Beat the misery of the menopause

Some women seem to sail through the hormonal turmoil that marks the end of their fertile years (average age 51), but for others symptoms such as hot flushes, mood swings and memory loss can be so dire as to make life intolerable. As many as 6 per cent of women experience this before the age of 40. 

More than a quarter of women going through the menopause struggle to cope with everyday life due to their symptoms, research shows. Half say they are depressed, while more than a third suffer from anxiety, a poll of 3,275 women found. Other common symptoms include exhaustion, aching muscles and night sweats. Many of us have been there, constantly throwing off the duvet, only to wake up freezing cold a few minutes later. Fatigue brought on by poor quality sleep, sudden memory blanks and visible hot flushes can be a real concern at work. No one expects the menopause to impact on their professional life!

While hormone replacement therapy (HRT) used to be seen by many as the solution, its safety profile has plummeted since American research in 2002 linked it with a higher risk of breast cancer, stroke and blood clots (even though for most women the risk of these is still small).

But are natural remedies an effective alternative?

The conventional view is that herbal pills and other supplements are ‘much less effective at easing the symptoms of the menopause compared to HRT’, as the Royal College of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians has reported. However: ‘The best ones can reduce the severity of symptoms by 50-60 per cent, compared with a reduction of 80-90 per cent with HRT,’ it said. 

Natural treatments for menopause work in a completely different way to prescription drugs. The natural approach works with your body, which means that it can actually prevent or reduce the severity of nearly all of your symptoms rather than just relieving them temporarily!

Find the natural and powerful combination that works best for you:

1.  Nip your symptoms in the bud with optimal nutrition

The most effective (and enjoyable) medicine that exists, is in the food that you eat. Strive to eat a balance of good fats, complex carbohydrates and protein. Make sure you have plenty of fruits and vegetables at every meal, including breakfast. It’s best to eat three meals a day and two or more snacks in order to keep your blood sugar stable. The most important thing to remember is to reduce carbohydrates especially refined carbohydrates and sugars.

2.  Use herbal remedies that act like our own hormones

Many plants and herbs can adapt to the needs of your body, they share various molecular features with our own hormones allowing them to support our hormone production or even mimic what our own hormones do. 

Some herbs that can help reduce menopause symptoms include black cohosh, passionflower, wild yam, sage leaf and ashwagandha. Sage leaf, wild yam and black cohosh have certainly helped to reduce the severity and frequency of my own symptoms, particularly the dreaded hot flushes and night sweats. 

3.  Exercise to reduce the fat that can upset oestrogen and progesterone ratios

Many women gain weight steadily during the perimenopause and menopause, especially around their stomachs and abdomen. Fluctuating oestrogen levels tend to cause the body to hold on to fat. On top of this, fat actually produces oestrogen, which can create even more fat, so the cycle continues. Doing whatever exercise you enjoy can make such a positive impact on your health. Moving your body has a major impact on your weight, other menopausal symptoms and your overall health. 

For many women, perimenopause and menopause offer them the opportunity to change, to become a different person, one that is less interested in what people think of them, and one that is much more able to speak up for herself. 

Making natural adjustments to your lifestyle not only enables you to feel much better but also feel in control of your menopause symptoms. I would encourage you to start to make small yet important changes, as they can create some remarkable results:

• start the day with a glass of water with lemon
• make daily positive affirmations
• ensure that you remember to breathe deeply each day (an effective and simple way to reduce stress)
• make a commitment to take your supplements every day

With a little bit of time and trial and error, you’ll discover the combination of natural steps that works best and helps relieve your symptoms!

Enjoy the journey

Alison x

Sources:

https://www.womentowomen.com/menopause-perimenopause/five-steps-for-natural-menopause-relief-2/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2796460/how-menopause-makes-life-misery-quarter-women-four-ten-seek-help-family-doctor-symptoms-including-depression-anxiety-night-sweats.

 htmlhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/8376768/How-do-professional-women-cope-with-the-menopause.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3001428/Natural-remedies-claim-conquer-menopause-symptoms-effectively-HRT.html

Why knowing your bacteria, can help you live a healthier and happier life!

