Miso, Pumpkin & White Bean Soup

Serves 6

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 butternut pumpkin, cooked & pureed
½ cup cooked white beans
2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup of water
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Pinch of white pepper
1 cup plain soy milk (can omit if necessary)
3 table spoons White Miso
Handful of baby spinach leaves
¼ cup fresh basil leaves

1. In a medium pot, heat oil and sauté onion and garlic for 2 minutes. Add pumpkin purée, stock, water, cayenne pepper, and white pepper.

2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook for 5 minutes. Add soy milk and miso; cook for 1 minute more (do not boil).

3. Transfer soup to a food processor and purée until smooth. Add basil and purée for 30 seconds.

4. Add white beans & spinach

5. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve hot. Add cooked white beans and a handful of baby spinach leaves just before serving.

Enjoy!

Candida, Diet and the Hormone Connection

Candida, diet and lifestyle habits all trigger hormonal changes in women that are linked to weight gain, especially around the middle.

This fat can be difficult to budge, often leaving you feeling not only tired and bloated, but frustrated and depleted.

One of the main hormes at play is estrogen. Estrogen excess can be caused by hormone disruptors - (industrial chemicals found in cleaning products, foods and make up).

Estrogen excess can trigger candida outbreaks, which not only cause digestive disturbances, but are one of the leading causes of hormonal imbalance within women.

Studies Show that...

A comparative study found a trend toward higher faecal levels of Lactobacillus sp in pre-menopausal women, whilst post-menopausal women showed higher levels of fungi and yeast. The most concerning trend was found in breast cancer patients, found to have higher levels of E. coli, Bacteroide sp. and Clostridium sp., than both pre- and post-menopausal controls.¹

Thrush is a common condition...

An estimated 75% of all women will develop a yeast infection during their lifetime and 90% of these infections are caused by Candida albicans. Three main theories exist for recurrent thrush:

• Chronic systemic infection & hormone imbalance
  
• Reinfection from a sexual partner
• Poor immune system

Estrogen, HRT, and Brith Control ...?

Does estrogen, HRT and the birth control pill trigger thrush? Yes, researchers find that oestrogen stimulates mature epithelial cells lining the vagina to produce glycogen - a favourable substrate for the growth and promotion of C. albicans.³

The great news is, if you are suffering from thrush, or the symptoms of thrush, we can help.

To read about the symptoms of thrush or for more information, click here

References

1. Perisic DV, Dokic M, Kovacevic G. The role of prebiotics and probiotics in female health. Arch Gastroenterohepatol 2003; 22(3-4) 79-83.
2. Nirjesy P. Chronic Vulvovaginal Candidiasis. Am Fam Physician. 2001;63(4): 697-702.
3. Dennerstein GJ, Ellis DH. Oestrogen, glycogen and vaginal candidiasis. Aus N Z J Obstet Gynaecol 2001; 41(3): 326-8.

Lima Been Mash For Healthy Hormone Balance

It doesn’t take much to make lima beans into something special. Puréed and used with a casserole it makes a healthy alternative to regular mashed spud. If you like simply
substitute cooked fresh red lentils or fava, navy, or cannellini beans for the limas.

2 cups fresh shelled or frozen baby lima beans
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
Salt
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup water
salt
1. Combine lima beans, garlic, 1⁄2 cup water and a generous pinch of salt in a small pot.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until beans are
very soft, about 15 minutes.

2. Coarsely purée beans and garlic in a food processor. Transfer to a small bowl and
gradually beat in olive oil. Remove zest from lemon with a zester or vegetable peeler, then
finely julienne zest and set aside. Halve lemon and add lemon juice to purée to taste, then
season with salt and pepper. Serve with your normal vegetables or in a small bowl with
toasted bread on the side.

Enjoy!

Chronic Fatigue and Adrenal Exhaustion

Do you experience symptoms of fatigue, mood changes, weight gain, depression, headaches, insomnia and bloating? Are you struggling to lose weight? These symptoms can all be caused by hormones. Chronic fatigue can be a sign of adrenal exhaustion or adrenal fatigue.

