Eastern Women don’t experience the same hot flush symptoms as those in the West

It’s really interesting that in the Japanese don’t experience menopausal symptoms in the same way that westerners do, but take them out of their natural environment and put them on a westernised diet and they start to have the same hot flushes and mood swings of their western counterparts.

Incorporate phytoestrogen-rich foods where ever possible. Try to vary your milk intake and Substitute cows milk with soya and where possible, combine lentils, chick peas, flaxseed rye. Check that your soy milk is fortified with calcium or add a calcium supplement to your diet.

Eat small meals to avoid bloating, you may find that eating wheat contributes to bloating. A small amount of protein eaten just before your meal may help you to feel more satisfied and eat less during the meal. Try 2 or 3 brazil nuts or a small piece of lean meat.

(Also Japanes males have few problems with prostate cancer, it is thought to be linked to the same phyto rich diet.)

Some simple ways to get your phytoestrogen boost:

Breakfasts:

Smoothies made with soy milk, pack with antioxidant rich berries and a banana for potassium. Add ground flaxseed for an extra boost of phytoestrogen.

Rye toast with organic peanut butter or almond butter

Small bowl phyto muesli*

Porridge made with 1/3 cup oats and 1/2 cup soy milk. Add a table spoon of whey powder for extra protein to keep you full longer.

Omelette 2 eggs

Lunches:

Toasted wholemeal pitta bread an humous

Chick pea soup*

Miso soup*

Soy Linseed Toast and humous, rocket and tomato salsa

Salad Nicoise*

Dinner:

Salmon and puy lentils combine with our super boost salad* and salad dressing*

Stir fried vegetables with tofu cubes and prawns or chicken.

Lamb steak with quinoa and roast vegetables*

Lightly fried Scallops with rocket and spinach salad

Thai prawns* with super boost salad*

Steak with sauteed red onions and baked asparagus.

Desserts:

Baked apple stuffed with dried fruits and honey, 1 tablespoon natural yoghurt

Snacks

Small amount of low fat protein

Fruit thin skinned berries/cherries

Flaxseed flapjack*

Rye toast

2 rice cakes with humous/low fat cheese

Recipes:

Chick Pea Soup – serves 4

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1 small chili deseeded and chopped finely

1 chopped red onion

1/2 pint vegetable stock

5 oz split red lentils

1 tin tomatoes

1 tin chick peas

chopped coriander

4 tablespoons natural greek yoghurt to serve

Dry fry the cumin seeds for around 1 minute to release aromas.

Add the oil, chili and onion and cook until soft.

Stir in lentils, stock and tomatoes, bring to boil and simmer for 20 minutes

Blend soup in blender and return to pan.

Stir in drained chick peas and heat gently. Add coriander just before serving and drizzle a small amount of yogurt into each bowl full.

Flaxseed Flapjack

215 grams plain flour

150 grams oats

1 table spoon ground flaxseed

1 tablespoon ground sunflower see

225 grams light muscovado sugar

1 tsp bicarbonate soda

pinch salt

150 grams butter

4 table spoons golden syrup or honey

Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees /gas 4

Grease and line a baking tin with grease proof paper.

Mix together flour, oats, flaxseed, sunflower seed, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a large bowl (you might want to add dried fruit at this point)

Melt the butter and syrup in a pan on a low heat and mix in the dry mixture.

Spoon the combined mixture in to your prepared baking tin and smooth.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden.

Leave to cool and once it is cool enough to touch cut in to squares, remove from tin and put on to cooling tray.

Miso Soup Serves 4

1/2 pint dashi soup stock

1 block tofu chopped into cubes.

3-4 tbsp miso paste

6 chopped spring onion

Put stock into a pan and bring to boil.

Add cubed tofu and simmer for a few minutes.

Remove some stock to dissolve miso and gradually add miso mixture.

Turn off and add onions.

DO NOT BOIL THE SOUP ONCE MISO IS ADDED.

Phyto muesli

2 tablesppon oats

2 almonds chopped

2 Brazil nuts chopped

1 apricot chopped

teaspoon sultanas

1 teaspoon flaxseed ground

Quinoa and roast vegetables

Quinoa is a delightful nutty tasting seed and can be used in stead of cous cous. Add 1 1/2 cups of quinoa to 3 cups of water and cook on a low heat.

Add olive oil, chopped raw spring onions and parsley with finely chopped garlic.

For the roast vegetables pop slice onions peppers and courgettes in to the oven at 180 degrees for 20 minutes stir in to the quinoa.

Thai prawns

Marinade the prawns in:

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 lemon or for more zing 1/2 lime

chopped garlic

chopped ginger

chili pepper (optional)

parsley

Lightly fry then serve with super boost salad or gently simmered dark green vegetables.

Salad Nicoise for 4

2 tins tuna

4 boiled eggs

1 onion

2 peppers – red

6 large tomatoes

1/2 cucumber

mixed erbs

drizzle olive oil

olives

Boil eggs

Slice tomatoes,cucumber , pepper and onions, mix in bowl with olives

add tin of tuna stir in with olive oil

arrange boiled eggs on top.

Super boost salad

Good handful Spinach

bag of Watercress

1 Red Pepper

1 Red onion

6 Tomatoes

Olives

1 Avocado

1 Alfalfa sprouts to top

1 Sunflower seeds

Wash all salad and chop onions tomato and cucumber.

peel and scoop out flesh of avocado.

Combine ingredients, top with alfalfa sprouts and sprinkle with sunflower seeds.

Salad dressing

1 cup olive oil

1/2 cup walnut oil

1 clove garlic crushed

1 small red chilli deseeded and chopped.

1/2 lemon – juice of

Pinch salt and pepper