Early Menopause

As I wrote in my blog back in early November, there are several spices that are particularly beneficial for women in early menopause or premenopause. These spices—namely ginger and cinnamon—can help to ease perimenopause symptoms. Not to mention, they taste fabulous!

The best way I know to stay in delicious hormonal balance is to incorporate these spices into your life. And what could be a tastier way to enjoy these spices than gingerbread!

Nothing says "Happy Holidays" to me quite like the smell of gingerbread baking. So, my gift to you this season, is a healthy version of my mother’s amazing gingerbread.

You can find this recipe and others like it (including several for women suffering from menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats) in Hormone Revolution.

Gingerbread
Serves 9

½ cup canola oil
½ cup erythritol
1 egg
½ cup light molasses
1 ½ cups Pamela’s wheat-free baking mix
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup boiling water

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Cream oil and erythritol for 30-45 seconds.
3. Add egg and molasses and beat thoroughly.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together baking mix, salt, baking soda, ginger, and cinnamon.
5. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture, alternating with boil water, until well blended.
6. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 8x8 pan and bake for 40 minutes, or until toothpick, comes out clean.
7. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Growing up, my mother used to constantly remind me that “birds of a feather flock together.” Considering my group of friends, this was a good thing. I had (and still have) great friends in grade school, high school, college, and beyond…people I was proud to be associated with.

As it turns out, there is something to this “birds of a feather” theory. A study published last week in the British Medical Journal found that the people you surround yourself with can have a direct and profound effect on your happiness. According to researchers James Fowler and Nicholas Christakis, “People’s happiness depends on the happiness of others with whom they are connected.”

After mapping the social interactions of nearly 5,000 people aged 21 to 70, discovered that when someone expresses happiness, their friend experiences a 25 percent increased chance of catching the happiness bug. And that friend’s friend has a 9.8 percent chance of becoming happy. And even the friend of that second friend as a 5.6 percent chance of getting the happiness virus.

Pretty cool, right? But what, you may be asking, does this have to do with hormone health? I mean, how on earth can giggling help hot flashes or night sweats? The answer is that it actually can.

As Dr. Lark and I wrote in Hormone Revolution, there is a very large and very real connection between hormone health and positive emotions. Thousands of studies have shown that what you do with your mind and emotions has a powerful effect on your health. One study in particular has always resonated with me.

Researchers looked at the longevity of a group of Catholic nuns from Milwaukee. The sisters ate, lived, slept together for years. They had the same daily routine, taught in the same school, had the same financial situation, received the same medical care, etc. Given this unique set of circumstances, researchers decided to evaluate the connection between happiness and longevity.

They looked at writings the sisters did prior to taking their vows. They divided the writings and their respective authors into different classifications based on the levels of joy and satisfaction expressed in the letters. They found that 90 percent of those sisters whose writings fell into the “most happy” category were still alive at age 85 or older. Conversely, just 34 percent of those sisters who writings fell into the “least happy” category lived to be 85.

In the past, Dr. Lark has written about positive thinking and emotions helping women deal with menopause symptoms and ease the discomfort of many perimenopause symptoms, including fibroids and endometriosis. I can tell you firsthand that nothing eases cramps and PMS symptoms like my favorite comedy and a good laugh. And I have many, many friends that have brushed off concerns of early menopause with a self-deprecating joke or two. Come to think of it, there isn’t much that good friends and a good laugh can’t make better.

Clearly there is something to this happiness thing. Not only does happiness translate to a longer life span, but it seems to be viral, infecting those around you and those around them. It’s like an emotional flu!

Now that’s one virus I’d be glad to catch…and pass on.

I can’t believe it is December already! It seems like we went from the fourth of July directly to Thanksgiving and no pause in between.

Once Thanksgiving hits, I tend to be a rollercoaster of work, family, and event obligations…all of which lead to stress, late hours, and, often, no thought to what I’m eating, let alone eating for my hormone type.

So, this year, I decided to make it easy on myself. I came up with three easy breakfasts that I could grab-and-go. I also made a standing grocery list so I could be sure I always had easy, yet healthy, foods on hand.

And to make it easier for you too this holiday season, I’ve listed the breakfasts that work for me, and anyone else that is estrogen dominant, in early menopause or premenopause, or those suffering from perimenopause symptoms. I’ve also included three simple breakfast options for those of you who are estrogen deficient and may be suffering from menopause symptoms such as hot flashes or night sweats.

