Food for thought

We’ve all heard the phrase “You are what you eat” but have you really sat down and thought about what this actually means? Are you aware of the impact the food choices you make has on your health and to a greater extent, the impact this has on the environment? Climate change, sustainability, eco-friendly, carbon neutral, genetically engineered, organic, free-range and natural are terms we’re all familiar with and are becoming common inclusions in our modern day language. It’s something that we all MUST embrace in order to protect our individual health and that of our planet. If you haven’t thought much about it as yet, now would be a good time to start.

I remember backyard veggie gardens being more popular in the past compared to today and I’m sure the main culprit here is time, or a lack of. The supermarket has surpassed the veggie garden in terms of convenience and little thought is given towards how and where our produce is grown. Fast food and pre-packaged meals are all too tempting when it comes to those times when we are exhausted and the last thing we feel like doing is cooking. But are we doing more harm than good in purchasing these things?

We’re all aware of the importance of eating a well balanced diet in order to obtain the right balance of vitamins and minerals to sustain good health. It’s no surprise that convenience foods contain little nutritional value and with the preservatives and additives added to keep the food ‘fresh’, we are left with little else but empty calories. Eating these foods too often can lead to nutritional deficiencies, which over time can contribute to much more severe health problems such as cardiovascular disease, weight gain and obesity, diabetes, hormonal imbalances, chronic fatigue, immune deficiencies and many, many more.

Another important factor to consider is where exactly is our food coming from? Our meat and produce supply often travels quite lengthy distances to reach our dinner plate and during transportation, freshness and nutritional quality can often be compromised. Fruit and vegetables are often picked early and chemically ripened to ensure they are looking bright and fresh when they hit supermarket shelves. Add to this the fuel costs, the burning of fossil fuels and the resources used in production and transportation and you’ve got yourself an expensive, nutritionally challenged food source.

Synthetic chemicals have gained popularity in modern farming practices to ensure maximum results for minimal time and effort. Poultry and livestock are pumped full of growth promoting hormones and chemicals and our fruit and vegetables are sprayed with an assortment of pesticides to keep those pesky critters out. As these practices are only relatively new, we are unsure of the long term health and environmental effects this will have but we do have evidence of the short term effects.

These synthetic hormones and chemicals mimic our natural hormones and can contribute to greater hormonal dysfunction. Xenoestrogens, man-made oestrogens found in plastic products and synthetic hormones, add to our natural oestrogen pool and can contribute to an oestrogen dominant environment. This has implications with stubborn and persistent weight gain, fertility (for both males and females), endometriosis, uterine fibroids and possibly some forms of cancer[1]’[2]. They have also been detected in the offspring of some animals that have been exposed[3]. Don’t you think it’s reasonable to question the logic of releasing large amounts of chemicals into the environment without fully understanding the effects on ecology or human health? The same argument can be made for genetically engineered foods.

It’s not just important, but absolutely imperative, to be aware of these things and equally important to know it’s not all doom and gloom. Keep the following points in mind next time you are shopping and you will be putting a foot in the right direction. Change has to start somewhere so why not with you?

• Buy local and organic wherever you can. This will ensure your food is fresh and free of synthetic chemicals-better for your health and hormonal well being. Local produce cuts down on transportation costs, which will make your purse and the environment happier.
• Have a look around for farmers markets in your area and don’t forget to take a re-usable shopping bag.
• Always read labels to be aware of genetically modified ingredients, additives and preservatives.
• Plant a veggie and herb garden. If you don’t have much garden space, get creative with containers and pots.
• Supermarket produce needs to be labelled with its place of origin so keep an eye on this.
• Always buy local or Australian grown produce that is in season.
• Eat as much raw, fresh foods as possible. This should be easier to do now that the weather is warming up and will provide you with essential nutrients to sustain good health.
• Reduce your exposure to plastics to avoid unnecessary hormonal disruption and to reduce the environmental impact these products have. Always re-use shopping bags, recycle and carry a non-plastic water bottle that you can re-fill as you go.
• Limit your consumption of fast foods and pre-packaged meals. Keep a range of nuts, seeds, legumes, fresh fruit & vegetables, fish and lean meat on hand to prepare your meals. They don’t have to be 3 course masterpieces; a salad, stir-fry or omelette is quick, easy and nutritious.
• Walk to the shops instead of driving. You’ll save on fuel costs, save fossil fuel emissions and get fit at the same time. Exercise is also a great way to help your body eliminate excess toxins and hormones that can impact on your health.
• Look after your liver to ensure it is able to process toxins and excess hormones. Limit alcohol consumption and increase your intake of bitter foods such as endive, chicory, silverbeet, radicchio, outer leaves of cos lettuce, dandelion root, and grapefruit.
• Choose natural household and beauty products.

