Convert words into numbers

Hi,

For my research in medicine I build a spreadsheet with google docs. After having received most of the data I transfered the spreadsheet into an excel file. The next thing I would like to do is to convert the words in the spreadsheet into numbers so I can calculate with them. For example: every row in column E consist of one of the two words: 'man' or 'woman'. I would like to convert the word 'man' into a '0' and the word 'woman' into a '1'. Is it possible to write a formula or function for this?

Thank you very much!

With kind regards,

Thomas