Seeking Health

Let’s start with wisdom by way of biology. In the earlier half of your cycle, your hormonal activity is designed to maximize your chances of being pregnant. Hormones flow abundantly, and testosterone is at a relative high. As a result, many women feel more energized, attractive, and aroused during this time.

I like to think of this as a “hormonal buffer”, which allows you to tolerate things that bother you, in favor of the deeply ingrained biological imperative to make babies.

In other words, if the paelolithic equivalent of dirty socks on the floor caused your cavewoman ancestor to have a meltdown while she was ovulating, you may not be here reading this today.

Then we come to the second half of the cycle. This is where all the problems happen because this is where there is a possibility that a sperm and egg have combined. It becomes biologically important for the female to become protective and wary of unwanted circumstances.

The hormonal buffer is no longer running high. Things that you don’t like become painfully obvious, and you react – sometimes in a way that you regret.

Here’s the important part: The things that bother you just before your period are probably the same things that you were tolerating during the rest of your cycle. You need to address them, so that you don’t reach that monthly breaking point. That’s the the first step in solving PMS naturally.

Remember, feelings are feedback. So don't dismiss your PMS emotions.

But there are other things you can do that will influence your biochemistry around your cycle.

#1 Exercise has been shown to improve mood in general, and PMS in particular. Types of exercise that have been studied include aerobic exercise (like walking or running), and yoga.

# 2 Vitex agnus-castus (aka Vitex or Chaste Tree) is a herb with a long history of use for female hormone problems. Research shows that it helps reduce PMS irritability, anger, bloating, headache and breast tenderness. It does this by interacting gently with opioid receptors – the part of our nervous system that reduces pain, and also regulates the menstrual cycle.

# 3 Magnesium and B6 are also helpful. Placebo controlled studies have shown that each of these nutrients reduced cravings, depression, anxiety and physical discomfort in PMS. They can be used separately or together.

One of the ways that both magnesium and B6 work is that they break down hormones that cause PMS symptoms. And remember that here in NZ our soil is pretty low in magnesium, so you may not be getting enough from your diet.

#4 Anti-inflammatory, mood-supportive diet: This is the most important in terms of the affect it has on your biochemistry.

A low fat, plant based diet has the helpful effect of reducing the amount of estrogen in the blood, sometimes to a striking degree. For many women, diets that avoid animal products and keep vegetable oils to a bare minimum cause a marked reduction in menstrual pain, presumably because of the diet’s effect on hormones.

There are several reasons why this diet affects hormones. First of all, meat and dairy contain estrogen and so add to your natural estrogen production. Also reducing the amount of fat in the food you eat reduces the amount of estrogen in your blood. This appears to be true for all fats—animal fats and vegetable oils.

Second, plant products contain fiber (roughage), which tends to carry estrogens out of the body. Here is how it works: The liver filters estrogens out of the blood and sends them down a small tube, called the bile duct, into the digestive tract. There, fiber from grains, beans, vegetables, and fruits soaks up the estrogens like a sponge. If plant foods are a major part of your diet, you’ll have plenty of fiber. But the amount of fiber in your diet is reduced when you have yogurt, chicken breast, eggs, or other animal products, because fiber comes only from plants. Without adequate fiber, the estrogens in your digestive tract end up being reabsorbed back into the bloodstream.

Certain foods that are common in vegetarian diets have special effects. Soy products, for example, contain phytoestrogens, which are very weak plant estrogens that reduce your natural estrogens’ ability to attach to your cells. The result is less estrogen stimulation of cells.

In addition to individual reports that low-fat, vegetarian diets can cause dramatic reductions in menstrual pain, vegetarians statistically also have fewer ovulatory disturbances. Some researchers have found that excess estrogen plays a role in PMS symptoms, too, and that shifting the balance of the diet away from fatty foods and toward high-fiber plant foods is helpful.

Remember, symptoms are signals. What do you think your PMS is telling you?

If it's time to look at what signals your symptoms are sending you, consider booking a Healthy Directions Strategy Session with me to discuss what changes you could make in your nutrition, exercise, mindset and lifestyle to prevent, reverse and heal from PMS, depression, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol or digestive issues.

Just like we can delete old files from our computers we can also do the same for our brain!

You know which keys to press to de-frag your computer, now you can have me lightly touch such places on your head to release the electromagnetic energy that’s clogging up your system.

These places on your head are called Bars. There are 32 of them and when gently touched and turned on start to release the old files you no longer need. Of course you get to choose which files to delete. And the great thing is it’s so relaxing, afterwards you feel as if you have had a deeply relaxing massage even though you have only had your head lightly touched.

“OK, I’ll have some of that” you say. Great! Here’s how it works.

