Hormones and Insomnia

 

Hormones and insomnia

I don’t know about you, but PMS, being cranky because of lack of sleep, feeling stressed or bloated, can leave any girl looking for answers. I know a lady who spent years looking for answers, because she literally spent years not being able to sleep. I know what I feel like if I didn’t have a good night’s sleep, imagine feeling like that for years!

Below are a few things that can contribute to disrupted sleep and hormones:

·    Poor nutrition Sugar is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to hormones. It messes up your hormones, leaving you feeling emotional and tired.

 Colourants and preservatives are big “no no’s”!

Too much meat can send your digestive tract into a flurry. Instead of rejuvenating and regenerating at night, it will leave you feeling like you have worked in a factory the whole night.

Refined, processed flours are simple carbohydrates that turn into sugar almost immediately.

Lack of fruit and vegetables will also leave your body starved of minerals and vitamins which are there to help your body functioning like a proper machine.

Caffeine can leave you feeling jittery, cranky and agitated. Enough said!

 

·     Fear, anxiety and stress This can be the root of many of your ailments. You need to free yourself from this prison by forgiving and releasing.

·     Bitterness and anger Don’t go to bed angry and with unresolved issues with a partner or children. It will create an open door for the enemy to come and steal in your life. And you will be the one left tossing and turning the night!

·     Adrenal fatigue This is also where your hormones are out of sync. Prolonged stress, fear and anxiety can lead to your adrenal glands basically burning out. You will be left tired and still not be able to sleep properly.

·     Hormone imbalances Various factors can contribute to this, most of them mentioned above.

What to do!

-A nice cup of chamomile tea mixed with some rooibos before bedtime. Aaaaahhh……

-Changing your diet to fruit and vegetables, wholegrains and legumes, nuts and seeds. Stock up on bananas, avo’s and baby potatoes. (See my fried banana recipes at the end.)

-Calcium and magnesium supplements. Magnesium is an element and a mineral that can work wonders. It can be found in bananas, potatoes, leafy greens, avo’s etc.

“Miracle Liquid Magnesium” found at pharmacies. The name says it all!

-Melatonin. This is a hormone that is released by the pineal gland that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. The brain produces it in response to darkness. A dietary supplement of melatonin is often prescribed as a short time treatment for insomnia.

-Zinc has a calming and anti-depressant effect and helps to regulate sleep. 

-Essential oils that aid sleep and relaxation can be Lavender, Frankincense and Chamomile oil.

A Wonderful product with an amazing testimony is “Endoflex” by Young Living. This is an essential oil blend that contributes to your overall wellbeing. It supports a healthy endocrine system, as well as the glandular, circulatory, respiratory, nervous and reproductive systems. It assists your body in balancing hormones, and the hormones help the different systems to work together in harmony. If your hormones are out of balance, then your body will be out of sync. And a whole list of symptoms will follow, including bad PMS, insomnia and weight gain.

Food grade Endoflex essential oil blend can be taken internally by placing a few drops in a capsule. Apply topically to the sides of the neck where the glands are, or specifically on the thyroid gland if you have problems, inside of the wrists, and specifically the feet before bedtime.

Endoflex ingredients and some properties:

Spearment

-For hormone inbalances- It decreases the male hormone testosterone and increases the female hormone progesterone.

-Aids digestion.

-Promotes relaxation and reduces stress.

Sage

-Stress reduction.

-Reduces menstrual cramps.

-Natural anti-depressant.

-Alleviates menopausal symptoms.

Geranium

-Reduces feelings of anxiety and depression.

-Pain reliever.

-Balances hormones.

Myrtle

-Helps clear acne and skin problems.

-Aids in the release of hormones for reproductive health.

-Helps clear the mind and enhances concentration.

-Promotes sleep.

Chamomile

-Promotes tranquility and vitality.

-Promotes a youthful appearance and longevity.

-Alleviates feelings of anxiety and depression.

-Relieves PMS symptoms.

