are in pesticides, herbicides, our food supply, birth control, car and truck exhaust, nail polish, cosmetics, toiletries, shampoos, dry cleaning chemicals, and nearly all plastics. However, you can minimize the effects of Xenoestrogens by being aware of them by eating organic foods, naturally raised meats and using only natural personal care products on your body. You should also minimize your use of plastics and avoid toxins in your environment.

What About Progesterone?

Progesterone is what we call a ‘master hormone’. It is essential as a building block for our other hormones. Even men require small amounts of progesterone as a precursor to testosterone. Progesterone is made by our ovaries. Progesterone for women serves as a balancing hormone to estrogen and offsets the risks of too much estrogen.

When progesterone levels plummet in a woman’s forties, supplemental progesterone can actually help to reduce many of the symptoms of estrogen dominance. But that’s not all, progesterone can have far-reaching benefits for the whole body. Other benefits of progesterone include:

• Reduces ovarian cysts
• Helps prevent uterine cancer, breast cancer, endometrial cancer
• Lessen the chances of ovarian cysts
• Stimulates bone formation
• Helps prevent autoimmune disease
• Improves estrogen receptor sensitivity
• Helps prevent arterial plaque and prevents heart disease and strokes
• Lessens fibrocystic breast issues
• Aids the body in metabolizing fat
• Gets rid of excess stored fluids
• Increases GABA in brain and drastically reduces anxiety
• Antidepressant
• Facilitates deeper, more restful sleep
• Helps balance and normalize thyroid function
• Normalizes and balances blood sugar
• Protects against blood clots
• Helps with weight loss
• Protects the brain from injury after strokes or traumatic brain injuries
• Important for repair of nerves, especially the myelin sheath (MS)

Is it any wonder we have noticeable symptoms when progesterone drops?

The Dance of Hormones

Our bodies also create other hormones including:

• DHEA-made by the adrenal glands, and a precursor to testosterone, estrogen and some progesterone. DHEA peaks at age 25 then declines. We need it to help fight aging.

• Testosterone-made by the ovaries and adrenal glands. Helps burn fat, build muscle, create stronger bones and adds to motivation, energy and a sense of wellbeing

• Cortisol-Made by the adrenals and also from progesterone. Helps us manage stress, maintains blood sugar, and metabolize nutrients. Too much cortisol (usually from stress) can cause weight gain, sleeplessness, other health problems. A progesterone imbalance causes problems with cortisol. Low cortisol also equals poor thyroid function.

Chronic stress can affect many bodily systems and can wreak havoc on hormone balance. Chronic stress can make you feel exhausted and ‘out of gas’ and cause adrenal fatigue. Stress can affect insulin, progesterone, estrogen, testosterone, thyroid, melatonin and cortisol levels. Nothing in the body works as it should with high levels of stress.

Estrogen, Progesterone and Thyroid Hormones

The thyroid hormone regulates metabolism. A low thyroid or hypothyroid can cause you to gain weight, have low energy, hair and nails grow slowly, intolerance to cold, and low immune function. A hyperthyroid causes high metabolism, weight loss, hair loss, sleeplessness, and anxiety.

Women with estrogen dominance and low progesterone often have symptoms of low thyroid—even if thyroid lab work shows up normal. Other issues that interfere with thyroid function include high cortisol levels and gluten intolerance.

Thyroid hormones include T3 and T4. T3 is the active form of thyroid hormone in the body. If your body is not efficient at converting T4 into T3 you can have low thyroid levels, but it may not even show up on a standard thyroid test. Many physicians never check this part of thyroid function, but it is essential. If the thyroid is not functioning optimally, cortisol, estrogen and progesterone may be low as well.

Inflammation and Hormones

Many people have chronic inflammation due to poor diet, too much sugar, food sensitivities, toxins in the environment, high stress, and lack of sleep. Chronic inflammation can show up in many different forms including: Belly fat, chronic pain, accelerated aging, food allergies, blood sugar problems, autoimmunity, IBS and other inflammatory bowel diseases, cardiovascular disease, cancer, skin problems and hormone imbalances—especially thyroid hormones, estrogen and progesterone.

Inflammation levels can be tested by looking at C-Reactive protein (CRP), blood sugar levels (HbA1c), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and plasma viscosity (PV).