Chronic Fatigue and Adrenal Exhaustion

Adrenal exhaustion is brought about by chronic stress which affects your hormone levels by increasing your levels of cortisol and decreasing your levels of DHEA. Decreased levels of DHEA can have a cascading effect on other hormone levels, such as oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone as DHEA is a precursor to these hormones.

Chronic Fatigue and Irritable Bowel

Stomach problems such as irritable bowel syndrome, candida overgrowths, digestive dysbiosis or Helicobacter pylori bacteria infection can place further strain on your adrenals. In addition the adrenal and thyroid glands work together, meaning decreased adrenal function can interfere with thyroid function.

Chronic Fatigue and Thyroid Imbalance

With decreased adrenal hormones, the thyroid tries to compensate by producing more thyroid hormones. Eventually the thyroid becomes depleted causing hypothyroidism. In fact, thyroid disease is one of the most common hormonal disorders, after insulin resistance and diabetes. The majority of women with thyroid imbalance have hypothyroidism (under-active thyroid), while a minority have hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid).

The problem is that symptoms of low thyroid function are often mistaken for depression, signs of ageing, or are not identified. What does your thyroid do and how does it cause chronic fatigue? Your thyroid - a small butterfly-shaped gland located in the front of your neck - controls the functioning of every cell, organ and gland in your body. In addition, your thyroid regulates your libido and fat metabolism.

Four main hormones produced by your thyroid gland directly affect your metabolism and body fat. They are thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine/levo-thyroxin (T4), and calcitonin (used in calcium metabolism). Although your thyroid gland secretes and regulates these hormones, about 80% of the body's T3 is produced outside the thyroid gland, in the liver, by chemical modification of T4. Hypothyroid women gain weight and find it difficult to lose weight because (i) their T4 is not being converted by the liver to the metabolically active form of T3 or (ii) the converted T3 hormones is not getting to the cellular level of the body - meaning that they are producing it, but their body can't use it.

Let's assume you are stressed, overweight and think you have hypothyroidism. You've been to the doctor with complaints of weight gain, slow weight loss, chronic fatigue, cold hands and feet, and ‘brain fog'. The doctor examines you and performs some blood tests, including thyroid tests, but all the tests come back in the normal range. You go home, sentenced to a life of weight gain, chronic fatigue and feeling plain unwell. This scenario is played out again and again until one day you finally fall below the 'reference' ranges for the tests.

Testing for Chronic Fatigue

Most conventional practitioners only test for the inactive T4 hormone level, even though it is active T3 thyroid hormone works inside every cell of the body - not only in the blood. If T3 isn't available at the cellular level, then those cells can't function properly. The T4 blood test does not test for this and it also fails to test for thyroid antibodies that may be present and contributing to fatigue. Sadly, many hypothyroid symptoms are frequently dismissed by physicians as being a normal part of ageing, a psychological problem, overwork, or some other condition. As a result, thyroid tests are often not performed and the patient never receives the proper medical treatment they require. If you are doing everything right but are still felling unwell and suffering from chronic fatigue, there is definitely something going on that needs to be addressed. Getting to the cause is not as easy as just doing routine blood tests. An interconnected approach to the review of your signs and symptoms encourages a multidimensional treatment strategy that will make a difference. So explore your options and strive for a better, healthy life!

Tips To Beat Fatigue Naturally

How to Beat Fatigue Naturally

Fatigue is a chronic medical condition that can affect many areas of your health including maintaining a healthy body weight.

Fatigue does not need to rule your life. You can get your energy back and beat chronic fatigue naturally by changing your diet and getting to the cause. But let's start by understanding the difference between fatigue and tiredness.

Fatigue is different from tiredness.  Fatigue is a lack of energy and motivation.  Some women desribe their fatigue as "deep fatigue, heavy fatigue, or debilitating fatigue" and are sometimes so chronically fatigued they cannot get out of bed, or struggle to get through a normal days work.