Easy Breakfast Options (Estrogen Dominant/Premenopause)

• Plain soy or coconut milk yogurt with fresh berries and two tablespoons flaxsee
• A hard-boiled, organic egg with a cup of pineapple
• A high-protein, high-fiber snack bar (Ruth’s Maca bar or Zoe’s Peanut Butter bar)

Easy Breakfast Options (Estrogen Deficient/Menopause)

• Whole-grain oatmeal with mango and two tablespoons of flaxseed
• Wheat-free flaxseed bread (Glutino brand) with almond butter and a cup of papaya
• Wheat-free granola with soy milk and banana

Must-Have Grocery List

To make the holidays even easier, print out the following grocery list and take it to the store with you. Keeping these staples on hand make meals (and your hormone health) a breeze…no matter what your hormone type!

Time and again, Dr. Lark has recommended that women of all hormone types limit, if not avoid, wheat and wheat-based products. I personally subscribed to this advice several years ago and I can tell you first-hand that I believe it has played a large role in balancing my hormones.

Wheat is one of the two most common food allergens, and the gluten found in wheat can trigger a very serious condition known as celiac disease. Those afflicted with the disorder are plagued by diarrhea, gas, vomiting, and anemia, and are at higher risk for more serious conditions, including osteoporosis and gastrointestinal cancer.

Clearly celiac is the very extreme of wheat-related issues, but if you are concerned about your hormonal health, you would be wise to steer clear of wheat. Women suffering from menopause symptoms are often at risk for wheat-related mood shifts, due in part to their growing inability to produce enough enzymes that are needed to digest wheat properly and easily.

And for those of you who are in estrogen dominance or are experiencing early menopause or premenopause, wheat should also been taken off your list. Wheat can worsen PMS symptoms and aggravate all perimenopause symptoms, including heavy menstrual bleeding and irregular menstrual cycles. Plus, studies have shown that an astounding 80 to 93 percent of women suffering from migraines also suffer from food allergies that trigger their headaches, and wheat is one of the most common allergens that affects migraineurs.

What to Eat

Believe me, I know the idea of giving up wheat can be daunting, but remember, it is an ingredient, not an entire food group. That means you can still have bread, pasta, pizza, pancakes, crackers, cookies, etc.—you just need to know what kind to buy. Thankfully, you have this blog to guide you!

For bread, I highly recommend Glutino’s Flaxseed bread. In fact, it’s the only pre-sliced bread I recommend. It is amazing toasted or dipped in an egg and cinnamon mixture and grilled. Top with sautéed apples and you are in for a treat!

For an easy, amazing flour and pancake mix, Pamela’s Products is the way to go. They also have bread, brownie, and cake mixes that you can’t beat. I’ve even swayed my family onto these mixes and they don’t even try to eat wheat-free…the mixes are just that good!

For pizza, you can buy Amy’s rice crust frozen pizza or pick up a bag of Namaste Foods’ pizza crust mix. It is easy and delicious!

For pasta, you can’t go wrong with Bionaturae pastas. My husband ate these pastas for nearly six months before he knew they were wheat-free.

For cookies, there are a large number of wheat-free brands. My personal favorites are Pamela’s Oatmeal Raisin, Paul Newman’s wheat-free, dairy-free Fig Newmans (yes, I spelled that right!), and Jennie’s Chocolate Macaroons.

Most of the brands I’ve mentioned are available at Whole Foods Markets. To locate a store near you, log on to www.wholefoods.com. If there isn’t one in your area, you can still purchase products from the store by visiting www.gaiam.com, clicking on “shop,” then on “health,” and finally on “Whole Foods Market.” You can also visit my Web site at www.decadenthealth.com for a list of wheat-free substitutions and recipes.

And to give you a little taste of how easy and delicious wheat-free can be, here’s a great granola recipe from my grandmother that I’ve tweaked over the years. Enjoy!