I have put off writing this post for quite a while, mostly because it may be the most important focus that we can have on our health overall, and nutritional advice in this area can be a ‘minefield’. It may be fair to say that in terms of future health and preventing illness and disease, looking after your own ‘eco system’ could be the one thing that makes all the difference. Therefore my aim in this post is to bypass the science, and communicate this message to you in an effective and helpful way. Keep reading to check some of the simple things you can do to improve your gut health.

In recent years bacteria has been classed as the bad guy that ‘must be destroyed’; the use of antibacterial cleaners and antibiotics has been focused on killing bacteria. However, numerous studies have demonstrated a direct link with the gut microbiota (the bacteria in our digestive area) and our health to how we feel, our skin, our moods as well as illness and depression. Literature in this field has also suggested that the gut bacteria can directly influence the immune system. This means that our gut health may affect the symptoms or even the development of diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. “Diabetes, obesity, multiple sclerosis, depression, and anxiety are examples of other illnesses discussed in the literature (Maranduba, C. et al 2015).

It is an exciting time for microbiologists and research is moving at a rapid pace. Although there is so much yet to be discovered, we don't know what the perfect microbiome looks like or which bacteria colonies are the perfect mixes. Scientists are taking faecal samples from those tribes in Africa who are living closest to our ancestor hunter-gatherers as anyone today. Samples are also being taken from thousands of people who are living in different environments and are on various diets today. (humanfoodproject.com).

Even though there is still much to learn, it seems clear that promoting a range of ‘good’ bacteria can support your health. Certain foods and supplements can be beneficial (see: ‘what can you do…’ below).  As with all nutrition advice there is not a one size fits all approach. Care must be taken, for instance, for those displaying IBS symptoms, as some foods promote intolerance. If this is relevant to you, getting to grips with FODMAPS (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides And Polyols) and how to take specific foods from your diet in order to avoid pain or bloating may be useful. Common FODMAPS include, dairy products, coconut milk, apples, peaches, mangoes, watermelon, dried fruits, asparagus, brussels sprouts, broccoli, garlic and onions etc. If you have gut issues, vegetables that are safer to consume include, carrots, parsnips, plantain, sweet potatoes, turnip butternut squash, pumpkin etc. Having a good awareness of when you display symptoms can help you identify problematic foods which you can then try eliminating for 21 days, gradually reintroducing to check if they are a problem for you. 

Although I am a self confessed ‘bacteria geek’ since my undergraduate medical microbiology classes, I do not consider myself an expert in this field of study. It is absolutely fascinating to understand the complexities of how bacteria have evolved. We must learn how to nurture bacteria, as they can be our friend or brutal enemy. In my opinion, it is essential we look after our own ‘eco system’ if we want longevity and good health, not only for this generation but for our children, grandchildren and beyond. 

Need more convincing?

• ‘All disease begins in the gut.’ Hippocrates stated this more than 2000 years ago!
• We are made up more more bacteria than we are human cells!
• Poor gut flora (very low colonies of a range of ‘good’ bacteria) has been linked to diseases including autism, coeliac, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and type 1 diabetes.
• There are more elements involved to which bacteria colonise your gut than what you eat, for example where you live and your environment are a huge part of the gut health. It is suggested to be more beneficial if you live in a more rural area, near animals preferably an organic farm.
• Babies that are not breast-fed and are “born to mothers with bad gut flora are more likely to develop unhealthy gut bacteria, and these early differences in gut flora may result in overweight, diabetes, eczema or psoriasis, depression and other health problems later.
• Frequent bowl movements are an indication of healthy gut microbiota (2-3 a day is ideal, more than that may be an issue and less than 1 a day is a definite sign that you need a few changes in your diet).
• Antibiotics are suggested to cause diarrhoea which can be due to the growth of pathogenic (harmful) bacteria including salmonella, C. Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans.

Which factors contribute to an unhealthy gut microbiota?

• Antibiotics
• Some birth control pills, steroids
• Eating lots of sugar and processed foods
• Eating low amounts of vegetables (not enough fibre)
• Stress on the body, both physical and mental - overexercising and not enough sleep too!
• Infections

What can you do to promote a healthy gut to aid you in feeling fabulous?

