In 2014, then 61-year-old Emma Thompson joked about her hot flashes as she accepted a best actress award from the National Board of Review for her role in "Saving Mr. Banks."

"It's such a cold night. You know, it's the first time I've been actively grateful for the menopause," said Thompson.

Sound familiar?

Around 85% of postmenopausal women say symptoms such as hot flashes, palpitations, and insomnia define the months or years around the cessation of menstruation.

Many just tough it out, because for years they were told to take hormone replacement therapy, then told, "No, hormone therapy is too risky." Then they were told that it's really OK if done immediately after menopause and for no more than 10-20 years. (That’s the correct information, in our opinion, if you also take low-dose aspirin).

Too bad this new study, led by Physicians for Responsible Medicine's founding president Neal Barnard, wasn't around sooner. It's a real game changer.

During the 12-week study, researchers found that a plant-based diet that was rich in soy reduced moderate-to-severe hot flashes by 84%. Close to 60% of participants became totally free of moderate-to-severe hot flashes. And women who experienced mild hot flashes saw them decrease by 79%.

The findings were published in the journal Menopause.

The diet that produced these remarkable results was low-fat and vegan, based upon fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes; reduced intake of added oils and fatty foods; and one-half cup of cooked non-GMO soybeans daily.

In our opinion, this diet should be adopted by any woman who's contending with menopause symptoms.