About 25 years ago a man named Gary Douglas came up with these energy Bars that run through the head. Each Bar pertains to some aspect of our life that we deal with every day: joy, sadness, money, control, creativity, creating connections, peace, gratitude, and more. He found out that when we touch each of these Bars, the particular aspect of that Bar gets defragged. By defragged, I mean that old habits and patterns surrounding that Bar are released. Poof! Gone! How cool is that? So some of the things we learned from our parents, grandma and grandpa, teachers, TV, books, etc. that are stored in our brain (a lot of which is subconscious) and which inhibit us from performing at our optimum potential, or being the person we want to be, can be released. Do you remember someone saying “you can’t do that you are ….too young, too old, aren’t this or that” What if you could delete those points of view and choose for yourself?

Have you ever wondered why you keep choosing the same things in your life that don’t really work for you? What would you like to choose more of, or choose something completely different – job, money, relationships, happiness.

“Getting your Bars run” can be done in a reclining chair or on a massage table. Some people fall asleep - and it’s OK to snore! One hour of un-interrupted deep relaxation, treat yourself you deserve it.

So if you are looking for a better night’s sleep, less stress, more ease in life, a greater level of happiness or to let go of some habits that no longer serve you come and have your Bars run.

Can you really wake up joyful each morning? Is it possible to not take things personally? What if things were not right or wrong, or good or bad? What if they were just ideas with no judgment? What would it take for your life to be easier? What else is possible? Get your Bars run and put easy and joyful into your daily vocabulary.

This is a super easy recipe that we eat most weeks. It can be changed to include different vegetables or use kumara instead of potato.

This is how i made it last night for tea:

Chop potatoes, broccoli and leeks into chunks. Boil the potatoes until soft and steam the vegetables until just done. 

While those are cooking, blend together 1/2 cup walnuts, 2 garlic cloves, 1-2 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1/2 cup or more of water, depending on how thick or thin you want the sauce. Heat the sauce gently.

When everything is ready, add potatoes, vegetables and maybe some cooked chickpeas to a bowl and pour the sauce over the top.

So Yummy.

The medical establishment has been proving that the mind can heal the body for over 50 years. We call it “the placebo effect,” and we know that when patients in clinical trials get nothing but sugar pills, saline injections, or fake surgeries—but believe they might be getting the new wonder drug or miracle surgery—their bodies get better 18 to 80% of the time.

While many are aware of the seemingly mysterious placebo effect, fewer people know about its evil twin, “the nocebo effect.”

It turns out that negative beliefs harm the body.

Researchers in San Diego examined the death records of almost 30,000 Chinese-Americans and compared them to over 400,000 randomly selected white people. What they found was that Chinese-Americans, but not whites, die significantly earlier than normal (by as much as five years) if they have a combination of disease and birth year which Chinese astrology and Chinese medicine consider ill-fated.

The researchers found that the more strongly the Chinese-Americans attached to traditional Chinese superstitions, the earlier they died. When they examined the data, they concluded that the reduction in life expectancy could not be explained by genetic factors, the lifestyle choices or behaviour of the patients, the skill of the doctors, or any other variable.

Why Did The Chinese-Americans Die Younger?

The researchers concluded that they died younger not because they have Chinese genes, but because they have Chinese beliefs. They believe they will die younger because the stars have hexed them. And their negative beliefs manifested as a shorter life span.

It’s not just Chinese Americans whose fears about their health can result in negative health outcomes. One study showed that 79% of medical students report developing symptoms suggestive of the illnesses they are studying. Because they get paranoid and think they’ll get sick, their bodies comply by getting sick.

In addition to beliefs, other negative states of mind can also harm us. Chronic stress from negative attitudes and feelings of helplessness and hopelessness can upset the body's hormone balance and deplete the brain chemicals required for feelings of happiness, as well as have a damaging impact on the immune system. New scientific understandings have also identified the process by which chronic stress can actually decrease our lifespan by shortening our telomeres (the “end caps” of our DNA strands, which play a big role in aging).

To find out more about the effects of negativity on your health join me in attending the next seminar lead by my friend, Elly McGuinness of Natural Balance Health and Fitness, this Thursday 2 July at 7.15pm. And not only will you learn lots more about a negative mindset and how to turn it around, but you’ll also get a free box of organic fruit – just the thing to brighten anyone’s state of mind.

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/health-and-fitness-seminar-series-tickets-16671640325" target="_blank">Click here to register for Negative Nelly No More  

As a nutritionist, people often ask me what I eat. And usually the answer surprises them and embarasses me. You see, the truth is, my diet is pretty simple, predictable, repetitive and, well, boring. And that, surprisingly enough is one of the keys to my success in maintaining a trim figure.