However, our hormones are at their highest levels in the mid-twenties and as they decrease, inflammation levels tend to rise. Changing one’s diet to avoid inflammatory foods like sugar, refined flours and processed foods lowers inflammation. In addition, following an elimination diet to eliminate any foods you may be reacting to, will lower inflammation levels as well.

How Do We Get Our Hormones Back into Balance Naturally?

These steps will help you lower inflammation, regain balance in your hormones and lose weight:

1. 1. First, eliminate inflammatory foods along with strategic detoxes that clear excess hormone levels from the body, stop food sensitivities, and clear hormone receptors. A diet that eliminates all grains, dairy, and all processed foods and vegetable oils is a good start. Eat only whole foods, lots of organic veggies and naturally raised meats/fish/poultry, along with healthy fats. Be sure to get lots of fiber which helps eliminate excess estrogens. Avoid sugars of all kinds.
   2. Avoid dangerous hormone-disrupting artificial estrogens in the environment by avoiding commercial home cleaning supplies, pesticides, weed killer, laundry soaps, dry cleaning, toiletries, makeup, shampoos, hair styling products, pesticides and other chemical-based products.
   3. Practice good self-care to lower stress such as meditation, getting good sleep and daily exercise.

Generally, these steps will often make a huge difference in how you feel and help to bring your hormones back into balance. If you still feel ‘off’, as your functional medicine doctor or health practitioner for a saliva hormone test to determine your hormone levels.

Natural Supplements to Ease Hormonal Symptoms

And lastly, some natural hormone supplements are available over the counter without a prescription that are safe and easy to use.

While some of these therapies are backed by clinical research, many others have very little research, and only anecdotal evidence to support their use.

Always talk to your doctor or other healthcare provider before you try any alternative treatment. They can discuss possible dosage, side effects, and interactions with you.

Here are the most common natural supplements for reducing symptoms of menopause:

B vitamins

B vitamins, especially with methylfolate (a usable form of folate), methylcobalamin and other B vitamins help the body with the methylation cycle. The methylation cycle is key in the transfer of the fat-soluble form of folate into the brain, as well as contributing to the formation of important neurotransmitters: epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin, and melatonin. B vitamins are also responsible for energy, brain and nerve function.

When methylation is going well, the process helps repair your DNA, regulates hormones, produces energy, protects against cancer, supports detoxification, keeps your immune system healthy, supports the protective coating along your nerves, strengthens the nervous system and on and on and on.

Methylfolate (the most bioavailable form of folate) is helpful in reducing the length and severity of hot flashes. And B vitamins are great to prevent anxiety, depression and irritability by regulating the brain neurotransmitters responsible for mood regulation.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a powerful hormone of its own. Vitamin D will boost your immune system, help maintain a strong bone structure, and help and with hormone regulation and vaginal dryness. IT’s also known to improve your moods.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Omega 3’s may help lubricate your body and decrease vaginal dryness. Omega 3 fats are also vital to healthy brain function and lowering inflammation. When taken in addition to B vitamins and magnesium, omega 3 supplements improve depression.

Magnesium

Magnesium is an essential mineral that most of use do not get enough of. Women in perimenopause or menopause can definitely benefit from magnesium supplements. Magnesium is known to help sleep by regulating the body’s circadian rhythms, and promoting muscle relaxation. This small study found that 500mg of magnesium daily led to a significant increase in sleep quality, as well as melatonin production.

Adequate magnesium levels may also lessen anxiety and depression, improving brain function, mood regulation and reactions to stress. Magnesium also lowers blood pressure, lowers inflammation, and decreases the risk of heart disease.

Herbal Supplements

Some herbal supplements claim to help manage perimenopause and menopause symptoms. However, it is important to remember that the FDA doesn’t regulate supplements and there is little research on many of them—especially for menopause symptoms.

It’s important to talk to a healthcare provider before adding supplements. Potency of herbal supplements can vary widely, and some products may also interact with over-the-counter and prescription medications.

Black cohosh

Black cohosh is a flowering plant that is often suggested to help with hormonal symptoms. Taking black cohosh may help decrease the frequency or severity of hot flashes.