-Helps with insomnia.

Nutmeg

-Stress reliever.

-Pain reducer.

-Eases menstrual cramping.

-Sleep inducer.

Sesame seed oil

-Helps fight depression and stress.

-Great for the skin.

-Feeds hormones.

 

Endoflex was the answer to the lady who spent years staring at the ceiling at night after trying a multitude of products. It took about a week or so of using the product for her hormones to come into balance again. Imagine the amount of books she read! It might be your answer...

If you would like to order the Endoflex Essential Oil Blend and want to get more information, please contact Carlyle at carlylesmith@yahoo.com or 082 781 3038 (South Africa).

Lizelle

Recipes:

Fried banana on rye bread

I know that bananas lose their nutritional value when fried, but this is a nice treat.

-Slice banana lengthwise, fry in a little coconut oil and cinnamon.

-Turn and fry the other side.

-Serve on slowly fermented sourdough bread.

*You can add some labne cream cheese if you want to make it a little fancier.

(Labne is Verlorenkloof pasture fed yoghurt that has been strained again. The thick part that is left over is called “labne”. This is often eaten in the Middle East)

Fried banana with yoghurt and pecan nuts

-Fry the bananas in a little coconut oil and cinnamon.

-Layer warm bananas with Verlorenkloof pasture fed plain yoghurt without preservatives etc. (This yoghurt does not give us phlegm or swollen tonsils, where we usually don’t make dairy a part of our diet!)

-Sprinkle with pecan nuts.

-Serve in dessert bowls or beautiful glasses.

 

 

Picky Eaters

 

            Picky Eaters

The thought of placing a bowl of brown lentil soup in front of a picky eater, adults or children, can bring images that lead to disaster, or them never wanting to visit you again! For some, transition to a healthier diet can feel daunting and overwhelming. For others it can be an exciting time with tremendous breakthrough. Today we will be focusing on those who need a little more nudging.

 Picky eaters will rather choose not to eat at all in the sight of a healthy snack or meal. But put a packet of chips in front of them, and they will devour it like a ravenous creature. Their bodies are actually starved of nutritious food, and their cells are crying out for healthy food with substance. Their taste buds have become addicted to sugar, MSG and salt. That is why healthier alternatives taste and look bland.

 We are going to have a look at how you can help your family make a smoother transition.

 

·    First of all, you have to realise that you have to make the effort and stick with it. You need to realise that your taste buds need to be retrained, even if it (and your family..) throw a tantrum. It can be done!

 

·    Presentation is key. Place a healthy breakfast in front of a picky eater, and they will most likely say “no thank you”, and wait for something more appealing (usually with sugar). By serving the same breakfast in a beautiful glass, it will instantly add more stars to your meal.

 

·    Tweaking existing meals. Adding extra vegetables to your dishes can add extra nutrition into your family’s meals. Taking a star favourite like “mac and cheese” you can add pureed butternut to your sauce, and then adding less milk, flour and cheese.

 

·    Instead of having mince on rice, serve mince on vegetable mash. Mash together potatoes, carrots and butternut, and add a bit of salt or natural seasoning.

 

·    If they don’t like beans and legumes, then slowly start adding beans or cooked lentils to mince or soup (instead of brown lentil soup!). When preparing butternut soup, try adding some red lentils. It will keep them fuller for longer instead of filling up with more bread.

 

·    If white bread is your staple food, then have a decent sandwich for lunch for now. You will slowly learn to move over to a healthier bread. You need to fill it up with salad ingredients. Add some hummus, avo, chickpeas and hummus. It will nourish your family and fill them up while still having bread in the picture. How about adding some leftover roasted vegetables to your sandwich? You can replace your white bread with a wrap here and there. Have a little mayo or healthy salad dressing with it.

 

·    Start your day with oatmeal, even if it means getting up a little earlier. Add some cinnamon, raw honey, dates, sliced banana or peanut butter. It makes it a little bit more interesting.

