Posts
Breakfast: another smoothie - mango today YUM!
Lunch: leftover rice and beans
Snack: a couple of girl scout cookies (brought home from work by hubby - thanks hubby!)
Dinner: Fish Fry - baked fish with tartar sauce, bread and butter, canned pears and peaches, salad with italian dressing, a few bites of mac and cheese, pineapple coconut cake and lime bar shared with family...
Analysis: not a lot of new things to say today - the fish fry desserts are always too tempting for me to resist. Thank goodness today was the last day of fish fry season...
I realized that I might be more successful if I focus my motivation on something more specific and powerful. When I did this before, as Michal pointed out, I did not have a kid yet - that made it easier to focus, and less stressed, but also that was my motivation! I wanted a baby! Well, the fact of the matter is, I want another baby now, but I have not been very focused on it. In part because I am distracted by the one I have, and also because I guess I am just not feeling too rushed about it at the moment. Still, the little guy is almost 2, but it does take about 10 months to grow another one, and I would rather have them a little closer rather than farther apart. Because of my PCOS, I can't really just leave it to chance - I have to take a very active part in encouraging my body to be fertile, and there are a lot of things I can do! Eating right is the first and most important, though! FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS! NEW BABY!
Showing posts with label PCOS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PCOS. Show all posts
Friday, April 3, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Weds Feb 4th - What I'm Eating
Breakfast: sunny side up egg cooked with coconut oil, Ezekiel toast with butter and strawberry preserves, most of an apple (the little guy had some too...)
Lunch: tuna salad (with onion and celery) sandwich on "wheat bread" with lettuce, tomato, olives, pickles and about half a bowl of chicken broccoli noodle soup, which also had a little corn in it
Dinner: breaded chicken, gravy, tons of broccoli
Snack: plain organic whole milk yogurt with blueberries and agave syrup
Analysis: Today seemed to be a broccoli kind of day! We did eat lunch at the Capitol, hence the "wheat bread," at which you had to look really hard to tell if there was any whole wheat in it - I probably should have skipped it entirely... Otherwise, I did the best I could. The breaded chicken recipe was from one of my favorite books, Nourishing Traditions, and is a great alternative to fried chicken. I used fresh bread crumbs made in the food processor from Ezekiel bread and sauteed at quite a low heat with butter and olive oil...then I made a quick gravy from the drippings, but my gravy never turns out very good... The chicken didn't really need it though, it was tender and moist anyway! Oh well, the little guy had fun dipping in it - ah toddlers and their dipping... I wish I would have done something better for a starch/grain, but considering what I ate earlier in the day, I probably didn't need it. I could also have stood more variety in my veggies today and contemplated serving salad with dinner as well, but then I just didn't - I'm not sure why not...
In case you're curious, I have also been drinking water and taking my pills, it just seemed a bit silly to be writing it in every time... I had stopped the pills for a little while after I had the stomach flu, because the Metformin upsets my stomach a little and I was not brave enough to try it. I have been back on that for a while now though, so its all good. I think my pants seem to be getting slightly less tight, so I am relieved and I think all this is beginning to do its job...hopefully my metabolism is starting to heal slowly but surely. Sorry if this is too much information, but it is PCOS-related. I am happy to report that I experienced a normal length menstrual cycle for the first time in years, which is incredible! It was the first one since my son was born (18.5 months - yay breastfeeding!), but before that, I was totally irregular (therefore infertile) thanks to PCOS. Hopefully all this will help keep that regulated as well - a welcome improvement!
