customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

knowledgeQuestion

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Lily Canter

A low-fat, plant-based diet with a daily dose of soybeans can significantly reduce hot flushes in menopausal women.
The benefit of soybeans in alleviating menopausal symptoms is well established in the scientific community; the latest study combined this knowledge with a low-fat vegan diet.
American researchers found that postmenopausal women who ate the plant-based diet with 86g (3oz) of cooked soybeans daily saw an 88 per cent decrease in the number of moderate to severe hot flushes they experienced.
After 12 weeks, half of the women on the diet reported no moderate or severe hot flushes at all, according to the study by George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington. The results were published in the medical journal Menopause.

“The diet was more powerful than we had predicted, equalling the effects of hormone replacement therapy. It also led to healthful weight loss, and the participants found it easy, enjoyable, and in some cases life-changing,” said lead researcher Professor Neal Barnard.
The women on the diet lost an average of 3.6kg (8lb) over the 12 weeks; those in the control group lost an average of 0.2kg.
Previous studies have shown that in Japan and other countries whose traditional diets are mainly based on plant-derived food such as rice, soybeans, and vegetables, hot flushes were rare.
But they became much more common when the diet was Westernised, with increasing consumption of dairy products and meat.

Barnard set out to investigate a vegan diet’s impact on hot flushes after being contacted by a woman who had read his book Your Body in Balance, which explores the impact of diet on hormones and health.
“She said the approach in the book cured her hot flushes within a matter of days. That was actually a stronger effect than I had promised in the book, so I asked her how she had implemented the diet,” he says.
She had used a purely vegan diet, minimised oils, and added a half-cup of mature soybeans daily.
I got my quality of life back. I’m no longer dealing with the hot flushes hat were debilitating at one point. I’m more present with my four kids and my overall mental state is better
Sherri, study participant
Barnard and his team put exactly this version of the diet to the test in a randomised trial of 84 women who reported at least two moderate to severe hot flushes a day.
Half the women were put on a low-fat, vegan diet with half a cup of soybeans daily while the control group made no dietary changes. The women then recorded the frequency and severity of their hot flushes.
Study participant Sherri said the diet was a “lifesaver”.

“I got my quality of life back. I’m no longer dealing with the hot flushes that were debilitating at one point. I’m more present with my four kids and my overall mental state is better because I’m feeling good.”
Like many women, Sherri was concerned about taking hormone treatment, so a dietary change was a welcome solution.
“Before jumping to any medication, I would try this route because it is easy, it’s simple and has immediate results,” she added.
Barnard said the combination of a low-fat, plant-based diet with daily soybeans had the biggest impact on reducing hot flushes. This meant avoiding oily foods such as nuts, avocados, and vegetable oils.

“A vegan diet alone does not do a lot for hot flushes. Soybeans and soy extracts alone are not dramatically effective, either. But surprisingly enough, the combination of a vegan diet, reducing intake of fats and oils, and adding half a cup of cooked soybeans daily led to a dramatic reduction in hot flushes,” he said.
“We do not know exactly why but avoiding oily foods seemed to help, too. All three pieces seem to be important.”
Soybeans may help because of the natural isoflavones they contain – genistein, daidzein, and glycitein – which may also help to reduce breast cancer risk.
The type of soy is important. In the hot flushes study, the diet incorporated mature soybeans, which contain higher levels of isoflavones than edamame – immature soybeans in the pod, soy milk, or tofu.
“We suspect that these isoflavones act like natural medicines to reduce hot flushes. But while edamame, soy milk, or tofu are all healthful foods, they would not be expected to have as strong an effect as mature soybeans,” Barnard says.

Although the full explanation for the benefit of a plant-based diet has yet to be deciphered, Barnard believes high fibre and low fat play a role.
“We know that diets that are high in fibre and very low in fat tend to moderate the effects of oestrogens. We previously found that such a diet was effective for menstrual cramps.
“So we suspect that women on plant-based diets are more accustomed to lower oestrogen levels and have less of a change at menopause. Also, a plant-based diet causes weight loss, which reduces hot flushes.”
For study participant Marta there is no turning back.
“My hot flushes were very severe before the study. I had them almost every hour on the hour, and during nighttime I had night sweats. After starting my diet, I felt a lot more healthy and energetic. I was sleeping better at night and my hot flushes had diminished tremendously.
“I enjoy eating this diet and won’t go back to my American diet because I feel my hot flushes are now under control.”
Like what you read? Follow SCMP Lifestyle on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also sign up for our eNewsletter here.


How journaling helps Gigi Hadid and Simone Biles manage anxiety, and how it could help you

How to walk a dog without getting hurt, by using the right gear ... and hitting the gym

The celebrities wearing pimple patches with pride: how Hailey Bieber and Florence Pugh made spots something to celebrate

Low-cost diabetes drug may delay effect of ageing on brain and body: Chinese scientists

Wellness

How to end hot flushes in menopause? Try a low-fat vegan diet with soybeans every day

Having a low-fat vegan diet with a half cup of soybeans daily (above) was found to reduce hot flashes in menopausal women in a recent study. Photo: Shutterstock

Hot flushes during menopause can be debilitating. Photo: Shutterstock

Professor Neal Barnard is studying the benefits of a plant-based, low-fat diet, with soybeans every day, on menopausal women. Photo: Elliott O’Donovan

