PMS and Nutritional Therapy
By · CommentsIf you are one of the many women who suffer from the monthly nightmare of premenstrual syndrome or PMS, you might find that changing what you eat may really help.
What is PMS?
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) refers to a group of physical and emotional symptoms that some women experience in the week or two before their menstrual period.
Symptoms subside when the menstrual period starts and within a couple of days of menstrual flow.
Some women experience symptoms throughout their whole cycle without any reprieve.
Symptoms of PMS
PMS symptoms can range from mild to severe.
Symptoms may include:
- Breast Swelling and Tenderness
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Cramps
- Nausea and vomiting
- Food cravings
- Abdominal bloating
- Weight gain from water retention
- Stomach upset
- Swelling of the face, hands, ankles
- Depressed mood
- Crying spells
- Anxiety, irritability, anger
- Trouble falling asleep (insomnia)
- Appetite changes or food cravings
- Fatigue
Good Nutrition
Nutrition can substantially influence your PMS symptoms.
Following a well balanced and nutrient dense diet can really help your symptoms.
Include lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, complex carbohydrates, good quality protein, nuts and seeds to help rebalance and maintain your hormones.
Including soluble fibre such as oats, pulses, lentils, brown rice, fruit and vegetables will help to keep your bowels regular and remove any excess toxins and hormones from building up.
Taking a multivitamin and essential fatty acid supplement to ensure you stay topped up with all the necessary nutrients.
A good multivitamin is Cytoplan’s Foundation Formula and a good essential fatty acid supplement is Bio Care’s Dricelle Omega 3.
Good Nutrition for PMS
- Magnesium Low magnesium levels can lead to water retention, anxiety, irritability, cravings for sugar, and muscle cramps.
All of these experiences are considered to be typical around the premenstrual time.
The mineral magnesium, found in green leafy vegetables, whole grains and pulses, is also involved in the functioning of the neurotransmitter dopamine: if magnesium is low there is a reduction in dopamine secretion, which upsets the balance of the neurotransmitter and the level of serotonin production.
Another area where magnesium is involved is the secretion of insulin, thus a decrease in insulin levels may be responsible for those premenstrual sugar cravings and occasional mood swings.
- B6 (pyridoxine) deficiency in essential fatty acids and vitamin B6, zinc and magnesium, which together create prostaglandins, which help to balance hormone levels.
- Vitamin C
Bad PMS Food
- Caffeine is a stimulant and can cause irritability and lead to over stimulation of the adrenal glands so the body is less able to cope with stress. It can prevent the absorption of some essential nutrients – zinc and iron.
- Alcohol – Excessive intake depletes many vitamins and minerals which can impair the detoxification process of the liver and cause adrenal stimulation.
- Sugar in excess impairs the function of the adrenal glands and has been linked with suppressing the immune system.
- Salt - Certain people are sensitive to salt which may result in high blood pressure. If you are stressed this can have major implications on health.
Natural Remedies
- Flower remedies can often help you deal with the emotions related to being stressed:
Impatiens can help if you find yourself irritated by the little things;
White Chestnut can help with these thoughts that keep going round your mind;
And Beech can help if you have become intolerant and critical.
The Jan de Vries Female Essence combination can also help with any mood swings that you find yourself experiencing.
- Aromatherapy essential oils can be added to baths, massage oil, or infusers.
Essential oils that are used for stress, anxiety and nervous tension are: bergamot, cypress, geranium, jasmine, lavender, melissa, neroli, rose, sandalwood and ylang-ylang.
Lavender is the most common and forms the base of many relaxing blends.
- Herbs: Agnus Castus is the most important herb in relation to helping PMS.
It has been widely studied in relation to PMS and has shown to be extremely helpful in re-establishing a normal balance of hormones.
Agnus Castus works on the pituitary gland and has a balancing effect on the hormones especially in the second half of the cycle which is why it is such an important herb for PMS symptoms.
CAUTION: You should not take any of the above herbs if you are taking, The Pill, Fertillity drugs, HRT or any other hormonal treatment or other medication unless they are recommended by a registered, experienced practitioner
It is also advisable to include some form of relaxation and/ or exercise into your weekly routine. Either aerobic exercise or a yoga class would really help.
The important thing is setting time aside for you.
Milk Substitutes
By · CommentsWhat foods can I substitute?
Milk is rich in protein, calcium and Vitamins A and B and it is important to insure an adequate intake of these elements when on a dairy-free diet.
Soya is rich in protein, and other foods of importance in a dairy-free diet are potatoes, vegetable oil and fish.
