Live Long Naturally ©2012

Had I not seen my mother go through perimenopause (just before her hysterectomy), I would probably be making an appointment with a doctor. As a Baby Boomer, “the change” was getting closer. Having read several books on the subject, I am learning to embrace it and adjust my diet accordingly.

In Before The Change, Ann Louise Gittleman states perimenopausal symtoms are due to a hormonal imbalance. Relief can be attained and imbalance remedied with a change in diet and natural remedies. Some of the natural remedies Gittleman recommends are homeopathic, Bach flower, or cell salt in nature. They are taken via capsule, tablets, pellets, oils, teas or tinctures and may take anywhere from one week to two months to bring relief.

The following list of specific perimenopausal symptoms (listed in alphabetical order) can be treated with the following nutrients:

• Anxiety – Despondency (a homeopathic remedy)
• Cramps – Magnesium Phosphate – (cell salt)
• Breast tenderness – Black Currant Seed Oil (an essential oil)
• Craving for sweets – Magnesium, Chromium, or Manganese (cell salts)
• Headaches – Evening Primrose (essential oil)Insomnia – Lachesis and Sepia (Bach Flower), Magnesium (cell salt), and Valerian (essential oil).
• Irritability – Calcium and Magnesium (cell salts), Iodum (homeopathic)
• Joint Pain – Glucosamine sulfate (cell salt)
• Mood Swings – Chromium, Magnesium, and Manganese (cell salts)
• Periods – Heavy Bleeding – Rose or Cypress Oil (essential oil), Chamomilla (homeopathic)
• Periods – Irregular – Lavender or Melissa oil (essential oil)
• Periods – Painful – Marjoram (essential oil), Magnesium Phosphate (cell salt), or Actaea racemosa (homeopathic)
• Vaginal Dryness – Sepia (homeopathic)
• Water Retention – Magnesium (cell salt), Evening Primrose (essential oil)
• Yeast Infection – Sepia or Carbo-veg (homeopathic)

Gittleman also recommends massaging the essential oil of marjoram, jasmine, or over the abdomen as an all-purpose remedy. Remedy Rescue or Walnut (Bach flower remedies) are also recommended.

It must be noted, what works for one person won’t always work for another, and although some remedies may work well initially, others may lose their effectiveness shortly thereafter. Trying another remedy, as well as getting to the root cause of hormonal imbalance, will help bring relief to the underlying cause of perimenopause symptoms. It is worth knowing that the symptoms we experience will vary among women. Aside from the few sporadic unpleasant symptoms I am experiencing, my body, mind and spirit welcome the change.

Who to believe on whether soy is good for us or wreaking havoc on us? I say go with your gut. As always, there is no one-size-fits-all and the key in eating most foods is moderation.

According to Ann Louise Gittleman, bestselling author of Fat Flush Plan, she suggests eating soy food that is either fermented soy or none at all. Her belief is that fermented soy contains anticancer agents and nutrients such as calcium, minerals, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium, selenium, and zinc. The microflora in fermented soy is also beneficial for its ability to help break down glucose in food. Gittleman recommends one to two servings a week of fermented tempeh or miso soy products.

Stephen T. Sinatra, author of Heart Sense For Women, believes consuming soy can help prevent breast cancer by lowering blood cholesterol, lowering serum estradiol levels, and prolonging the menstrual cycle. He refers to soy as an outstanding source of calcium and phytonutrients that help support bone mass. He does however, not recommend soy products to women with estrogen dependant tumors or one week before, during or after radiation. Sinatra’s Modified Mediterranean Diet recommends eating tofu, tempeh, soybeans, or soymilk one to two times a week.

Both Gittleman and Sinatra agree on the potential of soy to disrupt hormones and although both doctors recommend it, the type of soy product they recommend differs. Experience has shown me that my body digests sprouted or fermented soy better than regularly processed soy. Use your best judgement by listening to your body and any upset or bloated feelings. Above all, moderation is key.

Not sure what constitutes a serving size? Super sized servings have practically become the norm these days. However, when real food is eaten, it takes a lot less real food to feel satisfied than it does processed food. The later leaves you wanting more – the chemicals in them were designed to not only make you fat, but get you addicted.

Ann Louise Gittleman, author of best selling Fat Flush Plan, has a clever way of eyeballing serving sizes. These are given to her clients as a way to recognize average sized portions. A deck of cards is the example she uses to approximate chicken, beef, or fish. The size of a tennis ball is used to imagine serving size for vegetables and starchy foods, such as corn, potatoes, or pasta. A three to one ratio is suggested for vegetables to starchy foods. Oil used in cooking can be seen as the size of a quarter being equal to one teaspoon. These visual estimates become second nature in helping a person eat a balanced meal.

And whatever you do when planning/serving your meals, aim to balance them with complex carbohydrates (the healthy grains), fat, and protein. A good rule of thumb and overall average based on several sources is 40-30-30 ratio to carbs, fats, and protein.

Bon Apetit!

Ann Louise Gittleman, author of bestselling Fat Flush Plan refers to yo-yo dieting as a schizophrenic eating habit – Scientists have referred to it as the yo-yo syndrome. Syndrome or schizophrenia, it is not healthy and can actually make a person fat. Many people, some of my clients included, weight themselves e-v-e-r-y single day. I’ve seen it drive them absolutely crazy, despite their clothes fitting perfectly well.

When a person makes a habit of dieting, the body cannot distinguish between dieting and famine, it reacts to protect the individual by slowing down their metabolism and becoming more efficient at storing fat. Another end result of yo-yo dieting is that it increases the risk for heart disease. Heart disease, by the way, is the #1 killer among women. And who are the ones that diet more often than not? Women.

Our best bet is to simply strive to eat healthy most hours of the day and days of the week. When we eat healthy, weight will never be an issue!