Tiredness is a normal response to exercise, stress, boredom, or insomnia. 

What Causes Fatigue?

Fatigue, a symptom of a more serious underlying health condition is normally linked to mitochondrial weakness, toxicity, poor nutrition, inflammation, infection and stress. 

• Mitochondrial Weakness 
  

Mitochondria are "the power house of the cell" and90% of the energy generated in a cell is in the Mitochondria. Damage to the mitochondria impairs the cells ability to generate energy.

Conditions such as insulin resistance, obesity, low thyroid function and low testosterone levels all influence mitochondrial function.

These are the main reasons why fatigue leads to weight gain - your body's metabolism can not work efficiently.

• Toxicity

  Toxicity may worsen inflammation and oxidative stress, worsening fatigue. Exposure to toxic chemicals has been linked to chronic fatigue syndrome.

• Poor Nutrition

  Dietary deficiencies of iron, B12, folate and other nutrients may contribute to anaemia, stress, inflammation and reduced functional energy.

• Inflammation

  Pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-1 may inhibit mitochondrial function and energy production in the cells causing symptoms of fatigue.

• Infection

  Viral and bacterial infections may be linked to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome with evidence suggesting that a severe viral infection may cause mitochondrial degeneration.

• Stress

  During chronic stress, HPA axis over-activity may result in adrenal fatigue. Critical nutrients such as magnesium, carnitine and calcium are required for mitochondrial function but may be "used up" during times of chronic stress due to the increased demands placed on the body. This can leave the mitochondria nutritional deprived causing fatigue.

Testing For The Cause Of Fatigue

To successfully beat fatigue, you must first start by identifying the underlying cause.  Symptomatic profiling combined with targeted pathology testing is the first place to start.

To complete a Symptomatic Assessment click here

If you are suffering from fatigue, take heart in realizing there are many things you can do naturally, without drugs to feel like yourself again.  Improving your lifestyle and with the right dietary changes; you can restore your health successfully, kick start your metabolism and lose weight.

Narelle Stegehuis, is a practicing naturopath with over 30,000 hrs of in-clinic experience specializing in the natural treatment of women's health and hormonal imbalances. She is both an accomplished writer, editor and recipient of the Australian Naturopathic Excellence Award. 
To find out more, visit www.massattack.com.au

Women Are Ruled By Hormones

LADIES, you may want to take a deep breath before reading on. Because, according to scientists, women really are ruled by their hormones.

Read more click here

Pain and Inflammation Stops Fat Burning

Did you know that pain and inflammation can affect weight loss. Inflammation can produce localised pain with redness, heat and swelling (e.g. as seen in arthritis), but can also be ‘silent’ and less obvious. If you are trying to lose weight and have some inflammation in your body, this could actually be slowing down your fat burning!

In fact, inflammation predisposes the body to store fat, and when your body is inflamed, chemicals are released that stimulate the secretion of a hormone called leptin from fat cells. Leptin, in normal amounts, is responsible for helping regulate appetite and energy production. However, high levels of this hormone are a problem because they further increase inflammation; interfering with the entry of glucose into the cells and with the body’s insulin response. This may, in turn, lead to insulin resistance, more fat storage and lowered fertility. When you have an increase in fat storage, this will then heighten the inflammatory response and so the vicious cycle continues.

Symptoms to look out for:

· Fluid retention
· Headaches
· Stubborn Weight Gain
· Tummy Fat that won’t budge
· Uncontrollable cravings

To find out if pain and inflammation is causing your weight gain click here

“When I first joined MassAttack I was in pain due to a back injury and had major sugar cravings. I have been on my program for 7 months now and I don’t crave sweets anymore. I have lost 18 kg since starting and I have so much energy . Losing the weight has helped to relieve my back pain and I have been able to decrease my medication by half. I would recommend the MassAttack program to anyone who wants to finally find the secret to losing weight and stop the cravings!.” Belinda 46 New South Wales.