Lunch: tuna salad (with onion and celery) sandwich on "wheat bread" with lettuce, tomato, olives, pickles and about half a bowl of chicken broccoli noodle soup, which also had a little corn in it
Dinner: breaded chicken, gravy, tons of broccoli
Snack: plain organic whole milk yogurt with blueberries and agave syrup
Analysis: Today seemed to be a broccoli kind of day! We did eat lunch at the Capitol, hence the "wheat bread," at which you had to look really hard to tell if there was any whole wheat in it - I probably should have skipped it entirely... Otherwise, I did the best I could. The breaded chicken recipe was from one of my favorite books, Nourishing Traditions, and is a great alternative to fried chicken. I used fresh bread crumbs made in the food processor from Ezekiel bread and sauteed at quite a low heat with butter and olive oil...then I made a quick gravy from the drippings, but my gravy never turns out very good... The chicken didn't really need it though, it was tender and moist anyway! Oh well, the little guy had fun dipping in it - ah toddlers and their dipping... I wish I would have done something better for a starch/grain, but considering what I ate earlier in the day, I probably didn't need it. I could also have stood more variety in my veggies today and contemplated serving salad with dinner as well, but then I just didn't - I'm not sure why not...
In case you're curious, I have also been drinking water and taking my pills, it just seemed a bit silly to be writing it in every time... I had stopped the pills for a little while after I had the stomach flu, because the Metformin upsets my stomach a little and I was not brave enough to try it. I have been back on that for a while now though, so its all good. I think my pants seem to be getting slightly less tight, so I am relieved and I think all this is beginning to do its job...hopefully my metabolism is starting to heal slowly but surely. Sorry if this is too much information, but it is PCOS-related. I am happy to report that I experienced a normal length menstrual cycle for the first time in years, which is incredible! It was the first one since my son was born (18.5 months - yay breastfeeding!), but before that, I was totally irregular (therefore infertile) thanks to PCOS. Hopefully all this will help keep that regulated as well - a welcome improvement!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
How to Eat Grains (and beans, seeds, and nuts)
Well we know we are supposed to eat "whole grains" and avoid white flour and other highly processed carbs, like commercial cereal and instant oatmeal, for example... A nutritionist who gave me dietary advice right after I got diagnosed with PCOS and IR recommended that I avoid all bread except "Ezekiel" bread and occasionally, sourdough. She said something about it being "sprouted" so it was easier to digest. OK, I like whole wheat bread anyway, and turns out, this Ezekiel stuff is basically just like a heavy whole grain bread. So I have stuck to her advice (when I have stuck to good eating habits) and have even discovered a whole line of baked Ezekiel products, like tortillas, cinnamon raisin bread, and even English muffins. Lately I have been wanting to know more about the theory of sprouted grains that is behind this Ezekiel thing. The following is what I have been able to surmise in a brief review of a couple of excellent sources, Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon, and The Weston A. Price Foundation, www.westonaprice.org.
Refined grain products = BAD
Today’s modern white flour has a horror story to tell. The wheat is abused with chemicals from seed to harvest, then stored in warehouses where is it regularly fumigated with poison to kill insects. The germ and bran, which contain the fiber and essential fatty acids, are discarded before milling. High-speed mills reach over 400 degrees destroying any remaining nutrients. Commercially made whole wheat flour retains the germ and bran, but the high temperatures cause the oils to become rancid. This says nothing of the preservatives and conditioners that are added when making commercial baked goods, let alone the toxifying processing that gives us breakfast cereals. White flour is not only nutritionally void, it is actually toxic!
Whole grains = a little better
Organic or biodynamically grown grains will be free of the chemicals of standard processing. You can also buy 100% stone ground whole grain flour, which has not been exposed to the high temperatures – but because of the fatty acid content, it will go rancid. In fact, flour spoils in about the same time as milk, and should also be kept in the refrigerator or freezer. I have actually bought (on 2 different occasions)100% stone-ground whole wheat flour from the health food store before, and found it to be already rancid when I opened it at home. Good thing I don’t bake much! The bad thing about regular whole grains, though, is that they contain phytic acid, which binds with various minerals in the digestive tract and inhibits their absorption. This can lead to mineral deficiencies and even bone loss. Whole grains also have enzyme inhibitors, which keep the seed in a dormant state until germination, but also inhibit many of our enzymes, reducing digestion. Lastly, our guts just are not anatomically designed to be able to fully break down whole grains…animals that eat them have four stomachs and we only have one!
