Diet of Change Dr Marilyn Glenville, an expert in women’s health, talks to Vivienne DuBourdieu about a nutritional approach to coping with the menopause On average women reach the menopause, the point at which they are no longer fertile, at around 51, even earlier. Many women suffer low energy levels and pain at this time, as well as emotional problems, as we tend to see this as a time of loss, rather than a progression to a new stage of life. “Many people in the UK actually see the menopause as an illness,” says Dr Glenville. “But people treat the menopause differently all over the world. The Japanese, for example, don’t have the same risk of breast cancer and osteoporosis as we do.” She is adamant that lifestyle is the main culprit. “In Japan the dietary side of life is completely different, and the risk of a painful menopause is much lower.” Dr Glenville has teamed up with top chef Lewis Esson to create a book full of helpful information and recipes to help increase vitality during the menopause. One of the common symptoms of menopause is profuse sweating, often combined with dehydration. “People simply don’t drink enough water,” Marilyn says. “Tea and coffee are very dehydrating.” The good news is that herbal teas do count as liquid content. “Herbs are crucial,” Marilyn says. “And they are really helpful in controlling night sweats. Liquid tincture herbs can also be useful.” As for supplements: “If people need a few vitamins that’s fine,” she says, “but the diet must be of first importance.We are what we eat. Nothing will work on top of that if the diet is not good.” Marilyn is passionate about food, saying: “Good food is the foundation of health. It’s a priority!” She maintains that marketing descriptions about food are often tricky to decipher and advocates organic food. “It’s much better…when food isn't grown organically, the soil is often depleted.” “If people can’t afford organic food because they’re on a limited budget they need to go for their grains as the organic input. The smaller the food, the more residue it absorbs, so grain will hold more pesticides.” “Overall, the more organic your food is, the better for you,” Marilyn says. “However, it’s worth remembering farmers’ markets, and boxed schemes.” We moved on to salt, a much maligned ingredient, which has some benefits in moderation, for example some people are prone to cramps if they don’t get enough salt. “It’s a question of balance,” says Marilyn. “It’s important to have some.” However she believes it is often difficult to work out exactly how much salt we are consuming, particularly in ‘convenience’ foods. She cites recent research from Which? magazine, that shows marked differences in the amount of fat and salt in similar types of products sold in different supermarkets. Marilyn is adamant that we need to take control of our diets. It’s only when we know exactly what we are eating that we can take remedial action. “The amount of salt in low-fat foods is phenomenal,” she says. “The salt content goes up because it’s losing its taste. On the other hand, tomato ketchup is full of sugar. “There is no sugar in any of the desserts in our book,” says Marilyn. “And of course the danger of consuming too much sugar is increased in diabetes.” As an alternative, honey is one possibility: “It’s alright in moderation; say, a tiny bit in a herbal tea,” she says. The Japanese diet is famously low in dairy foods, and Marilyn suggests avoiding too much cheese. “Cheese should definitely be organic, and preferably vegetarian. That means no rennet. Cheese is not a food we should eat regularly. At most one or two portions, once or twice a week.”
In terms of protein, fish is a better bet, although it can be hard to find the best quality fish. “Get organic salmon,” she says. “You should try and avoid farmed salmon. There is a lot of concern about what it gets fed.” You just need to look at the colour to see what she means. “We are best off with fleshy fish. Try the nearest fish counter in large supermarkets. Packaged fish is also fairly fresh, and frozen fish can be good because it’s frozen quickly. So it’s handy for people who can’t shop regularly, or who want to use a small portion of fish, and freeze the rest.” Aware that modern woman does not have a lot of time for cooking, Marilyn noted that mixing canned or frozen foods with other ingredients still means a fresh meal, rather than a processed one that has been wholly prepared already. “This is where the salt and sugar comes in, along with all the other dubious additives.We’re in control when we know what goes into the food we eat.” “For vegetables like sweetcorn, the freezing process traps the nutrients. Peas are very good frozen, and useful for people who haven’t got a lot of time.” Other convenient quick meals Marilyn recommends include organic canned beans (for instance, kidney beans and lentils), or tinned sardines on toast. Think of toast, and butter is normally next on themenu, but how bad for us is it? “It's usually better than margarine,” says Marilyn. “The use of hydrogenated oils (in margarine) makes it more difficult for the body to deal with than a saturated fat. It’s almost as if the body is trying to deal with plastic. Most margarine contains transfats, that is, hydrogenated fats. So butter on toast, please.” She suggests looking hard at labels on food products we buy. “A product may say ‘polyunsaturated fat’ on the front or sunflower, or soy oil but if it says hydrogenated on back, avoid it. It’s not a polyunsaturated fat anymore! People have to be careful not get sucked into the marketing hype.” Surely this attitude must provoke some strong reactions? “It does,” saysMarilyn, “but people need to know what they’re buying.”  As I’m keen on protein for breakfast, I shall try her recipe for scrambled tofu. But what else is there? “Breakfast is tricky,” says Marilyn. The usual option is eggs, of course. You could try kippers, or go for something like porridge topped with nuts and seeds for a protein boost.” Again she feels as a nation we could do better. “It’s such a neglected meal. Japan has soup and rice. Other countries eat beans and vegetables.”
