Love Eating Rice And Pasta? It May Lead To Early Menopause

Rice has become infamous as a food grain that makes you gain weight. Now a new study has further tainted consumption of rice by concluding that it may advance menopause by a year and a half. The study says that high level consumption of refined carbohydrates, especially white rice and pasta may be responsible for early menopause in middle-aged women. The results of the study have been published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. The researchers used the data from more than 14,150 women, all of them residing in the United Kingdom.

Talking about the study, lead author Yashvee Dunneram, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Leeds in Britain said, "There are a number of causes that have been considered for the relationship between age and start of menopause, such as genetic factors or behavioural and environmental exposures. But there are fewer studies that look at the impact of diet." The researchers collected data from the women which included a detailed diet questionnaire, along with their reproductive history and general health, through a survey.

A follow-up survey was then conducted among the same women after a gap of four years. Through this method, researchers were able to assess the diets of women who had experienced menopause the onset of a natural menopause in the interim. The average age at the start of menopause in women was found to be 51 years. Over 900 women between the ages of 40 and 65 had experienced natural onset of menopause, during the time of the follow-up survey. For those who had a diet which was high in refined carbs like pasta and rice, menopause had been advanced by at least one and a half years.

Study co-author Janet Cade, Professor at the University of Leeds, said, "The age at which menopause begins can have serious health implications for some women." An early menopause has been linked with a number of health hazards, including lower bone density, osteoporosis and increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. On the other hand, a delayed menopause also comes with its own set of health complications and diseases including a higher risk for breast, ovarian and endometrial cancers. The reason behind the link between refined carbohydrates and early menopause is that these carbs increase risk of insulin resistance. This can in turn affect activity of sex hormones and raise oestrogen levels in the body.

This can increase the number of menstrual cycles leading to the egg supply running out faster. The findings also pin pointed some healthy foods which may help preserve menstruation for longer.

Here are a few foods for menopause as suggested by the researchers:

1. Legumes: They contain antioxidants which can help in delaying menopause. These include peas and green beans.

2. Fatty Fish: The study found that women who eat omega-3 rich fatty fish could delay the start of menopause by three years.

3. Load Up On Cabbage Family: Include cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, cabbage, kale, mustard greens, et al that protect you against the harsh effects of menopause. 

4. Maca: The Peruvian root and medicinal herb is widely recognised by the people of Peru. It helps reduce menopausal symptoms by balancing the body's fluctuating chemistry and it does this by prompting the adrenal glands to stabilise the diminishing hormones of the thyroid and pancreas. 

5. Foods high in Phytoestrogens: Phytoestrogens are plant compound that are capable of binding to estrogen that is no longer being made. Foods include soybeans, et al. 
 

(With IANS inputs)