 

·    If you want pizza, then make it a family effort. If you eat pizza every week, then make your own over the weekend. Make it from scratch and load it up with vegetables. I’m not talking about the once a month take away!

 

·    If you feel like cakes or biscuits, then make the effort of baking it yourself. Get the kids involved, and everyone will appreciate it much more.

 

·    If it’s instant, then it’s out! (As far as possible…)

 

·    Don’t bring sugar laden flavoured yoghurts into your home. Not for breakfast, and not as a treat. It wrecks havoc on your sugar levels, leaving you tired and miserable. Change to pasture fed, live culture plain yoghurt. We buy Verlorenkloof yoghurt every once in a while. Serve it with different toppings like chopped up fruit, berries, nuts, seeds, raw honey, cinnamon, dates or raw oat. Sunflower seeds are more affordable than nuts and are very nutritious.

 

·    Remove the packets of chips and save it for a braai or special occasion. Most chips are packed with MSG, colourants and heated oils. These are addictive and hormone disruptive. Replace chips with home made popcorn and lightly salted peanuts and raisins during the week.

 

·    Have fruit everyday! Sliced apples with peanut butter and cinnamon are great for a snack.

 

·    Have carrot sticks ready to crunch on while everyone is waiting for dinner to be ready. Don’t be tempted by bread and chips. Remember, you had bread for lunch.

 

·    Stay away from drinking yoghurts and milky drinks. These are loaded with sugar and colourants. Make your own smoothie combinations or flavoured milks.

 

*Milk, banana, peanut butter, cocoa powder and water.

*Bananas, berries, almonds, plant-based milk and water.

 

·    How about making your own potato wedges and serving it with a home made tomato sauce or avo dip?

 

·    Teach your family how to make “oats and banana flapjacks” (see my previous blog). You can make a batch and store them in the fridge for snacks. Serve with nut butter for a nutritious and filling snack. Add some dark chocolate chips for special occasions…

 

·    If you have sweets everyday, how about installing a rule; no sweets before 1pm. This will teach self control, which is a big step forward. When eating foods that contain sugar, a vicious cycle errupts.

*Sugar High: Everyone is happy, bouncy and loving.

*Sugar Low: Meltdown, tantrums, exhaustion, fatigue, paleness set in.

*Unstability: Irritability, hunger, unstable, irrational emotions and behaviour set in.

The last stage is where you will crave more sugar and not proper, nutritious food. You will find that the person will say “no” to meals, and wait until something sweet comes along. And say “yes” to sweets!

Maybe have an oats, banana and dark chocolate cookie on hand in case of emergencies! (See recipe below)

So instead of serving your family and friends brown lentil soup, focus on them getting to eat nourishing, appealing yet familiar foods again. Which steps will you be implementing first?

Recipes:

Oats cookies:

2 Large ripe bananas mashed

1 and a half cups raw oats

1   Third cup raisins | dates or dark chocolate

 

-Mix well

-Scoop 2 Tbsp per cookie, roll in a ball and flatten, and shape.

-Place on parchment paper.                          Bake for 12 min, 180 Celsius.

 

*For a crunchier cookie, spray baking tray and leave out parchment paper.

*Add cinnamon (optional)

 

Breakfast pots:

Layer raw oats, chopped, fruit or berries with pasture fed, live culture plain yoghurt.

Options:

·    Add chia seeds to yoghurt night before.

·    Make your own soya yoghurt.

·    Or add chia seeds to kefir yoghurt.

·    Serve in beautiful glasses.

 

Anti-inflammatories

 HEALTH AMPLIFIED

Anti-inflammatories

We’ve all had that nasty grass burn or “roastie” in our lives. Our daughter recently slid down a grassy hill on an empty box, and got her first real grass burn! It has been quite a story getting this thing healed. Blood, wound fluid, redness. Not for the faint hearted.