Fish oils are rich in vitamin A.
Calcium is found in sardines, watercress, figs, rhubarb, almonds and other nuts.
Fresh fruit and vegetables are a good source and vitamins and minerals (especially important for children for the formation of strong, healthy teeth and bones).
There are a number of other milks that are available that may be substituted for cow’s milk when baking or cooking.
The type of substitute used will depend on the type of food it is used for.
Rice milk is good for drinking and putting on cereal. It can also be used when baking or as a thickening agent.
In some recipes water, broth, or juice can be substituted for the cow’s milk.
Sometimes, a milk allergic person can use goat’s milk or soy milk. Both of these milks, however, are also very allergenic.
In fact, most people allergic to cow’s milk are also allergic to goat’s milk.
Persons with lactose intolerance should never use goat’s milk. Lactose is present in all animal’s milk.
Milk
Soya, Rice, Oat, Nut, Coconut, Sheep’s Milk*, Goats Milk*, Ewes Milk*,
Butter/Margarine
Soya Spread (some pure oil margarines)
Yoghurt
Soya Yoghurt, Oat Yoghurt
Cheese
Rice Cheese, Soya Cheese (Hard/flavoured/slices/spreads)
Cream
Soya Cream, Whip Topping, Coconut Cream
Ice-cream
Soya Ice-cream, Rice Ice-cream
Chocolate
Carob and Vegan Chocolates
Whole Egg
Whole Egg Replacer
Egg White
Egg White Replacer
Egg in Recipes – To Replace One Egg
As Recommended By The Vegan Society: 1 Tablespoon Gram Flour Plus 1 Tablespoon of Water or 50ml White Sauce or 1/2 Banana Mashed
* PLEASE NOTE:
Sheep’s, Goats and Ewes Milk are technically not dairy products, however they have a similar composition to cow’s milk and may cause similar reactions/intolerances.
Calcium
Milk is neither the only nor the best source of calcium and has little effect on bone strength.
Good sources include: green leafy veg (broccoli, cabbage, bok choy, watercress etc), pulses (eg soya – used to make tofu, soya burgers, soya milk etc, red kidney beans, chick peas, broad beans, baked beans), parsnips, swede, turnips, some nuts such as almonds, Brazils, hazelnuts, pistachio and some fruits (dried figs, currants) and olives – and exceptionally high are sesame seeds. (Hummus, that gorgeous Middle-Eastern dip, contains sesame paste.)
Supermarkets and health food shops now stock a wide selection of delicious and nutritious dairy free alternatives to milk, yogurt, ice cream, margarine and cheese!
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Lactose Intolerance and Milk Allergy
By · CommentsThere has been a lot of media interest in the existence of food intolerances recently.
I have noticed that most of the information relating to lactose intolerance and milk allergies comes from studies that have been sponsored by The Dairy Council. I’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions about the implications this has on the validity of the studies.
Here is some information about lactose intolerance and milk allergy
Lactose intolerance
Lactose is a sugar found naturally in milk. It’s important to distinguish between lactose intolerance and milk allergy, because milk allergy can cause severe reactions.
Lactose intolerance is caused by a shortage of the enzyme lactase, which is needed to break down lactose so it can be absorbed into the bloodstream.
When someone doesn’t have enough of this enzyme, lactose isn’t absorbed properly from the gut, which can cause symptoms such as bloating and diarrhoea.
Milk Allergy
Allergy to cows’ milk is the most common food allergy in childhood, and affects 2-7% of babies under one year old. It’s more common in babies with atopic dermatitis.
A reaction can be triggered by small amounts of milk, either passed to the baby through the mother’s breast milk from dairy products she has eaten, or from feeding cows’ milk to the baby.
Children usually grow out of milk allergy by the age of three, but about a fifth of children who have an allergy to cows’ milk will still be allergic to it as adults. The symptoms of milk allergy are often mild and can affect any part of the body.
They can include rashes, diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach cramps and difficulty in breathing. In a very few cases, milk allergy can cause anaphylaxis.
Cows’ milk allergy is caused by a reaction to a number of allergens in cows’ milk, such as casein and whey. Casein is the curd that forms when milk sours, and whey is the watery part that is left when the curd is removed.
People can be allergic to either whey or casein, or both, and an allergic reaction can be triggered by very small amounts of these allergens in people who are sensitive.
Heat treatment, such as pasteurisation, changes whey, so people who are sensitive to whey might not react to pasteurised milk.
But heat treatment doesn’t affect casein, so someone who is allergic to casein will probably react to all types of milk and milk products.