The cover of Barnard’s book, Your Body In Balance. Photo: Amazon

Mature soybeans (back) contain higher levels of isoflavones than edamame (front left) soy milk, or tofu (front right). Photo: Shutterstock

A soybean farmer in her field. The isoflavones contained in mature soybeans are believed to help reduce hot flushes, as well as lowering breast cancer risk. Photo: Shutterstock

Aqua fitness helped her overcome eating disorder. Now she teaches it in Singapore

Aqua Tula teacher Malissa Sander says aqua fitness “saved” her after childhood trauma triggered an eating disorder that left her in a bad place physically and mentally. Photo: Drewperspectives

Aqua fitness has helped Sander reclaim her sense of self after a traumatic childhood, and mental and physical health issues, had taken their toll. Photo: Drewperspectives

Sander lifts weights while pregnant. In addition to aqua fitness, the 44-year-old strength trains three days a week as part of her healing process. Photo: Malissa Sander

After suffering from injury and mental health problems, being in the water helped Sander feel confident, and safe. Photo: Drewperspectives

An Aqua Tula session led by Sander. The 44-year-old says that working out in the pool was key to her physical and mental recovery. Photo: Malissa Sander

Sander uses a range of equipment in her Aqua Tula sessions, which she has developed to promote general fitness and prenatal and postnatal fitness. Photo: Malissa Sander

Aqua Tula is also suitable for children. Photo: Malissa Sander

How a high-carb, plant-based diet helped obese mother-of-two shed 32kg in 14 months. She’s known as Plantiful Kiki now

Aged 33, Kiki Nelson weighed 88kg, with 43 per cent body fat (left); within 14 months of adopting a plant-based lifestyle, she lost 32kg. Seven years on, she has kept it off and weighs about 53kg (right).
Photo: Kiki Nelson

YouTube influencer Kiki Nelson went from 88kg to 56kg in 14 months on a high-carb, low-fat diet, and has kept the weight off since. Photo: YouTube/@Plantiful Kiki

Filling and nutritious, potatoes are welcome in a low-fat, high carb, plant-based diet. Photo: Shutterstock

Kiki Nelson and her husband both lost weight on a plant-based, high-carb diet. Photo: Kiki Nelson

The cover of one of Kiki Nelson’s cookbooks of plant-based recipes.

Nelson samples her filling and budget-friendly easy ramen noodle soup on one of her many Instagram posts showing what she eats in a day. Photo: instagram.com/plantifulkiki/

On Instagram, Nelson shares an example of the three meals she preps on Sundays to rotate during the week. Photo: instagram.com/plantifulkiki/

After menopause women’s heart attack risk spikes; a study suggests why, and doctor describes the signs of an attack

The risk of heart attack in post-menopausal women increases faster than in men of the same age. A new study links this to oestrogen loss. Photo: Getty Images

Cardiologist Dr Dena Krishnan says women tend to have cardiac symptoms longer before seeking help. Photo: Bon Secours

Heart disease is the leading killer of women as well as men, but it is often under-recognised in women. New research shows that as oestrogen drops after menopause, women’s risk rises faster than that of men the same age. Photo: Shutterstock

Women are more likely than men to dismiss chest pain as indigestion or overexertion. Photo: Shutterstock

Aerobic training has been shown in animal studies to mitigate the effects of oestrogen loss after menopause. Photo Getty Images

Staying physically active, especially after menopause, is one way women can help mitigate the risk of heart disease. Photo: Shutterstock

Forgetfulness is an early sign of dementia, but also normal as we age; experts explain the difference

There is a big difference between exiting a shopping centre and not remembering where you parked your car and forgetting where you are or how you got there. The latter could indicate you have a problem, an expert explains. Photo: Shutterstock


Charan Ranganath, a psychology professor at the University of California, Davis, says the most common question he is asked is ‘Why am I so forgetful’? Photo: University of California, Davis

“We don’t remember things often because we were never there in the first place. We’re checking our phones, being distracted by noises on the street and so forth,” says Charan Ranganath, a psychology professor. Photo: Getty Images

Richard Restak, 82, a clinical professor of neurology and rehabilitation medicine at George Washington University, in the United States, advocates napping to help ward off memory loss. Photo: Richard Restak

The cover of Richard Restak’s book. Photo: Amazon

New menopause app uses hypnotherapy to help women manage hot flushes, night sweats, joint pain and other symptoms

Hot flushes linked to menopause can cause significant anxiety in women. A new app that harnesses the power of hypnotherapy has been developed to help women track and manage hot flushes and other symptoms associated with menopause. Photo: Shutterstock

Christine Deschemin is the founder of the Renewed Edge Hypnotherapy & Counselling Centre in Hong Kong. Photo: Kylie Knott

The EverCalm app was tested by asking women to share some of their symptoms. Photo: Renewed Edge Hypnotherapy & Counselling Centre

Improving sleep during menopause is vital, Deschemin says. Photo: Shutterstock

The EverCalm app helps women track and manage their menopause symptoms. Photo: Renewed Edge Hypnotherapy & Counselling Centre

Lifestyle

Health & Wellness

Health

Postmenopausal women who tried low-fat, vegan, soybean-heavy diet for a study noted an 88 per cent drop in hot flushes


Hot flushes are a debilitating condition experienced around menopause, but a low-fat, vegan diet including a daily dose of soybeans showed promising results in reducing flushes in a recent study.


Reproductive health

Healthy eating

Veganism and vegetarianism

5050