- 24 July 2024
The vital role of nutrition in managing menopause
HOSTED BY DOCTORS FOR NUTRITION
This Food Vitals webinar will explore the evidence that a plant-based diet can manage menopausal symptoms.
Most women will go through physical and emotional changes, and experience unwanted symptoms, during the transition through perimenopause to menopause. Around 80% of women will experience a variety of menopausal symptoms that interfere with daily life, with around 20% of women experiencing moderate to severe hot flushes. These changes in hormonal levels can extend to overall health and mental wellbeing. Menopause is also associated with increased prevalence of obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis.
The standard Western diet is pro-inflammatory due to the high prevalence of processed foods, saturated fats, and cholesterol. The diet of Australians and New Zealanders rates high on the Dietary Inflammatory Index and is linked with a higher risk of the development of chronic diseases and menopausal symptoms.
A diet centred around whole plant foods can help mitigate the symptoms experienced during menopause, including hot flushes.
By the end of this webinar, attendees will be able to:
- Describe two pathophysiological processes contributing to increased menopausal symptoms.
- Identify at least three features of an eating pattern that can be beneficial for women suffering from menopausal symptoms.
- Name tools and techniques to support patients to transition to a whole food plant-based diet to decrease their menopausal symptoms.
Following the presentation is a Q&A with Dr Nitu Bajekal.
Speaker
Dr Nitu Bajekal, MD is a Senior Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in London, UK with nearly 40 years of clinical experience in women’s health. Her special interests include Lifestyle Medicine, Menopause, PCOS, Endometriosis, period problems, complex vulval problems and medical education. She is a keyhole surgeon with experience in laparoscopic procedures including robotics. She is a Fellow of the Royal College and recipient of the Indian President’s Gold medal. Dr Bajekal is one of the first board-certified Lifestyle Medicine Physicians in the UK. She has written the women’s health module for the first UK plant-based nutrition course at Winchester University. She has co-authored the women’s health chapter for an academic book for health professionals (Plant Based Nutrition in Clinical Practice, Sep 2022). She is a speaker at Holistic Holiday at Sea (HHAS), speaking on menopause, PCOS and women’s health issues.
CPD hours
This activity is approved for:
- 2.5 CPD hours (Educational Activities) with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP)
- 2.5 PDP hours with the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM)
- 2.5 CME hours with the International Board of Lifestyle Medicine (IBLM) toward the Lifestyle Medicine Maintenance of Certification (MOC).
CPD hours will be awarded upon viewing the webinar, completing a short quiz and reviewing two brief accompanying papers.
Access
Given the digital nature and immediate accessibility of our on-demand webinars, all associated fees are non-refundable. Paid members will be able to access the webinar recordings for free. Please see our refund policy here.