Inflammation is an indication that your body is fighting damaged cells, viruses and bacteria, be it from a cut, burn, or any injury. It is the body’s natural defence against an underlying issue. Inflammation can be treated in many ways, but as I mentioned, it is the body’s natural fighting mechanism, usually showing up as redness and swelling. You can use essential oils, ointments, prescription medication etc. The question is, are you using it for a short period, or has it become part of your lifestyle and become chronic medication?

Chronic anti-inflammatories should not become the norm. You should be looking at natural alternatives and see where you can make lifestyle changes. Chemical anti-inflammatories come with a long list of side effects, where you might end up using more medication to treat those symptoms. Please read your labels!

Chemical anti-inflammatories reduce swelling and pain which affect the central nervous system. What it does is block pain that is signalled to the brain. Long term use can lead to a false sense of well being. Why do you have inflammation in the first place that it needs to be treated with medication? What is causing the inflammation and where can you make changes?

Chronic inflammation symptoms can include:

·       Fatigue

·       Mouth sores

·       Chest pain

·       Abdominal pain

·       Fever

·       Rash

·       Joint pain

Things that can also contribute to inflammation other than injury are; poor diet, stress, food allergies, anxiety and even a sedentary lifestyle. Remember that many food allergies are directly linked to fear, anxiety and stress that are manifesting in this way, causing a histamine reaction in your body.

Were you aware that poor food choices can contribute to inflammation in the body, leaving you with aches, pains and even depression? Please reflect on your food choices and see where you can make changes. With so much health information at your fingertips, there are no excuses to being oblivious  to the truth. It might be the thing that is making you feel like a rusted piece of metal!

With our family eating a predominantly plant based diet, you can feel the aches and pains creeping up on your body the next morning after we have eaten meat. Try a mostly plant based diet for a month, and then have a juicy piece of meat for dinner. Check your body when you get up in the morning, and how you slept. Big difference, even in your breath and sweat!

Foods that can contribute to inflammation:

·       Refined carbohydrates. Just a reminder that white bread, pizza dough, pasta, pastries, white flour, white rice, sweet desserts and many breakfast cereals can all contribute to inflammation.

·       French fries and fried foods. (including heated oils)

·       Carbonated sugar sweetened beverages.

·       Red meat and processed meat.

·       Sugar.

·       Foods containing MSG.

·       Gluten.

·       Alcohol.

Your solution!

Anti-inflammatory foods! Certain foods contain vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. These elements all help speed up the healing process in your body. Anti-oxidants are found in fresh fruit and vegetables and can reduce swelling and pain.

By making lifestyle food choices, you will be feeding your body natural anti-inflammatories, long term. The following foods won’t just lessen aches and pains, but your body will start healing the problem that caused it in the first place. Your immune system will also be getting a boost, and it will be able to fight pathogens in a much stronger way etc.

·       Spinach, broccoli, kale

·       Dark green salad leaves

·       Raw mushrooms and peppers

·       Blueberries, cherries, strawberries

·       Almonds

·       Raw cabbage

·       Pineapple

·       Celery and beetroot

·       Salmon

·       Black pepper

·       Garlic

·       Tumeric, ginger, rosemary

·       Cold pressed, unheated olive oil

·       Apple cider vinegar

Drinking warm water with grated ginger and squeezed lemon juice on a regular basis. This decreases acidity in your body and helps to remove uric acid from joints, which can lead to pain. It also stimulates the liver and activated bile flow. This helps to emulsify and flush out fat soluble toxins.

Omega oils also help to lubricate joints, which reduces swollen and tender joints. Look out for cold pressed Flaxseed oil.

Dealing with stress, anxiety and fear in your life. Maybe it is time to do some introspection. See where you need to forgive and let go. Where can you make changes to a busy lifestyle? Are you really responsible for the well being of all those people in your life, or do you need to bring them before God in prayer and intercede for them? Are you using medication to numb the pain, or is it maybe time to face those fears and make them powerless in your life?( Please refer to my 3 part series on “The link between your emotions and disease.”)

