Menopause is the phase that brings huge change in a woman's life. It marks the end of her menstrual cycles and fertility, which is confirmed 12 months after the last period she has. Cessation of menstruation is associated with several symptoms - weight gain, mood fluctuation, vaginal dryness, headache etc. The fluctuation of hormones (particularly the decline in oestrogen and progesterone) is to be blamed for most of the menopause complaints. A recent study has suggested that a healthy diet, rich in fruits and vegetables, may help in lessening several menopausal symptoms. This study was published in the Menopause: The Journal of the North American Menopause Society.
As per the study, it has focused on identifying modifiable lifestyle factors to prevent menopausal symptoms. However, hormone therapy has been proven to be an acceptable method for menopausal symptoms; rather the search for nonpharmacological treatment options is ongoing, especially for women with certain risk factors and those who are not candidates for hormone therapy.
"This small cross-sectional study provides some preliminary evidence regarding the influence of fruit and vegetable intake on menopause symptoms," said study researcher Stephanie Faubion from The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) in the US, as per an IANS report.
Previous studies suggested that consumption of fruits and Mediterranean-style diet were linked to decrease of menopausal complaints. Taking this a step ahead, the new study found 'an apple a day might help keep menopause symptoms away'.
Researchers also stated that though several fruits and veggies had inverse association with menopause symptoms, higher intake of several other kinds of fruits (like citrus fruits) and vegetables were associated to more urogenital problems.
"There is ample evidence that a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables has a beneficial effect on health in a myriad of ways, but additional study is needed to determine whether various menopause symptoms may be affected by dietary choices," Faubion concluded.