We are beginning to see the impact our food choices are having on our health and the environment. As consumers, we have a big say in what and how our food is farmed, produced and delivered and this is just one of the ways we as individuals can make a difference. What are you waiting for?

Emma Scasni is a qualified naturopath at MassAttack Health Clinic and has a keen interest in women’s health. Emma is passionate about all aspects of natural health and is happy to offer support and advice to new and existing MassAttack members. MassAttack specializes in natural treatment programs for women with hormonal imbalances such as PCOS, Fibroids, Endometriosis & thyroid imbalance. Narelle Stegehuis, CEO of MassAttack, is the recipient of the Australian Naturopathic Excellence Award 2006 and can be contacted at narelle@massattack.com.au

[1] http://www.fwhc.org/health/xeno.htm
[2] http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/65/1/54
[3] http://topics.scirus.com/Behavioral_effects_of_Xenoestrogens.html

Cholesterol: the good, the bad and the ugly

There’s been much talk of cholesterol in recent years with regards to different types, where it comes from and what are the best ways of lowering it? Conflicting information has left most of us a little confused in knowing what we should be doing in order to address this common health concern.

Cholesterol is an integral component of every cell and plays a vital role in hormone production, digestion and brain & nerve function. It travels through the blood stream attached to carrier proteins called lipoproteins. LDLs (low density lipoproteins) are the major carriers of cholesterol and as they encourage cholesterol deposits in the arteries, they are known as “bad cholesterol”. HDLs (high density lipoproteins) carry unneeded cholesterol from the cells back to the liver to be broken down for elimination and this is known as “good cholesterol”[1].

Confusion about cholesterol exists because many people don't understand there is a difference between blood cholesterol and dietary cholesterol. Blood cholesterol is the cholesterol that circulates in your blood. About 80 per cent is produced by your liver. Dietary cholesterol is found in foods from animal sources such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy products. Only about 20 per cent of the cholesterol in your blood comes from eating foods that contain it.

A high blood cholesterol level, especially high LDL, is a major risk factor of heart disease. If you have high blood cholesterol or have a history of heart disease in your family, reducing your cholesterol to a healthy level is important for long-term good health.

What causes high cholesterol levels?

Dietary cholesterol is often blamed for high cholesterol levels, but for most people, cholesterol from foods has little effect on blood cholesterol levels. Other contributing factors to consider are:

• Genetics: influences how fast LDL is made and removed from the blood.
• Weight: excess weight may increase LDL levels. Weight loss especially helps to lower LDL & triglycerides and raise HDL levels. If you have tried to lose weight in the past with no success, you may have an underlying hormonal imbalance that needs to be addressed.
• Exercise: regular physical activity may lower triglycerides and raise HDL.
• Age & gender: before menopause, women usually have lower total cholesterol levels than men of the same age. This reverses after about age 50.
• Alcohol use: moderate (1-2 drinks daily) alcohol intake increases HDL cholesterol but does not lower LDL cholesterol. Drinking too much alcohol can damage the liver and heart muscle, may contribute to high blood pressure and raise triglyceride levels.
• Stress: stress can raise blood cholesterol levels over the long term. One way it may do this is by affecting your habits. For example, when some people are under stress, they console themselves by eating sweet and fatty foods or by having a comforting bottle of red.
• Insulin resistance: seen in conditions such as PCOS and diabetes is closely linked to high cholesterol levels, weight gain and obesity.

Treatment strategies

Statin drugs have been the drug of choice to treat elevated cholesterol levels but these potent drugs have serious side effects that need to be taken into consideration. Statins have a demonstrated ability to lower Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), which leads to fatigue, muscle weakness, soreness and cardiac weakness. When you treat high cholesterol with a drug you are in no way, shape or form treating the cause and it should come as no surprise that artificial drugs can cause serious side effects.

Following are some natural strategies to implement:

Dietary control: dairy products, meat and eggs all contain cholesterol but avoiding these foods could prevent you from getting some important nutrients such as calcium, protein, iron, zinc or B vitamins. Choose lower-fat dairy products such as buttermilk or skim milk. Enjoy fish more often, choose lean cuts of meat, have poultry without skin and limit serving sizes to about the size of your palm.

