You've probably heard that you should increase the amount of dietary fiber you consume-- high levels of fiber found in whole grains, fruits and vegetables may help protect you against colon cancer and heart disease. However, if you're a woman, there's another reason to load up on fiber: it may help reduce estrogen levels, which in turn may help with symptoms surrounding your menstrual period and possibly could reduce menopausal hot flashes. Although all the evidence isn't yet in, reducing estrogen levels through dietary fiber intake may also decrease your risk of breast cancer.
Fiber Intake
High levels of estrogen circulating in your body have been linked to breast cancer and to other women's health issues, including endometriosis, which involves abnormal growth of the uterine lining and hot flashes during menopause. Getting lots of fiber each day-- between 25 and 40g--along with eating a low-fat diet seems to decrease circulating estrogen because it encourages your body to expel excess estrogen; the fiber actually seems to bind it and flush it out of your body. To get 25 to 40g of fiber each day, you'll need to load up on fruits and vegetables, along with high-fiber whole grain products. For example, one serving of oatmeal contains about 4g of fiber, and an apple contains about 5g.
Menstruation, Fiber and Estrogen
Many women suffer from cramps, backaches, fatigue and heavy bleeding immediately before and during their menstrual periods. In some cases, excess estrogen may cause these symptoms, and consuming more fiber may help to alleviate them. Excess estrogen causes your body to produce high levels of fatty acids known as prostaglandins, which contribute to pre-menstrual syndrome symptoms. To improve symptoms, add fiber to your diet in the form of whole grains, such as brown rice and oatmeal, beans, fruits and vegetables. Try to get at least 25g of fiber each day.
Menopausal Hot Flashes
Hot flashes, which plague many women during menopause and, in some cases, for years afterward, also share a link with circulating estrogen levels in your body. Women who get hot flashes appear to have higher levels of certain types of estrogen. In some cases, increasing dietary fiber appears to reduce the number of hot flashes experienced by women with high levels of particular estrogens, though not all research has backed this up. If you're wondering if you should increase fiber in your diet as a way of warding off hot flashes, you should talk with your physician about whether that dietary strategy might benefit you.
Breast Cancer
Most women fear breast cancer, and many would consider dietary steps to avoid it if they knew what steps to take. It's possible that high fiber intake may guard against breast cancer, since it does reduce circulating estrogen levels, and high levels of estrogen have been linked to breast cancer. Not all types of fiber seem to have the same effect, however. Fiber obtained from whole grains does not appear to be protective, while fiber from fruits and vegetables does seem to reduce risk. Again, if you want to make dietary changes to reduce your risk of breast cancer, possibly including bulking up your dietary fiber intake, talk to your physician about your options and your overall risk level.
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