4 reasons why soy is a wonder food during menopause 

This one food can keep post-menopause discomforts in check.

Your diet post menopause impacts your health and well-being. With the hormonal changes, you can t be ignorant about what your diet. In fact, choosing the right foods can help you fight the discomforts post menopause hot flashes, the risk of heart disease, weak bones, etc. One food that can help you a good deal to fight the symptoms of menopause, as well as post-menopausal discomforts, is soy. Here are 11 symptoms of menopause that you need to watch out for.

Here is how soy helps

It reduces discomforts of hot flashes: Decrease in estrogen levels post-menopause leads to this uncomfortable symptom. However, eating soy in one form or the other soy milk, tofu or nuggets in curries, can help. Soy is rich in phytoestrogen, a plant-based estrogen-like compound that can mimic the function of the hormone. The phytoestrogen in soy binds with estrogen receptors to work and elevates estrogen levels. However, that cannot replicate the levels of natural estrogen in the body but it can still help to some extent. To be on a safer side, have the natural form of soy more than having it in supplement form. Here are 10 natural ways to deal with hot flashes.

It protects from heart diseases: Soy is also a rich source of protein and helps reduce LDL or bad cholesterol. It is also a great source of essential fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acid, linoleic acid, omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid that keep the arteries healthy and prevent plaque deposition. The isoflavones content provides protection against atherosclerosis too. Here are 10 ways to keep your heart healthy.

It can prevent the onset of breast cancer: If you have been consuming soy throughout your life, congratulations. Increasing your soy intake after menopause just to safeguard yourself from the risk of breast cancer might not help. You should include it in your diet irrespective of age. In fact, soy can reduce the risk of having a relapse of breast cancer by 25 percent but consumption while being treated for breast cancer isn t advisable. Here are 11 things that you never suspected could put you at risk of breast cancer.

It makes bones stronger: Estrogen plays a role in maintaining bone density in women. So the chances are that your brittle bones can get stronger with soy intake, due to its phytoestrogen content. However, there aren t many studies that conclude a strong link between intake of soy and better bone health. So, even if soy can help you in more ways to get fit, don t forget to take your calcium supplements to keep your bones stronger.

Image source: shutterstock

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References:

1, Messina M. Soy foods, isoflavones, and the health of postmenopausal women. AmJ Clin Nutr. 2014 Jul;100 Suppl 1:423S-30S. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.113.071464. Epub2014 Jun 4. PubMed PMID: 24898224.

2. North American Menopause Society. The role of soy isoflavones in menopausal health: report of The North American Menopause Society/Wulf H. Utian Translational Science Symposium in Chicago, IL (October 2010). Menopause. 2011Jul;18(7):732-53. doi: 10.1097/gme.0b013e31821fc8e0. PubMed PMID: 21685820.