What recommends Dr. Dukan of women in menopause?
Our life expectancy has increased dramatically; currently it’s eighty
years for women. The average age for menopause is fifty-one, and
this change is no longer considered the beginning of the end but the
beginning of the second part of life.
Perimenopause and the first six months of confirmed menopause
is a time of hormonal change when women most often put on
weight. The body gradually burns up fewer calories with the
combined efects of age, reduction in muscle mass, and sometimes
lower levels of thyroid hormones. At the same time, the ovaries
produce irregular amounts of estrogen and progesterone.
The combined efects of these factors causes weight gain that does
not respond to the ordinary dietary measures that most women use
to control their weight.
If you have reached confirmed menopause, you may tend to put
on even more weight.
What are plant hormones?
Vegetable Hormones: A Natural Alternative for Women at Risk of
Weight Gain
Much controversy surrounds the risks connected with replacement
hormone therapy. To tackle the dificulties sometimes encountered
during menopause, including hot flashes and weight gain, a totally
vegetable-based treatment is of particular interest to us here in
relation to controlling weight gain during this time.
Soybeans and some other food plants contain compounds called
isoflavones and phytoestrogens which produce a variety of mild
hormonal actions in the body. Although less active than female
hormonal actions in the body. Although less active than female
hormones, it has been clinically proven that they give protection
from hot flashes. Furthermore, it seems that regular use of the
phytoestrogens, particularly those found in soybeans, provided they
are used in suficient quantity, enables women, particularly those
already overweight or likely to become so, to avoid inevitable
menopausal weight gain.
How to use phytoestrogens?
However, since phytoestrogens are 1,000 to 2,000 times less
powerful than a woman’s natural hormones, most doses available
in gel or pill form are not high enough to deal with weight risks.
According to Japanese research, women in that country do not
experience hot flashes and their weight is stable throughout
perimenopause and menopause because they regularly eat 7 ounces
(200 grams) of tofu daily—7 ounces of tofu provides a daily 100-
milligram dose of soy isoflavones, a dose that seems to have the
best chance of helping with weight control.
All the authors who have studied the nutritional properties of soy
insist that, although its protective action very quickly tackles certain
menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes and aging of the skin, to
exploit its preventive efects against breast cancer, osteoporosis, and
weight gain it has to be used over a long period of time. Asian
women have a surprising immunity to these diseases, which may be
due to the fact that they regularly consume a great quantity of soy
products.
How to prevent weight gain during menopause?
Preventing Weight Gain
• Normal menopause. When you have no history of abnormal
weight gain or dieting but simply want to be careful, I would
advise you, at the first sign of any perimenopause
irregularities, to follow the Permanent Stabilization phase
with its pure protein Thursdays, giving up elevators and
escalators, and eating 3 tablespoons of oat bran daily. In
most cases, this will be enough to prevent normal weight
gain. You must keep up this defense for the whole
perimenopause phase and continue until the body has fully
perimenopause phase and continue until the body has fully
adapted to menopause.
• Potentially dificult menopause. You may face a potentially
dificult menopause in respect to weight gain if you have
always had dificulty maintaining your normal weight and,
alone or with the help of your doctor, have continued your
tendency to gain pounds. At the first signs of menopause, you
are right to be concerned about additional weight problems.
If the Stabilization diet is not enough to prevent weight
gain, I recommend that you follow the Consolidation phase,
which is based on proteins and vegetables, fruit, 2 slices of
100 percent whole grain bread and 1½ ounces of cheese
each day, 2 portions of starchy foods per week, and the
celebration meals. And, of course, do not forget the driving
power of the pure protein Thursdays.
At certain critical stages of perimenopause, it is vital to
follow the Cruise phase, alternating 1 day of proteins with 1
day of proteins + vegetables for as long as there is a threat
of weight gain—for example, when your periods become
very delayed or virtually absent, or when you are suffering
from water retention, bloating, fingers so puffy you cannot
remove your rings, and headaches. Normally, this diet is
enough to maintain an effective defense.
When you gain weight during menopause?
If You Are Already Overweight
A recent weight gain. If you have taken no precautions and
have recently gained weight, but it is not yet threatening, I
recommend starting with 3 days of the Attack diet followed
by the Cruise diet, alternating 1 day of pure proteins with 1
day of proteins + vegetables. Once you are back to your
correct weight, use the protective Consolidation diet and the
Permanent Stabilization diet.
Overweight for quite a while. If you already have a tendency
to gain weight or have been overweight for a long period of
to gain weight or have been overweight for a long period of
time, I would advise you to follow the Attack diet to the
letter, starting 5 days of pure proteins, or even 7 days if you
have put on a significant amount of weight. Then move on to
the Cruise diet, the 5/5 version, alternating 5 days of pure
proteins with 5 days of proteins + vegetables. You may
instead use a 1/1 version if your weight gain is not so great or
if you are able to lose it more easily. Once you reach your
desired weight, continue with the Consolidation diet for as
many days as our rule requires—that is, 5 days for every
pound lost. Finally, keep to the Permanent Stabilization diet
for the rest of your life.
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