The FastDay Forum

I started the 5:2 last week but have been following a really 'clean' vegan, wheat and sugar free diet since New Year. Interesting thing I have noticed since New Year on the menopause front is that I have gone from being perimenopausal - periods about every 3 months or so (yippee!! It's great!! ) to having a period every 3-4 weeks . Can healthy eating reverse the menopause? Does anyone know? Is it to do with the way central fat produces oestrogen?? I know it is probably a good thing but must confess to feeling a bit grumpy about it - thought I was nearly free of 'the curse' lol

Interesting question. In my own case, I'm menopausal but on fast days I escape the (dreaded) hot flushes which is wonderful. I assume that it's because of general lowering in body temp as many of us on here male and female feel colder on fast days...but whether hormones can be affected as you suspect...hmm...i await to hear more from other posters.
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Very good question, will look forward to hearing what people have to say about it. I will be 45 this year which I know isn't ancient but still it's something I should start to consider.

[carorees]

Oestrogen accumulates in fat tissue which is one reason why obesity is a risk factor for breast cancer. I believe that, as the fat shrinks some stored oestrogen is released, but I'm not sure. I'll try to find out.

I hope not.

My experience mirrors that of little.red.one.....

Interesting - I had begun to wonder that too! My periods have been less frequent over the last couple of years but since eating like this they had been getting a bit more like they used to be. Certainly seem to prevent hot flushes (not that I had had many).

However I haven't been eating totally healthily - there has been plenty of wine and choccy but not on down days (fast / low cal)!

Very interesting- my wife also is experiencing a similar effect the little.red.one.

I noticed the other day that I don't have hot flushes on fast days and feast days they are greatly reduced. Could of course be co-incidental as we are all different and I could simply be coming to the end (fingers crossed) of menopause

That;s interesting because I haven't had a period for nearly a year and was amazed when I started to get all the signs that a period was on its way and had some spotting.

Same here Shrinking Woman. I mentioned in another post about this. I read that weightloss can result in release of eosteogen from the fat cells which can result in spotting

Oh Gawd! I hope not.

Lol! I don't think it's really reversing the menopause as such....I can't see how thats possible but I'm at a loss as to how to describe what might be happening in these cases.

[carorees]

Its just a temporary response to the release of oestrogen from fat. There is still an underlying cycle of hormones from the pituitary in the brain going on I imagine just there has not been enough oestrogen until the fat released it. I've not had a period for 5 years now and no sign of it returning with weight loss so it is probably just women who are only just in menopause who are affected.