You have to watch out when buying “whole grain” baked goods because many of them will have white flour but call it “wheat flour,” which should not be confused for whole wheat flour. Also the flours are usually made with the traditional chemicals and high temperature milling practices, and contain hydrogenated oils, soy flour (which is loaded with antinutrients), and bad sugars like high fructose corn syrup.
Soaked and sprouted grains = the way to go
Studies of traditional societies who had good physical health showed that they ate all their grains after soaking, sprouting, and/or fermenting them with lactobacilli or other friendly microbes. These processes break down the phytic acid and neutralize the enzyme inhibitors. This also activates some enzymes in the grains, which increases the amounts of many vitamins, making them even more nutritious. Fermentation allows friendly microbes to help break down some of the difficult to digest parts, similar to the processes that occur in the first couple of stomachs of ruminant animals, making our job easier, as well. This is why old-fashioned, slow-rise breads from fermented starters, like organic sourdough, are also ok to eat. Likewise, the Ezekiel breads are actually a brand from a company called Food for Life, which makes all sprouted grain baked goods that are free of bad additives and chemicals as well.
Sprouting is the main thing that can increase the nutrient value in grains (and beans and seeds and nuts) – for example, Chinese sailors traditionally avoided scurvy by sprouting mung beans on their voyages, which produces vitamin C (and many other nutrients.) Many of the complex sugars that contribute to gas formation when eating beans and grains are broken down, and additional enzymes are produced in sprouting as well. Sprouting also inactivates aflotoxins, which are carcinogens found in grains.
Sprouted grains are best eaten cooked because when raw they do contain some irritating substances (which are intended to prevent animals from eating the young shoots). They can be ground and made into breads. Of course they can be steamed or put into soups, stews and casseroles as well. There are many different kinds of grains that can be nutritious when soaked, sprouted, and/or fermented, including wheat, oats, rye, barley, corn, rice, buckwheat, millet, spelt, kamut, teff, amaranth, and quinoa. Grains should be cooked slowly and for a long time, at relatively lower temperatures, to maintain nutrient content. Soaking can usually be completed overnight, sprouting can take 1 to 4 days, and fermenting can be achieved by soaking grains with fermented dairy products, or by creating starter dough, taking anywhere from a day to a week. Clearly, this kind of preparation takes a little planning ahead!
A last little note about sprouts, though, alfalfa sprouts are actually not good for you! I know, I know, you thought it was the ultimate health food! They actually contain canavanine, which is a toxic amino acid that can inhibit the immune system and contribute to the inflammation of arthritis and lupus, when eaten in quantity...so don't go chowing down on the alfalfa sprouts!
A word about soy
(It falls into this category because is it a bean, in other words, a seed, and much more like a grain than anything else…and should be treated as such.)
The nutritionist told me to avoid soy products because of the estrogen-like compounds they contain, since one of the problems in PCOS is an excess amount of estrogen. I don’t need any more from my food! However, I have uncovered a few other disturbing things about this food that has been marketed as a health food for as long as I can remember.
Soybeans are very high in phytic acid and contain potent enzyme inhibitors, neither of which are neutralized by standard cooking. Remember, these things cause mineral malabsorption and reduce digestive efficiency. These are actually concentrated in commercial soy milk, which also contains carcinogens that are formed during processing. (not to mention, it usually has added sugar too) Soy is totally evil for anyone who has thyroid issues – it can severely aggravate them, creating a debilitating condition. Giving babies soy artificial infant milk can cause changes in pubertal timing as well as thyroid problems and immune system dysfunction.
But what about the claim that soy is healthy because asian peoples have eaten them for centuries and have notorious longevity? They actually only eat relatively small portions of fermented soy products, such as miso, natto, and tempeh… Have a look here for a good article about soy.