Dong quai

Dong quai is an herb often used in Chinese medicine. Dong quai works like a phytoestrogen (plant based estrogen) in the body. Phytoestrogens are weaker than normal estrogens and take up the estrogen receptors in the body, helping to lessen the effects of estrogen, and balancing your hormones during menopause. Dong Quai helps to enhance metabolism, improve liver function (which improves the excretion of excess estrogen), aids in the utilization of vitamin E, and has a mild sedative activity.

Maca

Often suggested as a supplement for men, maca works for women as well. Maca works to improve sex drive and sexual function, while helping balance hormone levels.

Valerian Root

Valerian is an herbal tranquilizer and is often used to alleviate anxiety and insomnia—two problems women in perimenopause and menopause report frequently.

Over the Counter Natural Progesterone

Natural progesterone is inexpensive, safe and easy to use. Natural progesterone may help ease the symptoms of estrogen dominance (see list above), help you feel calmer, relieve anxiety and promote sound sleep. Natural progesterone may also help thyroid function, as well as reducing the risk of breast and endometrial cancers. Natural progesterone when used regularly, can balance hormone levels and help eliminate some of the negative symptoms of estrogen dominance.

Natural Hormone Balance

There is a natural way to rebalance your hormones and get your estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and thyroid back into balance. In the process, you will most likely lose weight, sleep better, feel better, eliminate anxiety, and also get rid of many of those unpleasant menopause or peri-menopause symptoms.

Making changes in diet, weight loss, removal of Xenoestrogens and lowering inflammation will help you regain hormone balance—perhaps even better than ever!

And if none of the above things help you, it may be time visit a doctor who specializes in natural hormone replacement therapy and investigate bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

Check out this next story below if you want an innovative new way to lose weight:

> Do THIS 1 hour before bed to pee out stubborn fat in the morning

References
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/magnesium-for-menopause#sources
https://thrivenfunctionalmedicine.com/methylation/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-natural-menopause-tips#TOC_TITLE_HDR_12
https://www.healthline.com/health/menopause/alternatives-to-hrt#herbal-supplements
https://www.drnorthrup.com/traditional-herbs-or-bioidentical-hormones-which-is-better/
https://www.naturalgrocers.com/article/natural-menopause-symptom-relief

The post Natural Solutions for Hormone Balance (for women only) appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

Let’s address a topic that isn’t discussed out in the open that much. Menopause. Most every woman goes through this at some point, so it’s important to consider that this passage is not a disease or dysfunctional health. It’s NORMAL but the symptoms can vary widely, depending on several factors—many under your control.

In fact, at this very moment, one-third of the women in the United States are going through some stage of menopause—whether its peri-menopause, menopause or post menopause. Menopause has a wide range of symptoms and those symptoms affect every woman differently.

Some of the symptoms—hot flashes, insomnia, brain fog and mood changes can be severe enough to make it difficult to get on with normal day to day living, and while many women are (understandably) desperate for relief, traditional hormone replacement therapy can have some negative effects on long-term health. And—also very frustrating—is that only 1 out of 5 OB/GYN’s actually ever study menopause issues in medical school, leaving you in the dark when it comes to getting some relief!

There are many things you can do naturally to help ease the symptoms and your best bet is to work on diet and lifestyle changes first, then look for other natural options such as supplements and bioidentical hormone therapy.

The most common menopause symptoms that are bothersome include:

• Hot flashes, sweating
• Mood swings
• Anxiety and depression
• Vaginal dryness, pain with sex, and decreased sex drive
• Weight gain, especially around the midsection
• Insomnia
• Lethargy and loss of energy
• Dry skin, wrinkles
• Breast changes-larger or smaller
• Higher risk for chronic age-related diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, etc.

Diet, Inflammation and Estrogen

Inflammation can most definitely exacerbate the hormonal symptoms that go along with peri- and menopause—and diet and lifestyle practices can play a huge role in this.

Here is something to consider: Only about 10 percent of women in China, and 20 percent of women in Japan experience hot flashes and the other uncomfortable symptoms of menopause.

Why is that?

While the differences may be due partly to cultural differences, it’s a fact that the majority of Asian women follow very different diet and lifestyle practices than women here in the US, which may be a big part of the reason for the differences in menopause symptoms. Let’s explore some of the reasons for that.