See where you can increase anti-inflammatory foods on a daily basis, and slowly start lowering your chemical medication. Swallowing a pill might be an easy way out right now, but how will your body be responding in the long run? I know that these are some hard questions, but vitality is waiting for you on the other end.

I have written about green powders, barley green powders etc. over and over again. I have to accentuate it, because it is life changing. Have a look at “The Real Thing” Green Powder found online, at Dischem or Mopani pharmacy. Or BarleyLife powder or capsules.

I am a big supporter of Frankincense and Myrrh essential oils and resins and take it on a daily basis. These help to balance your whole body and get everything functioning properly again, detoxing your body in the process. We order ours from “Ancient Biblical Oils”. Not to mention the wide variety of essential oils being available to us in health shops, pharmacies and online.

I don’t think there is anyone that wants to be in pain for longer than they should. Take some time this weekend and see how you can make positive changes long term. Get yourself an “accountability” partner if you have to, it will be worth it in the end!

Lizelle

Recipes:

Blueberry no- bake cheese cake

We don’t usually eat dairy, but this is a creamy, rich, cheese cake without being too sweet! This one needs to be made the day before.

Base:

Half cup rolled oats

Quarter cup ground oats (oat flour)

Half cup ground nuts (I prefer almonds)

1 and half Tbsp melted butter

1 and half Tbsp honey

1 and half Tbsp water

Filling:

2 Cups strained cottage cheese or cream cheese

1 Cup heavy cream (chilled)

1 Tbsp lemon juice

Quarter cup honey

1 tsp vanilla

Topping:

1 Cup blueberries

1 Tbsp honey

2 Tbsp chia seeds (or more for thicker consistency)

Touch of lemon juice

Quarter cup water

-Mix the crust ingredients together and press into an 8 inch, greased, spring form tin.

-Place wax wrap over it and press on the crust with the back of a glass to compact the crust.

-Place in the fridge while you make the filling.

-Mix the cheese in a mixing bowl until there are no lumps.

-Add the lemon juice, vanilla and honey, mix well.

-In a separate bowl, beat the cold cream until stiff peaks.

-Fold the cream into the cheese mixture.

-Scoop over the crust and place back into the fridge.

-Simmer blueberries, water, honey and lemon juice together for 5 min. Mash a little with a potato masher.

-Remove from heat and add the chia seeds. Let stand for half an hour. Stir. If the mixture is too runny, add another Tbsp at a time until the mixture is quite thick.

-Spoon the cooled mixture over the cream cheese filling. It has to be cooled down!

-Place back into the fridge, cover with foil.

-When serving the next day, remove from the fridge just before serving. Run a sharp knife along the edge before carefully removing it from the spring form tin.

*You can do the berry step first if you want to safe time so that it can cool down so long.

Enjoy!

Oats and banana flapjacks

These can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner, or any time in between for that matter! I usually double this recipe.

2 Ripe bananas

2 Eggs or 2 Flax “eggs”

1 Cup ground oats

2 tsp baking powder

Cinnamon and vanilla to taste

Half cup buttermilk (I use a plant  based milk and add a dash of apple cider vinegar to it.)

-Mash the bananas, whisk the eggs and grind your oatmeal.

-Mix well and let stand for 10 min. This allows the oats to absorb the liquid and batter to thicken up.

-Fry in a little coconut oil until bubbles form. Carefully turn them over, cook for a little longer until golden, because it can be quite delicate.

-Serve with honey , peanut butter or butter.

-You won’t be able to bake them fast enough for the kids!

*These 2 recipes were taken from “How to cook smarter.”

To dye or not to dye

  To dye or not to dye

Some people wouldn’t be caught dead wearing their natural hair colour. But how far would you be willing to take it, even if it could be detrimental to your health?

 We all have beautiful hair colour when we are young, and many women dye their hair in an attempt to get their original colour back. But something happens as soon as babies and your 30’s come along!