Refined grain products = BAD
Today’s modern white flour has a horror story to tell. The wheat is abused with chemicals from seed to harvest, then stored in warehouses where is it regularly fumigated with poison to kill insects. The germ and bran, which contain the fiber and essential fatty acids, are discarded before milling. High-speed mills reach over 400 degrees destroying any remaining nutrients. Commercially made whole wheat flour retains the germ and bran, but the high temperatures cause the oils to become rancid. This says nothing of the preservatives and conditioners that are added when making commercial baked goods, let alone the toxifying processing that gives us breakfast cereals. White flour is not only nutritionally void, it is actually toxic!
Whole grains = a little better
Organic or biodynamically grown grains will be free of the chemicals of standard processing. You can also buy 100% stone ground whole grain flour, which has not been exposed to the high temperatures – but because of the fatty acid content, it will go rancid. In fact, flour spoils in about the same time as milk, and should also be kept in the refrigerator or freezer. I have actually bought (on 2 different occasions)100% stone-ground whole wheat flour from the health food store before, and found it to be already rancid when I opened it at home. Good thing I don’t bake much! The bad thing about regular whole grains, though, is that they contain phytic acid, which binds with various minerals in the digestive tract and inhibits their absorption. This can lead to mineral deficiencies and even bone loss. Whole grains also have enzyme inhibitors, which keep the seed in a dormant state until germination, but also inhibit many of our enzymes, reducing digestion. Lastly, our guts just are not anatomically designed to be able to fully break down whole grains…animals that eat them have four stomachs and we only have one!
You have to watch out when buying “whole grain” baked goods because many of them will have white flour but call it “wheat flour,” which should not be confused for whole wheat flour. Also the flours are usually made with the traditional chemicals and high temperature milling practices, and contain hydrogenated oils, soy flour (which is loaded with antinutrients), and bad sugars like high fructose corn syrup.
Soaked and sprouted grains = the way to go
Studies of traditional societies who had good physical health showed that they ate all their grains after soaking, sprouting, and/or fermenting them with lactobacilli or other friendly microbes. These processes break down the phytic acid and neutralize the enzyme inhibitors. This also activates some enzymes in the grains, which increases the amounts of many vitamins, making them even more nutritious. Fermentation allows friendly microbes to help break down some of the difficult to digest parts, similar to the processes that occur in the first couple of stomachs of ruminant animals, making our job easier, as well. This is why old-fashioned, slow-rise breads from fermented starters, like organic sourdough, are also ok to eat. Likewise, the Ezekiel breads are actually a brand from a company called Food for Life, which makes all sprouted grain baked goods that are free of bad additives and chemicals as well.
Sprouting is the main thing that can increase the nutrient value in grains (and beans and seeds and nuts) – for example, Chinese sailors traditionally avoided scurvy by sprouting mung beans on their voyages, which produces vitamin C (and many other nutrients.) Many of the complex sugars that contribute to gas formation when eating beans and grains are broken down, and additional enzymes are produced in sprouting as well. Sprouting also inactivates aflotoxins, which are carcinogens found in grains.
Sprouted grains are best eaten cooked because when raw they do contain some irritating substances (which are intended to prevent animals from eating the young shoots). They can be ground and made into breads. Of course they can be steamed or put into soups, stews and casseroles as well. There are many different kinds of grains that can be nutritious when soaked, sprouted, and/or fermented, including wheat, oats, rye, barley, corn, rice, buckwheat, millet, spelt, kamut, teff, amaranth, and quinoa. Grains should be cooked slowly and for a long time, at relatively lower temperatures, to maintain nutrient content. Soaking can usually be completed overnight, sprouting can take 1 to 4 days, and fermenting can be achieved by soaking grains with fermented dairy products, or by creating starter dough, taking anywhere from a day to a week. Clearly, this kind of preparation takes a little planning ahead!
A last little note about sprouts, though, alfalfa sprouts are actually not good for you! I know, I know, you thought it was the ultimate health food! They actually contain canavanine, which is a toxic amino acid that can inhibit the immune system and contribute to the inflammation of arthritis and lupus, when eaten in quantity...so don't go chowing down on the alfalfa sprouts!
