of course we all know that men and women are different, but just how different is still being determined and probably will never be figured out completely! for many years clinical research in disease, nutrition, and other health related issues were done only with men. there was even a study done on the effects of estrogen and heart disease that was done solely on men! this mind set took many years to change but slowly, in the 1980's it began to change and took a leap forward in the 1990's when government funded clinical trials had to include women (and minorities). the more that women are included in studies the more differences between us are being discovered.
this brings me to menopause and some recent information. sooner or later the "m" word will enter a woman's life and being "hot" will take on an entirely new meaning. hot flashes affect over 70% of women making them one of the most common symptoms of menopause. hot flashes influence sleeping patterns, mood, quality of life, etc. and can last nine or more years. nine years!
there have been mixed results from studies on how to naturally reduce having hot flashes by using remedies such as black cohosh or soy. but a study done this year reports that losing weight is likely to reduce their occurrence. the women in the study were on a relatively (20%) low fat diet with a good amount of fiber. even a ten pound weight loss resulted in fewer hot flashes.
so this may be another benefit when choosing a healthier lifestyle, added to the long list of benefits that we already know about. and as more and more research shows-for both men and women-more physical activity along with weight management is critical to good health.
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