Menopause and asians

[new vegan]

When i was in Asia, many moons ago, i noticed that most of the poorer or working class ladies did not go through menopause, or when their periods stopped, they had only a few symptoms for a short period of time, and that was it. Many of them were plant based, with little sea food/meat, no dairy, or eggs.

When i came back over here to work in the Western States, we were constantly being inundated with this pathology.

This had a lot to do with our western diet, and especially obesity. (estrogen is also stored in fat)..

I was just watching a YouTube Video with Dr. Lam, who basically stated, something i've known for quite some time, but didn't want to admit:

I don't think menopause, truly is as "normal" or as "common" as we would like to think?

 

[Forest Nymph]

That's an interesting hypothesis you have there and I certainly wouldn't be old enough to know, but I do know that my mother (who is not vegan) when she stopped eating dairy stopped getting benign cysts in her breasts and had normal pap smears once again. However, her menopause symptoms were still present.

It would be impossible to actually not go through menopause, because all it means is that the menstrual cycle stops sometime between 50 and 60 (although some women go through it as early as their 40s I'm pretty sure that's not normal) ...but it would be interesting to find hard data on if the symptoms such as hot flashes and sweating, irritability and anger, etc. could be reduced or alleviated. My mother had heavy bleeding and I've heard of other women having this too, but I thought that had a lot to do with the last of the uterine lining clearing out, I don't know.

I'm skeptical but interested in the possibility. I do know that going vegan can reduce pain in menstruation for women, I think endometriosis is linked to animal products.

 

[Lou]

I don't think it has been scientifically proven but some studies suggest that soy milk may relieve some of the symptoms of menopause.

 

[new vegan]

Thanks for the responses. I, am in my late 50's and just went through it. Before this, i was a huge fish/chicken/red meat/egg eater, due to my bodybuilding background.

Because of my diet, i was having peri-menopausal symptoms, even with supplementation. Bouts of hot-flashes, which weren't very intense, but i knew what they were thanks to talking with other ladies who had them, mood swings and irregular periods.

I remembered traveling and working in the medical field in the East in my early 20's, and those ladies, first of all, didn't look their age, where fit, thin, and were pretty much on a vegetarian diet with edamame, and occasional fish with their rice and vegetables. Some of them complained about the hot flashes, for a couple of weeks, during the menopausal stage, and that was it. They had no more symptoms after that.

They were also, strong, fit, and i wouldn't want to tangle with them if they had a bad day.

Fast forward (30+ years later), i became menopausal (finally), about 8 or 9 months post plant based diet. Main protein? Tofu, portabella mushrooms, nuts, etc. I had intense hot flashes for about 2 weeks, and a really bad acne outbreak, and that was it. Granted i still kept up my menopausal supplementation, (chasteberry, and "Menopause Essentials" which i had been taking for several years to alleviate the symptoms during the peri-menopausal stage.)

Next thing i know, (after two weeks of the INTENSE hot flashes) i'm no longer having any symptoms whatsoever. I certainly don't look my age, the plant based diet took off any excess bloating/fat i had around my midsection (also due to diabetes), and i'm only 15 lbs above my competition weight, and quite comfortable as well as what's required for a practicing competitor's "maintenance weight", and i no longer am competing.

After personal experience, plus watching Dr. Lam's statements on Youtube, i'm beginning to believe there's a possibility he might be on the right track.

 

[TofuRobot]

I went through menopause at

That's an interesting hypothesis you have there and I certainly wouldn't be old enough to know, but I do know that my mother (who is not vegan) when she stopped eating dairy stopped getting benign cysts in her breasts and had normal pap smears once again. However, her menopause symptoms were still present.

It would be impossible to actually not go through menopause, because all it means is that the menstrual cycle stops sometime between 50 and 60 (although some women go through it as early as their 40s I'm pretty sure that's not normal) ...but it would be interesting to find hard data on if the symptoms such as hot flashes and sweating, irritability and anger, etc. could be reduced or alleviated. My mother had heavy bleeding and I've heard of other women having this too, but I thought that had a lot to do with the last of the uterine lining clearing out, I don't know.

I'm skeptical but interested in the possibility. I do know that going vegan can reduce pain in menstruation for women, I think endometriosis is linked to animal products.

I went through menopause at 47. I believe i am well within normal range.