Milk from other mammals (such as goats and sheep), and hydrolysed milk and soya formulas, are sometimes used as a substitute for babies who are at risk of developing cows’ milk allergy.
However, the allergens in milk from goats and sheep are very similar to those in cows’ milk.
This means that someone with a cows’ milk allergy might react to these other types of milk as well, so goats and sheep milk aren’t suitable alternatives for people who are sensitive to cows’ milk.
Some highly hydrolysed milk formulas are suitable for babies with cows’ milk allergy, but other types of formula, such as partially hydrolysed milk and soya formulas, aren’t suitable, because many babies with cows’ milk allergy might react to them as well.
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Lunch Box Ideas
By · CommentsLunch time is a great opportunity to sneak in some fruit and vegetables to your child’s diets.
- Include a portion of fruit every day but be adventurous and make it quick and easy to eat. Instead of setting your child the task of peeling an orange, why not pack them a bunch of grapes, a portion of fresh pineapple or fruit segments.
- There’s nothing more warming than a mug of homemade soup on a cold day. Invest in a small flask for those winter months. Equally, on a warm day a fresh, cold smoothie may be just as welcome.
- Make a salad box in the morning with fresh salad and vegetables and alternate toppings throughout the week, like grilled chicken, tuna, pulses or asparagus. This is also handy for the grown-ups who take lunches to work.
- Rice is a great base for salad, so try mixing in fruit, nuts, beans and vegetables for a tasty lunch alternative.
- If they have a sweet tooth, don’t automatically head for the sweets and chocolate. There are healthier alternatives that are just as tasty, such as dried fruit and nut mixes.
- If you’re looking for a slightly sweeter drink there’s nothing nicer than a 100 per cent fresh fruit juice to accompany their lunch.
It is important to be careful about the “healthy” snacks that you buy for the lunch boxes as all are not as healthy as they seem.
- Cereal bars: many cereal bars contain more than 40 per cent sugar and 30 per cent fat.
- Flavoured yoghurt: the once-healthy yoghurt now often comes attached to a pack of confectionery to stir in. Some of these contain more than five teaspoons of sugar in each pot.
- Savoury snacks: cheese strings and similar foods tend to be highly processed and may contain high levels of saturated fat and salt. One single snack can contain almost as much salt as a young child should have in an entire day.
- Fruit juice drinks: pure fruit juice contains 100 per cent fruit juice as you would expect. However a ‘fruit juice drink’ can contain as little as 6 per cent juice. Many so-called ‘juice drinks’ are really only juice-flavoured sugary water and contain more water and sugar than actual fruit juice. They many also include artificial flavourings, sweeteners and colourings.
With a little imagination and preparation, it may be easier than you think to give your children a healthy lunch.
Healthy Lunchboxes
By · CommentsIs it possible to get your child to take a healthy lunch to school and actually eat it?
Some five million children’s lunchboxes are prepared in British homes every weekday, yet a Food Standards Agency (FSA) survey revealed that three quarters of these were less than healthy.
They tended to contain foods that were too high in saturated fat, salt or sugar.
The same survey indicated that 45% of these lunches failed to include any fruit. Unsurprisingly, most included crisps, chocolate, biscuits and sugary drinks.
Making the same lunches day in and day out for your children can be torturous for all of you.
With a little creativity and collaboration you can make lunches that your children will enjoy and that can be considered healthy.
I do recommend you involve them in the process of changing their lunches though – you can always rely on children to be honest about their opinions.
If you are introducing something new to children, they will be suspicious and it may take three or four attempts to get them to try it. It is important thing that you try and you keep trying.
A sandwich is still the quickest and easiest thing to put in a lunch box.
However, there is nothing worse than a soggy sandwich or having the same one over and over again. According to the FSA survey, 85% of children had a sandwich in their lunch box – the most common being 2 slices of white bread with ham.
Here are some ideas to make sandwiches a bit more interesting.
- Vary the breads: whole grain whole wheat sliced bread, pittas, mini bagels, tortillas, small dinner rolls, English muffins, flat breads or naan. Check the label for 2 grams or more of fibre per serving.
- Vary the spreads: light mayonnaise, mustard, salsa, hummus, tzaziki, peanut butter, chutney or teriyaki sauce. Imagine the tasty combinations!
- Vary the fillings: peanut butter and sliced apples, peanut butter and banana egg salad with tomato, salmon with teriyaki sauce and baby spinach, tuna salad, turkey, ham, roast beef, hummus with grated carrots, refried beans with salsa and grated cheese or leftover stir fry in a wrap.
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