Grandma Ginny's Granola

4 cups oatmeal

2 cups soy flour

1 cup almonds, sliced

1 cup sunflower seeds, raw

1 cup coconut, unsweetened

1 cup flaxseed, ground

1/2 cup dried mango

2/3 cup olive oil

2/3 cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease 13x9-inch baking dish.
3. Combine oats, flour, almonds, sunflower seed, coconut, flaxseed, and mango in a large bowl. Set aside.
4. Combine oil, honey, and vanilla in a small bowl. Pour over oat mixture and blend well.
5. Pour mixture into baking dish and bake for 40–45 minutes or until browned. Stir mixture every 10–15 minutes.           
6. Cool on baking rack. Can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

As Dr. Lark and I wrote in Hormone Revolution, women with varying hormonal types need to eat very different categories of foods. For example, a woman with menopause symptoms or someone looking for menopause relief (an estrogen deficient-fast processor) would want to steer toward foods with a higher pH and avoid foods that are spicy or acidic.

Conversely, a woman who is in early menopause or premenopause and may be experiencing perimenopause symptoms (estrogen dominant or an estrogen deficient-slow processor) would aim for the exact opposite. She would want to choose foods that are more acidic, spicier, and those high in fiber.

An easy way to work beneficial foods into your specific hormonal program is to start with profile-appropriate spices. Here are three spices that are perfect for each hormonal type and a variety of ways to incorporate those spices into your diet.

Spices to Relieve Menopause Symptoms

Basil: Use basil in your scrambled eggs in the morning, mixed into a salad at lunch or dinner, or layered with eggplant and goat cheese as a delicious side dish.

Peppermint: Mint adds a surprising flavor to quinoa. Mix with dried apples and serve warm. Also makes a perfect after dinner tea.

Herbes de Provence:  This delightful blend of rosemary, basil, marjoram, bay leaf, thyme, and lavender is the perfect mixture for topping chicken or fish. I also like to add it to pureed cauliflower for a quick and easy side dish. If you are really adventurous, try it over a roasted pear for a savory dessert. Yum!

Spices for Estrogen Dominance and Premenopause/Early Menopause

Ginger: Mix ginger into your wheat-free pancake batter for a little kick in the morning. Top with sautéed apples and you are set for the day. Another easy trick is to add sauté shallots and sliced ginger in a little olive oil and serve over chicken.

Turmeric (curry): One of my husband’s favorite sauces is made with two teaspoons of curry paste, a 14-ounce can of coconut milk, ½ a cup of chopped onions and one tablespoon of tamari sauce. Bring to a boil and serve over any mild white fish.

Cinnamon: You can go wild with cinnamon at any meal. Add to oatmeal or a smoothie in the morning. Mix with balsamic vinegar and olive oil for an easy salad dressing. Mix into quinoa or rice and dried fruit for an easy side dish. Or sprinkle on an apple, pear, or even berries for an easy, yet delicious dessert.

During the Today Show’s 9:00 hour, they have a segment on the five health habits to skip. They included: eating breakfast every day, doing a monthly breast exam, taking a daily multivitamin, staying inside when it’s cold out, and not eating after 7:00 pm. While some have value (the staying inside and not eating after 7:00 pm), two are completely irresponsible—telling women that they don’t have to do a monthly breast exam and that they can skip their multinutrient.

I was so floored my toothbrush literally fell out of my mouth. No monthly breast exam? The expert explained that research has indicated that by the time a woman feels a lump in her breast, it is already pretty advanced. Instead, she should opt for yearly mammograms. Also, they indicated that self-exams often have a high rate of false positives, and that women who did them had double the rate of biopsies as women who did not. And the vast majority of those lumps ended up being benign.

Okay, now I get it. Once again, big medicine is telling us to “pay” for prevention rather than showing us free or inexpensive ways to prevent disease on our own. Most interesting is the fact that everything they have said about self-exams is true for mammography!

As Dr. Lark wrote back in August 2002, there are several inherent risks with mammograms. According to a 2000 study from the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, “the cumulative risk of having false positive mammograms is quite significant in many women.” On the flip side, a research article that appeared in the June 27, 2002 issue of The New York Times reported that mammograms don’t detect breast cancer in 30 to 40 percent of women who have the disease. But most telling is a 2000 study from the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, which found that in women between the ages of 50 and 59, mammograms were no more effective in reducing death from breast cancer than self-exams!

So, sorry Today Show, you are very wrong on this one. All women, especially those in early menopause or premenopause, and those women experiencing perimenopause symptoms should absolutely continue to perform monthly breast self-exams. All three of these scenarios are closely tied to excess estrogen, which is a risk factor for breast cancer.

