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# Suffer hot flashes?  Try a plant-based diet and weight loss!
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/hot_flashes_weight_loss_0910120617/
- Published: 2012-09-10T19:15:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T15:50:53.000Z
- Description: Among 17,473 postmenopausal women not on hormone therapy, those following a low-fat diet rich in fruit, vegetables and whole grains were 14 percent more likely to lose hot flashes and night sweats; those losing 10 percent of their weight were 56 percent more likely.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Nutrition, #vivvo-import

By David Liu, PHD

Monday Sept 10, 2012 ([foodconsumer.org](http://www.foodconsumer.org/)) -- Menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats are quite burdensome for some women. Hormone replacement therapy is helpful for menopausal hot flashes and other symptoms, but it can increase risk of breast cancer and heart disease. A new study in the journal Menopause suggests women who suffer menopausal symptoms but do not want to risk their life to eliminate them may want to modify their diet and have some weight loss.

Candyce H. Kroenke, ScD, MPH of Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, CA and colleagues conducted the study of 17,473 postmenopausal U.S women aged 50 to 79 years who were enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative Dietary Modification trial and not taking hormone replacement therapy and found both dietary modification and weight loss helped improve menopausal symptoms.

The study was intended to determine whether the dietary intervention including use of a diet consisting of reduced amounts of fat, and increased amounts of fruit, veggies, and whole grains, and weight loss would reduce menopause symptoms including menopause hot flashes or night sweats in the postmenopausal women.

Among women with post menopausal symptoms at baseline, those who followed the dietary intervention were 14 percent more likely to eliminate postmenopausal hot flashes and sweats etc, compared to those who did not follow the diet and those who lost 10 pounds or more or lost 10% or more of their baseline weight at 12 months were 23 and 56 percent more likely to eliminate vasomotor symptoms or post menopause symptoms, compared to those who did not experience any weight loss.

Compared to women who did not follow the dietary intervention but maintained baseline weight, those who followed the dietary intervention and whose weigh loss arrived at 10% or more as part of the intervention were 89 percent more likely to get rid of menopause symptoms.

Losing 22 pounds or more but not dietary change was associated with the elimination of moderate/severe symptoms. 

The researchers concluded "Weight loss as part of a healthy dietary modification may help eliminate VMS (vasomotor symptoms) among postmenopausal women."

Menopause is a normal biological process every woman has to experience. Some women experience severe menopausal symptoms while others do not. In addition to hot flashes and night sweats, common menopausal symptoms can also include vaginal dryness, mood swings, osteoporosis, weight gain, fatigue, breast tenderness and depression.

Conventional menopause treatment s include hormone replacement therapy, low dose antidepressants, gabapentin, clonidine, bisphosphonates, selective estrogen receptor modulators, and vaginal estrogen. But these treatments can pose serious side or even adverse effects.

It should be noted that natural or bio-identical estrogen compounds promoted by some companies are 100% the same as endogenous female sex hormones, which is not a benefit, but a risk factor. Sex hormones are known to increase breast cancer and heart disease risk among other disease risks. They are powerful yet dangerous and should be avoided by all means.

Natural menopause treatments are available and cheap. Here are some menopause remedies including what you can eat and should not eat to relieve your menopause symptoms.

What you can eat to relieve the menopausal symptoms include intake of foods with phytoestrogen such as soy and other beneficial foods such as grains, oats, wheat, brown rice, tofu, almonds, fresh fruit and vegetables and cashews; taking red clover isoflavone supplements, probiotics like Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidus, calcium supplements, magnesium, Black Cohosh, Dong Quai, Evening Primrose Oil, Ginseng, antioxidants, and Vitex Agnus Castus.

What you should not eat or drink in order to relieve menopausal symptoms include avoiding foods with caffeine, carbonated beverages with phosphorous, commercially raised meats such as beef, pork and chicken and foods with added sugars.