• Eat more vegetables - a variety is best preferably organic (refer to FODMAPS)
• Take a multi species probiotic - minimum of 1 billion colony-forming units (CFUs) of probiotics per serving.  
• Avoid commercial probiotic yoghurts which contain sugar/sweeteners and have very little evidence of benefit.
• To promote a healthy stomach acid include one or some of the following herbs: dandelion, fennel, goldenseal, peppermint and milk thistle. 
• Ginger is an age old digestive remedy - tea or supplements.
• Consume fermented foods including raw sauerkraut, kimchi and kefir.
• Be kind to yourself, sleep enough, eat naturally and make time for you.

There are some links below to read and learn more about your gut health. Other than reading scientific literature, I found Chris Kresser extremely knowledgable in this area and his advice is comprehensive. Always beware of any nutritional advice that focuses in on completely changing your diet 100 per cent. This is difficult for any of us in the present day, however respecting yourself and your body can lead you to positive healthy changes and feeding your body what it deserves.

I hope you have found this useful, please feel free to comment and we would be happy to answer any questions you have.

love and laughter,

Kelly x

LInks:

chriskresser.com

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/probiotics/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Int J Med Microbiol. 2010 Jan;300(1):25-33. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2009.08.004. Epub 2009 Oct 2.

Inflammatory bowel disease, gut bacteria and probiotic therapy.

Reiff C1, Kelly D.

J Immunol Res. 2015; 2015: 931574.

Intestinal Microbiota as Modulators of the Immune System and Neuroimmune System: Impact on the Host Health and Homeostasis

Carlos Magno da Costa Maranduba et al.

Make your own nut milk

Did you know that almond milk sales are growing at a rate of 70 to 80% year-on-year in the UK, as consumers trade their traditional pint of milk for a dairy-free alternative?

Health conscious individuals are reacting to warnings about consuming too many dairy products and, whilst this dairy-free trend has been around for decades, it has only recently hit mainstream shoppers. An increase in lactose intolerance (the inability of some people to digest a naturally occurring sugar in milk) has also impacted on sales.

A recent study in the British Medical Journal suggested that drinking cow’s milk not only fails to prevent bone fractures, it may actually double the risk of an early death.

From a nutritional point of view, almond milk is lower in fat and calories, it's rich in phosphorus, potassium and zinc as well as vitamins A, D and B12.

I made some home-made raw almond milk recently and was impressed with not only the taste, but how quick and easy it is to make!

Whilst pre-packaged almond milk is readily available in stores, making your own almond milk has to be a better option to control the quality and integrity of the finished product - the freshness of the nuts, the sugar levels, and the texture.

Home made fresh raw almond milk contains live enzymes with no additives or preservatives. It is fantastic to drink, put on cereals, use in smoothies and in baking. I just can't get enough of it and I’m sure you will too!

You will need:

125g raw almonds

480ml water, plus more for soaking almonds

1tsp honey or maple syrup, optional 

1. Place almonds in a large bowl and soak them by covering with an inch of water. Let the almonds soak uncovered overnight; the longer you soak the almonds, the creamier your milk will be.

2. Drain and rinse the almonds from their soaking and rinse them under cool water. The almonds should now be soft. Place the soaked almonds in a blender with 480ml water. Blend on high speed for about two to three minutes or until blended into a fine meal consistency. The water will be opaque and white.

3. Strain the almonds over a large bowl using a sieve or ‘ nut bag’. Then, pour the almond milk mixture into the strainer.  Press all the almond milk from the almond meal.

4. Taste the milk and add honey or maple syrup if desired. Place in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to two days.

Top tip: Use any leftover almonds in granola, smoothies or inside baked apples.

Enjoy

Alison x

Sources:

http://www.mydaily.co.uk/2014/05/27/how-to-make-your-own-almond-milk-itscheaper-than-buying-it/

http://healthyblenderrecipes.com/recipes/home_made_raw_almond_milk

http://www. lhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/11194085/Does-drinking-milk-really-make-you-die-early.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/11194085/Does-drinking-milk-really-make-you-die-early.html

hhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/11229808/How-the-UK-is-going-crazy-for-almond-milk.htm