Food combining is a hot topic in the diet world, but Marilyn rises above this. “I have no quarrel with protein and carbohydrates at the same time. Though, if people have too many ‘carbs’ at lunch, they can find they nod off,” she says. Marilyn has been an expert in nutritional therapy for many years, but this is her first collaboration with a chef. “In my earlier books, I put recipes in the back,” she says. “This time, I gave Lewis the ingredients, and he did the rest.” For anyone experiencing the menopause, a well-balanced diet can help the body cope with the hormonal changes it is undergoing. While we might feel that eating fresh and organic food is too expensive and time consuming, Dr Glenville says: “If people are eating less cakes and biscuits, they will have more money to spend on good food. It costs less to eat fresh.” Natural Alternatives to HRT If you are concerned about the side effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy,worried about the menopause, and want to learn how to prevent osteoporosis, then read this SPECIAL REPORT by Dr Marilyn Glenville, PhD, to find out what your choices are. For your free copy call: 0870 49934399. Calls charged at national call rate. Reader offers for all Yoga Magazine readers Special Book Discount Healthy Eating for the Menopause by Marilyn Glenville and Lewis Esson is published by Kyle Cathie Ltd at £12.99. Readers can buy the book at the special price of £10.99, with free p&p. To order your copy, ring 01903 828503, quoting reference YOGA/HEM or email mailorders@lbsltd.co.uk  Frittedda Palermitana
A traditional Sicilian artichoke, pea, and broad bean stew. Artichokes contain a substance called cynarin which improves liver function and has been said to stimulate liver cell regeneration. It is especially important that the liver is functioning optimally at the menopause so that the ‘bad’ oestrogens are converted into ‘good’ ones. Serves 6. 6 large globe artichokes or 12-15 small young artichokes juice of _ lemon 200 ml (7fl oz) olive oil 300g (10 oz) large whole shallots 450g (1lb) shelled peas 450g (1lb) shelled fresh broad beans Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper 100ml (3 fl oz) dry white wine* 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaved parsley, plus more whole leaves to garnish Croûtes of good crusty bread, fried in olive oil, to serve (optional) *Vegetable stock could be used instead First, prepare the artichokes. For large artichokes, cut off the stalk and cut across to remove the top third of the leaves, remove any coarse outer leaves, and halve length ways to remove the hairy choke inside, then cut each half again length ways into three pieces.Young artichokes (which have not developed their chokes) need only be trimmed of rough stalks and coarse outer leaves, then quartered. As they are prepared, drop them into a bowl of water acidulated with the lemon juice to prevent discolouration. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan and fry the shallots gently until soft and translucent. Add the artichokes, peas and broad beans with seasoning to taste, followed by the wine (or stock) and a ladleful1 of water, and bring to the boil. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer, cover tightly and cook gently for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Stir from time to time and add a little more water if at any time it looks too dry. Add the chopped parsley for the last 5 minutes of cooking. Serve hot, with croûtes of crusty bread fried in olive oil if you like, garnished with more whole parsley leaves. P** E* A* Phytoestrogens are provided by the parsley, beans, and peas.  Breakfast Muffins
Muffins for breakfast may seem naughty, but this recipe is full of goodness.The proanthocyanidins in the blueberries and cranberries play a major part in the prevention of heart disease and strokes. As they help to preserve the integrity of the capillaries, they play a role in preventing varicose veins. These excellent antioxidants also contribute towards osteoporosis prevention because of their effect on collagen: by cross-linking collagen fibers, they strengthen the collagen matrix and stop its destruction. Nuts and dried fruits are particularly rich in nutrients and the B vitamins in the pecan nuts are often classed as ‘calming foods’. Apricots contain high levels of potassium, beneficial for reducing high blood pressure and water retention, and their beta-carotene levels are increased in their drying. Makes 12. Olive oil for greasing 200g (7oz) plain flour, preferably wholemeal 3 tablespoons soya flour Pinch of freshly ground sea salt 2 teaspoons baking powder 2 eggs 55g (2oz) butter, melted 175ml (6 fl oz) soya milk 125ml (4 _fl oz) maple syrup 125ml (4 fl oz) fresh blueberries 125ml (4 fl oz) dried cranberries, chopped 125ml (4 fl oz) seedless raisins 125ml (4 fl oz) dried apricots, chopped 50g (2oz) pecans, chopped 1 teaspoon grated orange zest 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Preheat the oven to 200oC/400oF/gas mark 6 and, using olive oil, grease some muffin tins with 6cm (22in) diameter indentations. Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder into a bowl. In another bowl, lightly beat the eggs, then stir in the melted butter, soya milk, and maple syrup. Pour this into the bowl of flour, then add the remaining ingredients, and combine quickly without overworking (it’s fine if there are a few lumps left in the mixture you want it sticky rather than fluid). Spoon the mixture into the muffin tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes until well risen and browned. Leave to cool in the tins for a few minutes before turning out, then allow to cool completely before serving or storing in the airtight tin. These muffins are great on their own, and even tastier accompanied by butter with honey or sugar-free jam.They also make a good portable high-phyto snack for getting you through the day. Variation: if you like, and if you have the time, you can first plump up the dried fruit by soaking it in the juice from the orange, tossing from time to time, for about 30 minutes. This gives an even more moist result. P***** E** A***** Phytoestrogens in the soya flour, soya milk, wholemeal flour, cinnamon, cranberries, orange zest. EFAs from the pecan nuts. Recipes taken from Healthy Eating for the Menopause by Marilyn Glenville and Lewis Esson is published by Kyle Cathie Ltd |