Friday, October 12, 2007

Salba for women in menopause..

Salba provides lots of nutrients for women in menopause. As we grow older the risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, overweight etc. increases. Salba’s nutrients can help you to reduce this risk:

Omega-3: reduces high blood pressure, body inflammation, blood clotting. Omega-3s also improve mental health; you will feel more energetic than before!

Fiber: Fiber is effective in increasing satiety, and may therefore help you to maintain your body weight. Salba seeds increase 14 times their size when you add fluid to them. This makes you feel full for a longer time. On average, women may experience a gain of approximately 10-15 pounds in the years surrounding menopause. There are several theories as to why this might happen. One theory says that the increase in weight and fat deposition allows for an increase in estrogen production, as fat cells can convert other hormones into estrogen. With the ovaries declining in their production of estrogen, the fat cells can take up the decrease in estrogen production to some degree. Others link the weight gain to a decrease in thyroid function, and subsequently metabolism. With lowered metabolism, fewer calories are required to maintain your current weight. A change in body composition can also affect metabolism. Because muscle tissue burns more fuel than our fat tissue, loss of muscle mass can result in a reduced requirement for calories. Inactivity as we age can promote a change in body composition. Further, a change in body composition can also affect metabolism. Because muscle tissue burns more fuel than our fat tissue, loss of muscle mass can result in a reduced requirement for calories. Inactivity as we age can promote a change in body composition.
Fiber also helps to improve bowel movement. The fiber increases the fecal bulk and decreases colonic transit time of the feces. Therefore, it relieves constipation, and improves digestion by processing the food smoothly and effectively through the intestines.

Antioxidants: Salba’s antioxidants are vitamin C, vitamin A, selenium, and myrecitin. These antioxidants reduce the oxidative stress in our body (due to breathing, sun, pollution, stress, cigarette smoke). Oxidative stress is associated with the development of many chronic and degenerative diseases, including diabetes, cancer, heart disease, arthritis, cataracts and neuronal degeneration such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Therefore, it is very important to eat enough antioxidants.

Since Salba research is in its early stage we have never investigated what typical menopausal symptoms Salba can ‘concur’. E.g. its effect on hot flashes and night sweats are unknown.