For many women, menopause is a trying time. Changes to the body can be unexpected and in most cases, unwelcome. In the media, there is a lot of conflicting information about what is recommend and what can be harmful. We hope to shed some light on the facts.

1. Over 75% of women suffer from at least one of the following signs of menopause: hot flashes, sweating, sleep disorders, depression, anxiety, fatigue, decreased libido, vaginal dryness, or obesity.
2. There are cultural variations in menopause onset and symptoms, for example, Japanese women suffer significantly less menopause symptoms. The cause is unknown, but some researchers speculate it is a diet rich in soybeans.
3. Eastern Medicine recommends reducing the intake of alcohol, coffee, soybean oil and spices like black pepper, hot pepper, cinnamon, and ginger while consuming more foods like sardines, tahina, whole wheat, barley, tofu, cucumbers, tomatoes, beans, beets, bananas, pears, pine-apples, grapes and mangos.
4. Treatments with hormone therapy are thought to be beneficial in certain cases, but can be associated with increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and breast cancer. Effectiveness must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.