A word about soy
(It falls into this category because is it a bean, in other words, a seed, and much more like a grain than anything else…and should be treated as such.)
The nutritionist told me to avoid soy products because of the estrogen-like compounds they contain, since one of the problems in PCOS is an excess amount of estrogen. I don’t need any more from my food! However, I have uncovered a few other disturbing things about this food that has been marketed as a health food for as long as I can remember.
Soybeans are very high in phytic acid and contain potent enzyme inhibitors, neither of which are neutralized by standard cooking. Remember, these things cause mineral malabsorption and reduce digestive efficiency. These are actually concentrated in commercial soy milk, which also contains carcinogens that are formed during processing. (not to mention, it usually has added sugar too) Soy is totally evil for anyone who has thyroid issues – it can severely aggravate them, creating a debilitating condition. Giving babies soy artificial infant milk can cause changes in pubertal timing as well as thyroid problems and immune system dysfunction.
But what about the claim that soy is healthy because asian peoples have eaten them for centuries and have notorious longevity? They actually only eat relatively small portions of fermented soy products, such as miso, natto, and tempeh… Have a look here for a good article about soy.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Welcome to the Journey!
Hey everyone, are you ready for this? I've been psyching myself up for this for several weeks now, this big commitment to changing my lifestyle and nutrition habits once and for all.
I will start out by saying this is not a blog about losing weight. It might happen, in fact, it is almost sure to happen, but you aren't going to hear me talking about it, and chances are, I am not even going to keep track of it for myself! Believe me, I would love to lose a little and be svelt and sexy, but that is decidely not what this is about. That being said, feel free to share when it happens to you and makes you feel good! I am quite sure I will be rejoicing, though perhaps privately, when I can fit into my fat clothes again! (I never really had skinny clothes...)
This is really all about saving myself from this really obnoxious issue I have with my health. Namely, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and insulin resistance (IR). These are by no means rare issues...I've seen estimates that as many as 1 in 10 women in the US has PCOS, and IR, well that is what is going on to one degree or another with basically all of us who are carrying a little extra around the middle! PCOS and IR seem to be linked - lucky us! All this puts a person at higher risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, you know, all those lovely things that kill people these days...usually slowly and painfully. When I first got diagnosed in April 2006, I went gung ho and changed all these things cold turkey for several months. I was extra motivated by the desire to overcome infertility. Well, it worked and I had a baby, and I totally fell off the bandwagon. But I've gotten to another breaking point lately, hence my final readiness to face it and truly change myself on a deep and permanent level. At least, that's what I'm going for - I know it won't happen overnight. I'm going to stumble and make mistakes, and I'm definitely going to need a lot of support. So thank goodness you are here - I need to hear from you!
So here's the plan. I'm going to be trying a multi-faceted attack strategy. I figure if there are a lot of things I am trying to do, I will succeed at least some of the time at some of them, right? Here are the main ideas, I am sure they will be refined and adjusted as time goes on and I learn more about all this:
1) Get rid of the Whites: White Sugar, White Flour, White Rice, and White Potatoes. I have done this part before and it is one of the hardest things psychologically, especially for a Candy Addict...but I really can't have any of these things in any quantity because of what they do to one's blood sugar. And especially, no High Fructose Corn Syrup - don't believe those commercials, it really is extra bad for you.
2) No more processed food: things from boxes, cans, and freezer trays are generally detrimental. Obviously some ok things come in this form, but one must be discriminating. Oh yeah, and no fake food either, like Splenda. A lot of people will be having a hard time with this, especially in the form of diet soda, but fortunately for me, I don't like carbonation. I also can't stand the taste of fake sugar. Only real candy for me...oh wait, not anymore...