Normalize insulin levels: by eliminating sugar and processed grains, which will also normalize weight, increase your energy and lower blood pressure and triglycerides.

Increase fiber: helps eliminate excess cholesterol - include whole grain breads and cereals, fruits & vegetables and include more meat alternatives such as beans, peas, lentils andtofu.

Reduce saturated and trans fats: found in meat, egg yolks, dairy products made from whole milk and foods that contain hydrogenated fat, including palm or coconut oils, margarine, fries, doughnuts, fried chicken and fish, crackers, chips, cookies and bakery products.

Increase cholesterol lowering fats: monounsaturated fats are found mostly in canola, olive and peanut oils, nuts (especially almonds and walnuts) and seeds. Polyunsaturated fats are found in oils made from sunflowers, safflowers, corn, soybeans, nuts, flaxseed and sesame seeds. Good quality fish oil can also help regulate cholesterol levels

Policosanol: a supplement containing sugar cane wax has been found to significantly lower cholesterol.

Chromium: lowers total cholesterol, improves HDL to LDL ratio, and stabilizes blood sugar levels to reduce cravings & mood swings.

Reduce caffeine intake: coffee can elevate blood cholesterol levels, more than doubling the risk of heart disease[2] and puts undue strain on the adrenal system.

Exercise regularly

The bottom line is you need to take charge of your cholesterol, no one can do it for you. The answer is not as simple as “popping a pill”, synthetic, natural or otherwise; diet & lifestyle changes are your first lines of defense – so what are you waiting for!

Emma Scasni is a qualified naturopath at MassAttack Health Clinic and has a keen interest in women’s health. Emma is passionate about all aspects of natural health and is happy to offer support and advice to new and existing MassAttack members. MassAttack specializes in natural treatment programs for women with hormonal imbalances such as PCOS, Fibroids, Endometriosis & thyroid imbalance. Narelle Stegehuis, CEO of MassAttack, is the recipient of the Australian Naturopathic Excellence Award 2006 and can be contacted at narelle@massattack.com.au

The trouble with PMS…

At one stage or another, the majority of us will have experienced some form of PMS during our menstruating years. Cramps seemed to be the common symptom during high school days and whether this conveniently happened just before our P.E. class or not, it was usually severe enough to dread the oncoming months of pain our period would bring. Later on down the track, emotional turmoil may have ensued and the fluid retention and weight gain some experienced could rival the Michelin man. Most women put up with PMS as’ just a part of life’ but there is quite a lot that can be done to reduce the severity of this all too common condition.

PMS relates to a plethora of physical and psychological disturbances that occur during the first half of the cycle, known as the luteal phase. The timing of these disturbances is important in diagnosing PMS. They must be absent in the first week after menstruation and before ovulation, and the onset of the period must result in a reduction in the severity of symptoms[1]. If symptoms last outside of this pattern, other causes may need to be investigated.

The symptoms related to PMS are many and varied and can occur with varying degrees of severity. For some, PMS can go by with very little bother but for others, the severity of symptoms can be so severe that they have a negative impact on work and personal relationships. For ease of grouping and listing these symptoms, there are 5 separate categories that we can look at in terms of symptomatology. These categories are not fixed and overlapping often occurs.

PMS A (anxiety) PMS C (cravings)

anxiety dizziness or fainting
nervous tension headache
mood swings fatigue
irritability palpitations

PMS D (depression) PMS H (hyperhydration)

depression fluid retention
forgetfulness weight gain
crying swelling of extremities
confusion breast tenderness and swelling
insomnia abdominal bloatin

PMS P (pain)

aches & pains
lowered pain tolerance[2]

The exact cause of PMS is not completely understood but it is believed to be influenced by hormonal imbalances, neurotransmitter abnormalities, nutritional deficiencies and/or poor diet and lifestyle[3].

Hormonal influences:

Oestrogen/progesterone ratio imbalance: both hormones are required to regulate the cycle and when this balance is tipped, oestrogen can dominate the environment. This may bring about mental and emotional changes commonly seen in PMS such as feelings of irritability, aggressiveness and anxiety. Heavy and prolonged bleeding may also feature. An oestrogen dominant environment can predispose conditions such as endometriosis, fibroids and cysts, which can then go on to contribute to unnecessary weight gain.