Also, to advise people who “eat a healthy diet” to not take their multivitamins is downright absurd. First of all, how many people can agree on what is a healthy diet? This has been an ongoing debate for decades! Just look at the diet industry!

But even if we can all agree that a healthy diet includes at least five servings of vegetables, four servings of fruit, and four to six servings of whole grains, how many people are really, truly eating this way? According the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School for Public Health, only 11 percent of Americans are eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. That’s one out of every 10 people eating a healthy diet.

And even if you are in that 11 percent, what’s the likelihood you are eating mostly vegetables and mostly organic? I’d wager that the number would start to shrink down to the lower single digits. Plus, the people claiming that you can get all the nutrients you need from the food you eat are delusional. Sure, about 20,000 years ago, the diet of our Neanderthal ancestors supplied all of their major minerals, and the vast majority of their trace minerals. Even in my great-grandparents and grandparents time, farmers used practices that returned minerals and other nutrients back into the soil, such as crop rotation, mulching, and relying on manure as fertilizer. But today’s conventional and large-scale farming practices are not what they used to be.

Now we are finding phosphates and nitrates in the soil, thanks to the widely used conventional NPK fertilizers, which has been shown to deplete the soil of its mineral content. The result has been far fewer micronutrients, especially the minerals selenium, iron, and zinc. So, even if you are eating your fruits and veggies, they are likely not providing you with the nutritional foundation you need for optimal health.

My advice? Watch the Today Show for their take on the news and the latest celebrity gossip, but leave the health and nutrition advice to those less swayed by advertising dollars. And take your multivitamin every day. Your body will thank you.

Ah, the humble flaxseed. Who knew that such a small seed could have such a profound impact on your hormonal health?

As Dr. Lark and I wrote in Hormone Revolution, flaxseed helps women at every stage of hormonal development. For women in the throes of estrogen dominance, premenopause, early menopause, and even perimenopause, flaxseed helps to increase progesterone production while simultaneously flushing excess estrogen from your system. This keeps perimenopause symptoms such as heavy menstrual bleeding at bay.

For women suffering from signs of menopause like dry skin or a flaky scalp, flaxseed helps to keep skin and tissues soft and supple. Plus, it helps to lubricate those creaky joints that seem to show up out of nowhere.

Given all the amazing things that flaxseed can do for women of all ages, the question remains: How do I manage to get the four to six tablespoons a day I need for optimum hormonal health? The answer is deliciously easy.

I find that breakfast is a great time to get flaxseed. I’ve included my three favorite breakfast ideas for you, as well as an easy lunch and dessert option.

1. Add four tablespoons to a smoothie. My favorite is to take half a banana, 1 cup of berries, 1 cup almond milk, 1 cup fresh spinach, a handful of ice, and your flaxseed. Blend until smooth and drink immediately. The fruit “hides” the spinach, yet you are still getting 2+ servings of fruits and veggies!
2. Add four tablespoons to oatmeal. I like to “steam microwave” half an apple (diced) and add to a cup of cooked oatmeal. Sprinkle on some cinnamon and your flax and you have a hot meal that just sings of autumn.
3. Add four tablespoons to scrambled eggs. Yes, to eggs. You’ll have to trust me on this way. It is delicious! Scramble two eggs and add a little goat cheese and dill. Add the flax and mix well. It adds a nutty taste that goes beautifully with the goat cheese and dill.
4. Add two to three tablespoons to your salad. Start with mixed greens of your choice. Add chopped veggies (I like cucumbers, celery, carrots, and mushrooms). Top with four ounces of chicken or salmon and sprinkle on the flax. Dress with two tablespoons of olive oil and one tablespoon of tamari sauce (a wheat-free soy sauce). Presto! A delicious, Asian-inspired salad you’re sure to love.
5. Sprinkle two tablespoons into plain soy yogurt. Add a dropperful of chocolate raspberry liquid stevia to the yogurt, a handful of raspberries, and top with the flax. It’s reminiscent of a sundae…without the unwanted sugar and excess calories.

I thought I had seen it all until I opened one of my monthly health magazines and there it was…an ad touting the “safety” of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). In a health magazine! Then, about three weeks later, I started seeing ads on TV also claiming that HFCS as “as safe as sugar.”