For one thing our Standard American Diet is highly inflammatory. We eat large quantities of meat raised on inflammatory grains, full of pesticides, antibiotics and hormones. Conventional meat is also full of inflammatory omega 6 fats, instead of anti-inflammatory omega 3 fats that are in wild caught fish and grass fed meats. Women on the western side of the globe consume more than twice as much red meat, and four times as much fat (usually in the form of inflammatory omega 6 fats), as women on traditional Asian vegetable, fish and rice based diets.

Most of the meat eaten in this country comes from Concentrated Animal Factory Operations (CAFO’s). The beef, pork and poultry are fed a diet primarily of corn and soy products, creating meat that is high in inflammatory omega 6 fats.

In addition, the feed operations that supply food to our livestock are full of pesticides, and usually genetically modified. Cattle, chicken and pork are given hormones and antibiotics to unnaturally speed up growth. And cows raised for dairy products are pumped full of hormones to create perpetually pregnant or lactating cows.

All of this not only creates higher levels of inflammation in our bodies, but the growth hormone and antibiotics in conventional meat also makes our own hormone go haywire—and that especially affects women in menopause.

Could it Be the Fiber?

Contrast the standard American diet with Asian women eating a traditional diet heavy in vegetables, rice and fish and you will find that only about 10-20% of the Asian women reported menopause symptoms—compared to 80% of American women. As the traditional Asian diet gets replaced with a more Westernized diet heavy in CAFO and processed meats, starchy, sugary foods and processed grain/seed oils, you will find that the incidence of menopause symptoms goes up.

Research is showing that women who eat a high-fat/ low-fiber diet experience higher estrogen levels at all points in their lives. Consequently, as the ovaries slow the production of estrogen, the women on the high fat/low fiber diets have the most dramatic drop in estrogen. Because Asian women eat diets that are far lower in fats and higher in fiber, over the course of their lives, they tend to carry lower amounts of estrogen as well, and they seem to have far less symptoms of estrogen withdrawal because of this.

More evidence of the diet and hormone link comes from a study from the University of California who interviewed Greek and Mayan women about their experiences going through menopause. About three-quarters of the Greek women had hot flashes, but they were considered minor, normal events and did not cause the women to seek medical treatment.

The Mayan women did not even have a word for hot flashes, as they did not normally occur. The Mayan diet of the women in the study consisted of corn, beans, tomatoes, squash, sweet potatoes and a variety of other vegetables, with very little meat or dairy products. In other words, very high in fiber.

The Greek women’s diet contained plenty of vegetables, but also lots of fish, meat and dairy. The difference between Americans and Greeks and other Europeans for whom hot flashes are common, and the Mayans and Asian women on the other hand, for whom hot flashes are rare or unknown, appears to be diet-related. The study’s conclusion was that the higher fiber diets contributed to fewer menopausal symptoms.

What does fiber have to do with estrogen?

Fiber helps regulate and balance estrogen. In one study, researchers found that among 250 women ages 18 to 44, those who reported eating the most fiber had the lowest blood levels of estrogen and other reproductive hormones.

High-fiber diets, they explain, decrease activity in certain intestinal enzymes, leading to less estrogen re-absorption in the colon. Fiber actually causes more estrogen to be excreted from the body in feces. This is a good thing, health-wise. It helps prevent the problems of estrogen dominance which can be detrimental to health.

A low fiber diet actually allows for more re-absorption of estrogen through the digestive system, which is then re-released into the bloodstream. Higher levels of estrogen worsen menopause and peri-menopause symptoms, increase risks of fibroid tumors, but also contribute to higher risks of breast, ovarian and uterine cancers. Higher levels of estrogen also contribute greatly to weight gain.

By contrast, a diet high in processed starches, sugars and unhealthy fats is very low in fiber, AND it also causes weight gain, obesity and inflammation. The more weight gained, the higher the levels of inflammation in the body. It’s a vicious cycle.

Women who consume higher amounts of processed vegetable oils, high sugar/starch diets have the highest levels of inflammatory biomarkers, body weight (BMI) and menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, muscle and joint issues and bladder problems. Women on this type of diet also report far more negative symptoms in the perimenopausal period as well.

Excess fat also produces estrogen, especially as the ovaries slow down during menopause. Higher levels of estrogen indicates a higher than normal risk for postmenopausal breast cancer, according to the Nurses Health Study.