 Hormones play a huge role in hair care. If you have fluctuating hormones, you’ll have fluctuating hair! Hair loss, straight hair going curly, light hair that went darker, thinning hair, loss of lustre and shine, even gray hairs. These have all left us with our hands in our hair, with many that have run to the hairdresser for some S.O.S colour and treatment.

 But today we will be shifting our attention to hair colour or dyes and bleaches. Ancient Romans and Egyptians often dyed their hair. The Egyptians first shaved it off, then dyed and braided it, and then they wore it as wigs. Some of these dyes were plant based using henna or berries. Dyes to blacken hair included leeches and vinegar solution! Gold dust was used to lighten hair, crushed nutshells for browning, saffron, indigo, alfalfa… All of these in an attempt to look more beautiful, and to boost confidence.

In the 1800’s, a gentleman called William Henry Perkin who was a chemist, attempted to generate a cure for malaria, but out came a synthesized dye. This colour was mauve. It must have been quite an experiment if you ask me.

Roman prostitutes were required by law to dye or bleach their hair blonde, to have themselves set apart. (No offence to all the natural blondes out there!)

According to studies done, permanent hair dye and straightening lotions may increase your risk of breast cancer. Even when hair dyes are used correctly, they can cause toxicity. Permanent dyes cause chemical changes that increase the penetration of the product into the hair. This can damage your hair. Your skin is also absorbing, with the chemicals penetrating into the blood stream.

Ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, formaldehyde etc. can cause serious skin irritation, redness, itching and burning when it comes in contact with the skin and even difficulty in breathing. These are all dangerous chemicals that can cause numerous health risks.

It might be worth trying out some natural alternatives. The colour doesn’t last very long, but it will definitely have less side effects.

Tea rinses:

Tea rinses have been done for centuries. By doing a final rinse with tea, you will lift your own hair colour, condition your scalp and hair.

Rooibos tea can bring out golden, reddish tones.

Chamomile can lighten hair and give subtle highlights.

Black tea will darken hair, with the caffeine stimulating hair growth on the scalp.

You can even use a spray bottle, and sprits on hair before drying.

Coffee rinse:

Coffee enhances darker hair shades and the caffeine used externally can stimulate hair growth.

There are quite a few other alternatives like sage, henna and lemon juice. Take some time out to find out what will work for you. I have even heard of people colouring their hair with beetroot or carrot juice!

You might feel judged, insecure and ugly at the beginning, especially if you have been colouring your hair for as long as you can remember. Embrace your locks, get them healthy and full of natural shine, and not full of chemical pigments.

Detox your body by fighting the chemicals from dye etc. Eat a diet rich in colours which are full of anti oxidants that help fight against free radical damage.

Are you brave enough to go bare and flaunt your natural hair colour and work with what you’ve got?

Lizelle

Recipe:

Sweet potato and pecan brownies

These are quite gooyee, but rich and decadent. They can look a bit raw, but everything is cooked well.

4 cooked sweet potatoes (mashed). I roast it whole and then remove the skins.

¼ cup cocoa powder

250g soaked, pitted dates (remove liquid and mash)

1 cup ground oats

¼ cup melted coconut oil

Tsp vanilla

Pinch of salt

Chopped pecans (inside batter and sprinkled on top)

-       Mash sweet potatoes and dates together, add cocoa powder

-       Add vanilla, salt and chopped pecans. Mix well.

-       Add ground oats and mix well.

-       Add melted coconut oil.

-       Spread on a baking sheet covered in wax wrap. (About 1,5cm thick)

-       Press pecans on top.

-       Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 20 min.

-       Remove from oven and cut into squares.

-       Place back in the oven, with spaces in between.

-       Bake for another 10 min.

-       Cool completely before serving.

 

 

 

 

 

Covid Candida

Covid Candida

Yes, you’ve heard me right! Many people, especially children, have developed candida overgrowth during lockdown. Being home, eating more, indulging in comfort foods and less exercise, have all lead to this. Children who would not usually be culprits of overgrowth, are now sitting with this unruly villain.