3) Only healthy fats, and plenty of them: Good bye deep fried food, coconut oil is my new best friend. Anyone ever read "Eat Fat, Lose Fat"? Neither have I, but I heard its great. That one is definitely going on my Amazon Wish List. All kidding aside, I did actually go to a doctor and nutritionist (who did read that book) after I got diagnosed and she told me that I need to make sure I am getting plenty of good fats because hormones are made of fat (well, the steroid hormones are, at least) so it would help balance me out. And since she's a doctor, it must be true. (wink wink) So I'll be cooking (at low temperatures) with coconut oil, butter, and olive oil, and taking generous amounts of fish oil as well. No low fat, fat free, or margarine stuff for me, thank you. I know, this one is throwing you for a loop again, but I am really serious. Go read "Eat Fat, Lose Fat."
4) Speaking of taking fish oil, I need to start taking all those pills again: UGH! Honestly, this is what broke me the first time through. Months and months of downing probably 20 pills a day. When you're relatively young like me, it just doesn't feel right to have to tote around a pill box as big as my Grandma's. After a while you really start to wonder if they're even doing anything for you. Well, after going off of them I found out that yes, indeed, they were really doing a lot for me. So like I said, I've been psyching myself up to get back on track there. I'll be taking a multivitamin (prenatal, just in case), calcium & magnesium supplement (3 pills/day), probiotics (2/day), fish oil (2-4/day), garlic, B-complex, sometimes vitamin C, and Metformin (2/day). Metformin is the only prescription in the bunch, also known as Glucophage. Its a diabetes drug that helps your body be more sensitive to insulin, and it has also turned out to be a miracle drug for PCOS women. They don't really know how it works, but it does.
5) Do the organic thing: yes, its expensive, my husband calls this the Bankruptcy Diet. But frankly, I need to reduce the chemical load on my body and those pesticides are often endocrine disruptors...
6) No more eating out: oh man, this one is a toughie because a) I'm not a great cook and I hate cleaning up after myself, and b) my hubby loves eating out. Not that it would hurt him to do it less either... This one actually has double benefits though because in addition to being much healthier, it also saves a lot of money. Maybe even enough to cover the organic bill!
7) No more plastic: I've actually done this one for a while but have been a little lax about it at times. However, since PCOS is a hormone problem, and plastics often leach endocrine-disrupting chemicals into whatever substances they contain, its best to avoid it as much as possible. So, no more GladWare, no Dasani water, you get the idea... Glass and stainless steel are my new best friends. Oh yeah, this ban goes for styro too...
8) All natural body products: I've also been doing this one for a while as well, but I can always do more. Again with trying to reduce my exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Check out Skin Deep for more info on this one.
9) Hello, exercise! I am basically a lardo who sits on the couch under my laptop as much as my toddler will allow. Really, the only exercise I get is chasing him around if I happen to allow him out of toddler confinement (aka the shopping cart). I do have this nifty 20 minute Pilates DVD that has been pretty good for me in the past. I bought it because I thought I could probably manage an exercise that you do lying down the whole time, and that is basically true. Its just a matter of making myself do it. Oh yeah, and there's that $1500 treadmill with an inch of dust on it in the corner. Maybe I'll work my way up to that... But seriously, studies are showing that regular exercise can be as effective at combating depression as prescription medications! Definitely going to need to deal with that when I'm going through sugar DT's.
10) Explore multiple healing modalities: go to the chiropractor regularly, and if I can find any way to afford it, visit a massage therapist, a homeopath and an acupuncturist regularly as well, and maybe a naturopath or herbalist too. I have had very good results from these things in the past and they just make you feel good and help your body click along a little bit better. Probably the biggest barrier to this type of care is the cost, since its all out of pocket. So what ends up happening is that I rationalize my way out of going, booting myself to the bottom of the priority list and suffering along with stuff that I could most likely get rid of with the proper help. Its time to hoist myself up a few notches on that priority list, and convince myself (and hubby) that these things aren't just luxuries.
I guess I should put some sort of disclaimer on here since we are going to be talking about a lot of health related things. I am not a health care professional. Any information here is purely for support and education purposes and any changes you make to your personal care habits based on this blog should be reviewed by your health care provider. Your health is your own responsibility, and I am not able to take any liability for anything that may result from your following ideas on this blog. Though I will screen them for propriety, I also cannot assume liability for the content of any comments on this blog. Everyone's body is different and what works for me may not be appropriate for you. You always need to be your own advocate and do your own research before making health and lifestyle related decisions.