As the drops in estrogen become more dramatic during peri-menopause and menopause, the negative symptoms of menopause become more and more noticeable.

However, this study from Tehran University of Medical Sciences on women, menopause and diet showed that the women who consumed the highest levels of vegetables had the lowest reported menopause symptoms and also lower BMI.

And in one of the biggest studies on diet and menopause, this one-year intervention study of over 17,000 menopausal women, showed that the women who consumed the most vegetables, fruit, fiber and soy experienced an average of 20% reduction in hot flashes compared to the control group. This reduction in hot flahses was attributed to the healthier diet, high levels of antioxidants, plentiful fiber, and weight loss.

In addition to eating more vegetables and (small amounts of) fruit, it is important to include a particular type of vegetables, especially. Cruciferous vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, kale, brussels sprouts, arugula, kohlrabi and cabbage.

One study on cruciferous vegetables showed that increased intake was linked to lower levels of estrone (a more harmful type of estrogen). And this study, it was showed that an increased consumption in the brassica type of vegetables (cruciferous) changed estrogen hormone metabolites to significantly lower the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women.

Grain, Inflammation Hormones and Weight Gain

Grain of all kinds—whether ‘whole-grain’ or ground into a processed flour and made into breads, pastas, crackers, pizza crust, etc. is highly inflammatory and high-glycemic as well, meaning it raises blood sugar. In other words, any type of grain will raise blood sugar.

Foods that spike blood sugar are not only physically addictive, but they increase inflammation in the body. Grains also do more than raise blood sugar; they also raise insulin levels, cause problems with thyroid hormones, and interfere with optimal levels of leptin (a hunger/satiety hormone), causing people to overeat.

In addition, menopause itself is somewhat inflammatory, and can be a cause of low-level inflammation and elevated CRP, a primary inflammatory marker that is connected to heart disease and other chronic health issues.

An inflammatory diet that includes grain can make this risk even worse. A high-glycemic diet is also associated with oxidative stress in pre-and post-menopausal women. This study of over 117,000 men and women aged forty to seventy found that higher carbohydrate intake (mainly from white rice and refined wheat products) and dietary glycemic load were associated with an increased risk of heart disease in both women and men.

Grains also contain potentially harmful anti-nutrients, along with gluten, a protein in wheat that causes inflammation and autoimmune reactions. These include agglutinins, which is a type of lectin that is associated with leaky gut, inflammation and overgrowth of bad gut bacteria; phytates, which also cause leaky gut, and block absorption of calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc; and digestive enzyme inhibitors which contribute to undigested proteins leaking into the blood and overstimulating the immune system.

And–there’s the gluten issue. Gluten is just one of the proteins in wheat that can cause a variety of symptoms including bloating, nausea, diarrhea, and gut inflammation. Even if you are not having a strong reaction to gluten, it can still be triggering reactions and inflammation. Gluten’s ability to create inflammation, weight gain, digestive issues, and mess with hormone levels should not be overlooked.

While many doctors can test for gluten sensitivity, it may not show up—depending on the test. Standard blood tests for gluten sensitivity only have about 15-20% percent accuracy rate. Gluten has to have significantly destroyed the gut wall for the blood testing to be actually be effective. And in many people, gluten damages other tissues in the body.

Current tests only screen for one component of wheat, alpha gliadin. Yet people can react to at least 12 different portions of the wheat protein. What does this have to do with menopause? It seems during perimenopause and menopause, hormone changes, inflammation and long term sensitivity to certain proteins such as gluten, can suddenly rear its head, so on top of the classic symptoms of menopause can come digestive issues, bloating, weight gain, and diarrhea as well.

All this can cause menopause symptoms to drastically intensify, in addition to being linked to an increased risk of osteoporosis, thyroid disease, anemia, and even diabetes. And it’s not just the gluten in wheat that can be a problem, rye, barley and sometimes oats can cause similar reactions. Corn, and even rice can also have a cross-reactivity reaction as well, so truthfully, you are better off avoiding all grains—even the whole grain ones.

It’s a fact that women with un-diagnosed celiac disease and those who are diagnosed celiac or gluten sensitive but don’t follow a strict gluten free diet, will have a much harder time going through perimenopause and menopause. Women who have gluten sensitivity or celiac disease can also enter menopause earlier, have higher than normal occurrence of osteoporosis, and other serious health issues.