Candida is not for the faint hearted. Candida is the normal flora that lives in your gut. Candida overgrowth is when the normal digestive gut health gets corrupted by candida that takes over. Candida feeds on sugar and simple carbohydrates, which most of us have been indulging on during our prolonged stay at home. This is not your normal “holiday binge” but rather an extended, overstayed family in your midst.

 

Symptoms can vary from:

·     Brain fog

·     Lethargy

·     Irritation

·     White coating on the tongue

·     Bloating

·     Genital itching and irritation

·     Possible anal itching that have spread

·     Genital burning

 

Treatment:

One of the first things, is to make this “overstayed family” feel unwelcome. Stop giving them sugary and refined, processed food. You need to starve it first. You need to feed them healthy greens, lots of vegetables, especially raw, and wholegrains like brown rice and oats. Then you need to feed them lots of garlic and olive leaf extract, which is really bitter. Wake then in the morning with warm water with lemon juice and ginger. Guests will stay if they get creamy coffee with sugar and rusks!

Once they are out of the house, then you need to have a good cleaning. Water, lemon juice, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, fresh herbs, apple cider vinegar. Get your “bottle brush” ready to scrub those intestines. That is where your brown rice and vegetables come in. The good fibre that you need to scrub out those nasties.

Then you need to soothe and re colonise the good flora by taking in probifloras. There are many on the market. You can try FloraFood by AIM. myaimstore.com/healthamplified

Remember that stress and antibiotics can also cause underlying digestive issues, which then leads to imbalances in your gut.

So enjoy your family and friends on occasion, and don’t let them overstay their welcome. You might end up regretting it!

Lizelle

Recipes:

Quick Asian rice noodles

 

 

Rice noodles

Green pepper

Red pepper

Red onion

Sliced brown mushrooms

Green herbs

Garlic

Roasted peanuts

Avo

Pink salt

Nutritional yeast (optional)

Balsamic vinegar, lemon juice or soya sauce

-Soak noodles in salted boiling water, about 8 minutes.

-Fry onions and peppers in a little olive oil.

-Add mushrooms, herbs and salt.

-Serve noodles with the mixture, top with avo, roasted peanuts and lemon juice.

-Sprinkle with nutritional yeast.

*We buy raw peanuts and then dry roast them at 140 degrees Celsius until the skins start coming off. Keep an eye on it so that it doesn’t burn or turn rancid.

Cauli pesto guacamole

1 Cauliflower head broken into florets

3 Avo’s

2 Tbsp basil pesto

Apple cider vinegar to taste

Garlic

Pink salt to taste

Black pepper

-Place everything in a food processor until smooth (or chunky if preferred).

-Serve with carrot and cucumber sticks, cherry tomatoes, pickled onions and seed crackers.

"The Flood"

Health Amplified

“The flood”

The flood, the plague, the red tide, that time of the month, having a period, or better known as menstruation. These are all secret code words between women which have bonded us together into womanhood.

For most girls and women, having a period is a one week a month episode with a few aches and pains. For others, it can come across as a debilitating disease, where life get’s influenced drastically. Continuous spotting, bleeding non-stop for a month, pain and extreme fatigue due to prolonged blood loss. Let’s have a look at nutrition etc and see how we can bring some kind of relief.

The first thing we need to look at is your omega oil intake. These oils feed your endocrine/hormonal system and helps keep it happy. Feed it the wrong oils and you will cause disruption. Omega oils are found in cold pressed flaxseed oil, cold pressed salmon oil, cold pressed olive oil, avo’s, nuts and seeds etc. No wonder we crave fatty food just before or during our periods. Our bodies need those healthy fats and oils to function optimally. We just need the correct source, and not heated, overly processed oils.