Progesterone deficit: Progesterone levels themselves may be sufficient but there may be problems with signalling this hormone into the cell. This could be due to faulty cells or from an increase in stress hormones, which block receptors and make them unavailable to progesterone. Progesterone receptors are found throughout the body including the brain, respiratory tract, uterus, skin, eyes and breasts and these are all common areas affected by PMS[4].

Adrenal hormones: Not only can stress hormones interfere with receptor responsiveness, they can also interfere with the overall communication between other major hormonal systems. The adrenal gland secretes a hormone responsible for maintaining fluid balance. Stress can increase the production of this hormone which can contribute to fluid retention[5]. Long term stress can also deplete the body of important nutrients and can cause unwanted weight gain.

Neurotransmitters

Both oestrogen and progesterone interact with the neurotransmitters serotonin, noradrenalin and dopamine. Fluctuations in any of these neurotransmitters can contribute to feelings of anxiety, difficulty concentrating, depression, irritability and mood swings. Blood sugar levels can also be affected resulting in increased appetite and sugar cravings.

Dietary imbalances

May be caused by the following factors

• high carbohydrate to protein ratio
• high dairy intake
• caffeine
• alcohol
• high sugar intake
• high animal and saturated fat intake
• prolonged stres

With so many possible contributing factors, where on earth does one start with the whole treatment process? This is where a number of different approaches may be of benefit to cover as many relevant factors as possible. Each treatment plan needs to reflect the needs of the individual and target the main presenting symptoms. This can be done in a number of ways.

• Herbs: there are a wide range of herbs to address the many PMS related symptoms such as fluid retention, sugar cravings, irritability, fluid retention, cramping and heavy bleeding
• B Group Vitamins: nourishes the nervous system and assists with liver clearance of oestrogens, dampening the oestrogen rich environment in PMS, fibroids, cysts and endometriosis
• Magnesium: nourishes the nervous system, may assist with correct fluid balance, regulates blood sugar levels to reduce cravings and excessive hunger, relaxes muscles that may be affecting cramps and headaches
• Bitter foods: to aid liver clearance of oestrogens. Include foods such as endive, chicory, silverbeet, radicchio, outer leaves of cos lettuce, dandelion root, and grapefruit
• Exercise: crucial for oxygen transport which may relieve cramps, will assist with liver clearance of hormones, fantastic way to lower stress levels and increase endorphins to help stabilise moods & emotions
• Stress reduction: yoga, meditation, massage and counselling are all useful tools to help relieve the pressures of daily life
• Dietary modification:
  

# increase protein, especially fish rather than dairy and red meat
# decrease poor quality carbohydrates
# reduce or avoid caffeine and alcohol
# reduce sugar intake and avoid excess fruit and juices
# avoid salt: watch for hidden salt in processed foods
# increase vegetable intake
# eat small, frequent meals to balance blood sugar levels
# increase fibre to assist with bowel clearance

It seems likely that the interaction between ovarian hormones, stress hormones, neurotransmitters, nutrient deficiencies, poor diet and lack of exercise are all factors that need to be considered when focusing on the potential causes, and treatment, of PMS. The important thing may not be to rely solely on treating just one area of imbalance as more often than not, an imbalance in one area will soon spread to another. Taking a holistic approach to treating PMS may well be the only way to achieve long term results. Your MassAttack program will assist in identifying these imbalances and will initiate a treatment plan that will help you remember PMS as a thing of the past.

Emma Scasni is a qualified naturopath at MassAttack Health Clinic and has a keen interest in women’s health. Emma is passionate about all aspects of natural health and is happy to offer support and advice to new and existing MassAttack members. MassAttack specializes in natural treatment programs for women with hormonal imbalances such as PCOS, Fibroids, Endometriosis & thyroid imbalance. Narelle Stegehuis, CEO of MassAttack, is the recipient of the Australian Naturopathic Excellence Award 2006 and can be contacted at narelle@massattack.com.au

[1] Ruth Trickey, (2003) “Women, Hormones & the Menstrual Cycle”, Allen & Unwin NSW, pg 115-116
[2] Suzie O’Donohue, Gynaecology: Approaches to Treatment with Natural Therapies, SSNT, 2003 pg 42
[3] Ruth Trickey, (2003) “Women, Hormones & the Menstrual Cycle”, Allen & Unwin NSW, pg 116
[4] Ruth Trickey, (2003) “Women, Hormones & the Menstrual Cycle”, Allen & Unwin NSW, pg 118
[5] Ibid