While giving up your bread, pasta, pizzas, crackers, and other baked goods may seem like a huge sacrifice, the rewards of your health, well-being, hormone balance and even weight loss should make it all worthwhile. And fortunately, there are some great grain substitutes available now like tortillas made from coconut flour or almond flour, noodles and pasta made from black beans, breads made from almond flour or garbanzo beans and even pizza crust made from cauliflower.

Diet for Easier Menopause

So, what’s the bottom line for a diet to help with menopause symptoms?

1. Keep the fiber high

Eat plenty of organic vegetables and a couple servings of fruit. Try to get in a pound of veggies a day, which isn’t too hard if you throw some greens in with your eggs or smoothie in the morning, eat a big salad for lunch and have a dinner with healthy proteins and a big serving of veggies. This will help fill you up with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and other phytochemicals—all of which help ease menopause, lower inflammation and help you feel full. Fiber helps to gently lower estrogen levels in the body, and eases the symptoms. This helps with weight loss too! Be sure to include plenty of cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, arugula, etc. And add in some non-GMO, fermented soy such as tempeh or miso to help further balance hormone levels.

2. Avoid sugars and grains completely—especially from processed foods

Keeping your blood sugar stable helps to balance hormones, calm your nerves, give you more energy, and stop the blood sugar ups and downs which sap your energy. Lower glycemic foods and lower blood sugar levels help you continue to burn fat for energy, keep insulin levels lower which helps fight cancer, helps you lose weight and helps to lower levels of unhealthy estrogens.

Lower blood sugar also goes a long way towards lowering inflammation levels which in turn drastically reduce heart attack, diabetes and cancer risks. Avoiding grains also help your body to better absorb nutrients from foods. You will get all the fiber you need from vegetables. Many studies find that the glycemic load of a postmenopausal woman’s diet is a strong predictor of her fat mass. Keep in mind glycemic load basically means carbohydrates and sugars.

3. Eat healthy proteins, naturally raised

Be sure to get in 50-100 grams of protein per day from natural sources. Natural sources include grass fed meats which are high in omega 3 fats, lower in omega 6 fats and high in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) which fights cancer, protects the heart and burns fat better. Other natural proteins are pasture raised eggs, also high in omega 3 fatty acids and other valuable nutrients, pastured chicken, and wild caught fish.

Avoid as much as possible any animal products from conventionally raised animals, including dairy, as these foods all contain harmful disrupting hormones, antibiotics, pesticides and unhealthy fats.

What really does seem to work best for menopause is the classic paleolithic diet: naturally raised meats and protein, fruit, nuts, vegetables, eggs, berries, and fish. AVOID grains, most legumes, sugars, dairy, potatoes, and added salt.

Over 24 months, menopausal women on a paleo diet lost more fat, more waist circumference, and lowered their levels of dangerous triglycerides than those on a standard so-called “healthy” diet.

While it may be difficult to stick at first, getting your diet in line, along with a few lifestyle changes like making sure you add in small amounts of exercise daily (outdoors if possible), avoiding smoking, drinking one drink or less per day, and cutting back on caffeine will go a long ways towards easing menopause symptoms. You can take back your life, regain control over your hormones—and your health, lose weight, and start feeling awesome. The next chapter in your life is about to begin!

Check out this next story below if you want an innovative new way to lose weight:

> Do THIS 1 hour before bed to pee out stubborn fat in the morning

References
https://www.marksdailyapple.com/diet-for-menopause/
https://www.verywellhealth.com/can-celiac-disease-cause-early-menopause-562633
http://drflannery.com/why-your-negative-gluten-test-may-have-been-wrong/
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-menopause-diet/diet-rich-in-fruits-and-vegetables-tied-to-fewer-menopause-symptoms-idUSKCN1NP2DW
https://www.pcrm.org/news/exam-room-podcast/how-food-affects-menopause
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-fiber-ovulation/high-fiber-intake-may-interfere-with-ovulation-idUSTRE5A23KC20091103
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/menopause-diet#menopause
Gottfried, S., 2016. The Hormone Reset Diet, Harper and Collins, New York, NY.

The post Stop Hot Flashes in Their Tracks and Ease Menopause Symptoms—Naturally! appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.