The second thing that we need to look at is our iron intake. Loss of blood means loss of iron. Symptoms can be pale skin and fatigue. Continuous bleeding can even lead to anaemia, if you don’t make up for it in your diet. Make sure that you stock up on beetroot and spinach. (See the beetroot recipe at the end). Have it mixed in with roasted vegetables, grated beetroot into salads, blended into smoothies or have fresh vegetable juices. I tend to avoid vegetable juices that are in a carton. The product has to be pasteurized and heated, so it is basically cooked vegetable juice. The taste is very contrasting if you had to compare the pasteurized product to fresh juice. A favourite of mine is pomegranate juice. It adds vitality and energy to your day! It is a bit pricy, but definitely worth it. Try the Woolworths brand or “Rush” glass bottled juice. “Rush” is sweeter where as Woolworths pomegranate juice has a tang to it.

You can supplement with iron tablets, but it may lead to constipation. I prefer sticking to a more natural wholefood form for better absorption.

Please remember that vitamin C helps with iron absorption, so make sure that you are eating lots of fruit and vegetables. We don’t get in enough fruit and vegetables. 

Barley grass contains valuable chlorophyll and is also anti inflammatory. Ginger and cinnamon are also wonderful ingredients to include on a daily basis. These also act as anti inflammatories, are pain relieving and cleanses your system. Add 2 cinnamon sticks and 2 rooibos tea bags to a flask. Pour over boiling water. Let it stand for 2 hours before taking half a mug every now and then. You can add some plant based milk if you want to. The cinnamon also aids circulation and warms you up. Cinnamon is a natural sweetener, so no need to add any.

Stay away from junk food as far as possible. It is high in sugar and heated oils. It can throw your endocrine system out of sync, leaving you feeling more miserable with worse PMS than what you should be having. Refined flours including white bread is devoid of nutrients, rather fill up on wholegrains like brown rice, oats, buckwheat, millet etc. These will fill you up and provide the good carbohydrates that your body needs for fuel.

Calcium lessens PMS symptoms and magnesium helps to relax your muscles. Remember that calcium is also found in fruit, vegetables and almonds, not just in dairy.

Not all of our cycles are regular, which can put a lot of stress and worry on ourselves. There is assistance available alongside a wholefood predominantly plant based diet.

I love essential oils and it has become a part of our household! A drop of geranium oil mixed into a little coconut- or olive oil and rubbed onto your lower abdomen and back can bring relief from pain, stabilizes moods by helping to balance your hormones. Frankincense oil and lavender oil are also anti inflammatory and pain relieving. We use geranium oil during the day, and frankincense and lavender during the evening because it relaxes you so much. Myrrh oil helps with the onset of menstruation if it is delayed.

And then lastly, moderate exercise. Exercise and stretching are stress relieving activities, it releases feel good hormones and helps to ease aches and pains.

I’m sure we all have some or other embarrassing period stories to tell! If all else fails, then there is nothing like a hot water bottle, cosy blanket and some dark chocolate!

Lizelle

Recipe:

Roasted beetroot and gnocchi

Our kids have loved this since they were toddlers, asking for “pink gnocchi”. The beetroot colours the gnocchi pink when mixed! This is a lovely winter dish and a way to incorporate beetroot that kids will enjoy. Gnocchi is a type of small, Italian potato dumpling.

-Cook beetroot, peel and cut into cubes.

(You can buy whole cooked beetroot if you are short on time.)

-Place in a roasting pan.

-Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

-Add some garlic and sprinkle with pink salt.

-Roast until slightly shriveled and soft.

-Cook gnocchi according to package instructions in salted boiling water.

(Or try to make your own from scratch.)

-Gnocchi is cooked when it floats on the surface of the water.

-Remove with a slotted spoon and incorporate the gnocchi into the roasted beetroot in the pan. Incorporate until it turns pink!

-Taste and add more salt and balsamic vinegar if needed.

-Don’t forget some freshly ground black pepper.

-The men in the family can also enjoy this one, even if it is pink…!!