Are you kidding me? I’ve seen lobbies do and say some pretty remarkable things, but this takes the proverbial, HFCS-laden cake. And, to top it off, the Corn Refiners Association has launched a Web site called www.hfcsfacts.com. (Facts is their word, not mine.) Considering the fact that HFCS constitutes about 55 percent of the sweetener market, the Corn Refiners have a financial interest in keeping their product on the market. Even if doing so is dangerous to your health.

On their site, they claim that HFCS is nutritionally the same as honey. To say this is false is a gross understatement. Honey has many immune-boosting properties. HFCS, on the other hand, depresses immune response. The same site also claims that HFCS is equal in sweetness to table sugar. Also not true. HFCS is ranges from 120–160 on the relative sweetness scale. Table sugar (sucrose) measures in at 100. Even the name itself—HIGH fructose corn syrup tips you off that it will be sweeter than even fructose (which measures in at 140), let alone table sugar.

But this is just the beginning. Studies have shown that HFCS isn’t even metabolized like regular, naturally occurring sugars. HFCS is metabolized in the liver. From there, it is converted into triglycerides, those nasty fats that circulate through the blood. And elevated triglycerides are connected to a whole host of diseases, including heart disease and decreasing “good” HDL cholesterol.

Plus, chronic consumption of HFCS (and other sugars, including table sugar and fructose) kicks off a chain of hormonal imbalances, leading to weight gain and increased risk for diabetes. There is also research to indicate that HFCS may be a root cause of metabolic syndrome, leading a group of Canadian researchers to issue an “urgent need” for more stringent efforts to curb the addition of HCFS to foods and beverages.

On the hormone side, HFCS (and all refined sugars) plays absolute havoc with your system. With chronic use, it can overtax your adrenals, thereby either shutting down hormone production or causing your hormones to go haywire. Plus, a whole host of menopause symptoms, including hot flashes and night sweats, are worsened by excess sugar.

Even premenopause, early menopause, and perimenopause symptoms are severely affected by HFCS and other refined sugar. It worsens these estrogen-dominance conditions and their resultant issues like fibroids, endometriosis, and ovarian cysts. It also worsens PCOS and has been shown to be linked to fertility issues.

The long and short of it is this: Ignore the lobbyists' spin. Avoid HFCS like the plague. This means reading labels on all pre-packaged foods. One safe bet is choosing organic package foods (including ketchup!), as I have never seen HFCS in an organic product.

If you are craving something sweet to drink, try one of Sweet Leaf’s flavored liquid stevias. They have delicious flavors like root beer, orange, apricot, and vanilla cream. I just add a dropperful to a glass of natural mineral water and presto, natural soda! Best of all, I know that I am keeping my taste buds happy while keeping my body healthy.

Perimenopause (otherwise known as early menopause or premenopause) is the name given to the seven to 10 years preceding menopause. Here is a checklist to help you determine if you are in this stage of life. If you answer yes to two or more of these questions, you may be in early menopause.

• Do you have heavy, irregular periods?
• Are you retaining fluids?
• Have you gained more than 10 pounds?
• Are you experiencing sleep difficulties?
• Are you having headaches?
• Do you have bouts of brain fog—forgetting your friend's first name, where you put your car keys, or the point of a text you recently studied?
• Have you recently discovered cysts in your breasts?
• Have you been told you have fibroid tumors?
• Have symptoms from endometriosis worsened?
• Are you over age 35?
• Do you suffer from premenstrual anxiety, irritability, and mood swings?
• Do you have a decreased interest in sex?

In my 30-plus years of practice, I've found that most women eventually see an end to menopause hot flashes and night sweats—even if it takes a few years. But unfortunately, some women never become completely immune to these symptoms, regardless of their age.

About half of menopausal women suffering from hot flashes see them disappear within a year, even without hormone replacement therapy, while another 30 percent experience these symptoms for up to three years. The last 20 percent of women endure menopause hot flashes for five to ten years or longer. I've worked with women in their 60s, 70s, and even early 80s who continue to have menopause hot flashes if they're not on some form of hormone replacement therapy. Luckily, safe, natural therapies for menopause such as vitamin E, black cohosh, and soy isoflavones (which I’ve talked about in other posts) are useful in eliminating menopause hot flashes, no matter what your age.

This combination not only eliminates menopause hot flashes, but also provides additional support to the cardiovascular system and bones. As a rule, I recommend taking the following daily dosages for menopause relief: 400–1,000 IU vitamin E; 80–160 mg black cohosh; and 50 mg–150 mg soy isoflavones.