Moderate to severe hot flashes during menopause were reduced by 84% when switching to a plant-based diet rich in soy. A 12-week study published in the journal Menopause found that diet can be much more effective against common ailments during this period of women’s lives than previously thought. Vasomotor symptoms in menopause include flushing, hot flashes, profuse sweats for no apparent reason, night sweats. It is estimated that around 80% of women suffer from these symptoms. The team of Prof. Dr. Neil Barnard of the George Washington University School of Medicine and chairman of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) decided instead of using hormone therapy to test a special low-fat plant-based diet plus an additional half cup of soy per meal with volunteers. In 38 study participants, the frequency and severity of hot flashes were recorded using a mobile app, and vasomotor, psychosocial, physical and sexual symptoms were assessed using a questionnaire. Body weight was also monitored. Half of them were on the special diet, the others represented the control group. At the end of the study, the researchers found that hot flashes were reduced by nearly 80% in the dieting ladies. 60% of them report that they have stopped experiencing moderate and severe hot flashes altogether. Such changes were not registered in the control group. The women on the plant-based diet also reported improved libido and sexual function, mood and overall tone. The effect of the diet, according to the researchers, is likely due to the isoflavones in soy. They are metabolized by gut bacteria into equol, a nonsteroidal compound that has been shown in previous studies to reduce the frequency and severity of hot flashes. Sources: https://vegnews.com/2021/7/plant-based-diet-menopause https://journals.lww.com/menopausejournal/Abstract/9000/The_Women_s_Study_for_the_Alleviation_of_Vasomotor.96938.aspx