It's really difficult to follow a diet and get results from it is when we are trying to eat different meals all the time with new and novel ingredients and recipes. People that tend to get the best results with their diet have a pretty consistent program in place. That means that what they’re doing every day is predicable. It’s incorporated into their routines. Those who wake up and ask themselves “what am I going to eat today?” have less chance of becoming successful.

I think it makes sense to make some of your meals predicable, and what others might call ‘boring.”

That means eating some of the same meals over and over and over again.

It may only appear boring to other people, but it has to be enjoyable for you. The meals that you’re going to eat over and over again should be tasty. They should be the sort of meals you never get tired of eating.

What are some of the benefits of eating the same meals over and over again?

1. It’s easier. It’s easy to stock up on the ingredients, always buy the same things, make the same recipe, and prepare it in advance. It’s just easier to know that what you’re going to be eating is, to some degree, predicable.
2. You can get health benefits. Why? Because if you carefully design those meals to be consistent, you can eat roughly the same number of calories, include certain foods that are very beneficial for health (like blueberries and flax seeds) that you would normally eat only occasionally.
3. You eat less. Variety leads to over-eating. When we have more options, we eat more. When we’re in front of a buffet we eat more then when we have only one option. When something is new, it’s exciting. A dog will prefer a new kind of dog food than the old one simply because it’s different, and will eat more of it as a result.
4. It’s less expensive. When you’re eating the same foods, you can make sure that you’re including foods that are less expensive and therefore you have less waste. You can include ingredients that are cheap and it’s just easier planning that way.
5. It becomes a habit. When you always eat the same things, it’s just part of your life.

So, how do we keep the consistent diet enjoyable? There are certain meals of the day that can be repeated over and over again.

The most obvious one is breakfast. Breakfast should be simple. It should be the same thing pretty much all the time. Why? We don’t expect breakfast to be exciting. We just want to eat some food to get our day started. Lunch could also be a fairly predictable affair.

Dinner is where we seek some variety. If we eat the same dinner meals over and over again, we’re going to get bored. Only a very few people can do it. However, you can still rotate some of the same dinners that you prefer and let’s say once or twice a week introduce something new; that way you’re eating something different every day. If you want to make it even simpler, use that system and make your lunch simply leftovers from dinner.

What are some good examples of meals that I personally like, and are simple, nutritious and made easily?

Breakfast

I essentially eat the same breakfast almost every day and have done for the last 6 or 7 years. I also have one alternate breakfast I use when I'm camping or away from home without my blender. Essentially two or breakfast meals are:

The Green Smoothie:My lovely man, Michael, makes my smoothie for me every morning. Essentially, he rotates about five different greens, adds bananas oranges, pineapple and kiwifruit, plus any other fruit we have, adds some green superfoods, and voila - breakfast every day of the week.

The Oatmeal Breakfast: I eat this on mornings when I'm camping or away from home. I like the oatmeal breakfast because it keeps my energy sustained for a long time and it’s also very cheap and easy to prepare. I mix in some date paste for sweetness, frozen berries (that way they thaw in the oatmeal), and I top it off with flax meal and cinnamon. Simple, delicious and very sustaining. When I do have oats for breakfast, I always also eat some steamed greens of some sort. I really try to incorporate greens into every meal.

To see how I eat for a whole day, watch "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RA3XPxvyJ48" target="_blank">What I Eat Wednesday".

If you would like some help with your diet, consider getting a Nutritional Audit.

And, if you need help losing weight, contact me to make a time for a free Forever Slim Strategy Session and check out the Eat More to Weigh Less program.

• 10 medjool dates, pitted and diced (or 1 cup of date paste)
• 1½ cups oat flour *
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice**
• 425g cooked, mashed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup unsweetened, unflavored plant milk

Soak the dates in a small bowl with ¾ cup water for at least 15 minutes.

Preheat the over to 200ºC.

Place the flour and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl. Place the soaked dates, the date soak water (see “texture” note), vanilla, and plant milk in a blender and purée until smooth (1 to 2 minutes). Pour the mixture into the bowl of flour and spices, and also add the pumpkin, and mix with a wooden spoon until all the dry ingredients are incorporated.

Scrape the batter into an 8 × 8-inch parchment-lined baking sheet (or use a nonstick silicone baking pan). Cook for 25 to 30 minutes at 200ºC, until lightly browned with some cracks on the top. Let cool at least 10 to 15 minutes before cutting and serving. 

Storing in the refrigerator overnight will firm up these squares, then you can pack them in a lunch or as a snack.

* Make oat flour by processing rolled oats in a blender or food processor until a grainy "flour" is produced.

**To make your own pumpkin pie spice: If you do not have pumpkin pie spice on hand, you can substitute 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves.

Texture: For a firmer texture without refrigerating overnight, use only ½ cup of the date soak water.