OK, that being said, what I am doing is pretty much common sense and is based on a whole food, close to nature approach, and as such, would probably be healthy for most people, PCOS or not. I do basically believe that PCOS and similar problems are a reaction, in genetically sensitive individuals, to our modern environment, and therefore can be helped a lot by avoiding man-made things and living naturally.
Well, I'm going to wrap it up for now. Thanks for sticking with me though this long intro post. From here on out, I'll be posting what I'm eating and doing for myself every day, along with some discussion topics, interesting info I come across, etc. Please, please, chime in and let me know where you're at in your journey, share recipes, etc. I'm looking forward to seeing the changes unfold!
I will start out by saying this is not a blog about losing weight. It might happen, in fact, it is almost sure to happen, but you aren't going to hear me talking about it, and chances are, I am not even going to keep track of it for myself! Believe me, I would love to lose a little and be svelt and sexy, but that is decidely not what this is about. That being said, feel free to share when it happens to you and makes you feel good! I am quite sure I will be rejoicing, though perhaps privately, when I can fit into my fat clothes again! (I never really had skinny clothes...)
This is really all about saving myself from this really obnoxious issue I have with my health. Namely, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and insulin resistance (IR). These are by no means rare issues...I've seen estimates that as many as 1 in 10 women in the US has PCOS, and IR, well that is what is going on to one degree or another with basically all of us who are carrying a little extra around the middle! PCOS and IR seem to be linked - lucky us! All this puts a person at higher risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, you know, all those lovely things that kill people these days...usually slowly and painfully. When I first got diagnosed in April 2006, I went gung ho and changed all these things cold turkey for several months. I was extra motivated by the desire to overcome infertility. Well, it worked and I had a baby, and I totally fell off the bandwagon. But I've gotten to another breaking point lately, hence my final readiness to face it and truly change myself on a deep and permanent level. At least, that's what I'm going for - I know it won't happen overnight. I'm going to stumble and make mistakes, and I'm definitely going to need a lot of support. So thank goodness you are here - I need to hear from you!
So here's the plan. I'm going to be trying a multi-faceted attack strategy. I figure if there are a lot of things I am trying to do, I will succeed at least some of the time at some of them, right? Here are the main ideas, I am sure they will be refined and adjusted as time goes on and I learn more about all this:
1) Get rid of the Whites: White Sugar, White Flour, White Rice, and White Potatoes. I have done this part before and it is one of the hardest things psychologically, especially for a Candy Addict...but I really can't have any of these things in any quantity because of what they do to one's blood sugar. And especially, no High Fructose Corn Syrup - don't believe those commercials, it really is extra bad for you.
2) No more processed food: things from boxes, cans, and freezer trays are generally detrimental. Obviously some ok things come in this form, but one must be discriminating. Oh yeah, and no fake food either, like Splenda. A lot of people will be having a hard time with this, especially in the form of diet soda, but fortunately for me, I don't like carbonation. I also can't stand the taste of fake sugar. Only real candy for me...oh wait, not anymore...
3) Only healthy fats, and plenty of them: Good bye deep fried food, coconut oil is my new best friend. Anyone ever read "Eat Fat, Lose Fat"? Neither have I, but I heard its great. That one is definitely going on my Amazon Wish List. All kidding aside, I did actually go to a doctor and nutritionist (who did read that book) after I got diagnosed and she told me that I need to make sure I am getting plenty of good fats because hormones are made of fat (well, the steroid hormones are, at least) so it would help balance me out. And since she's a doctor, it must be true. (wink wink) So I'll be cooking (at low temperatures) with coconut oil, butter, and olive oil, and taking generous amounts of fish oil as well. No low fat, fat free, or margarine stuff for me, thank you. I know, this one is throwing you for a loop again, but I am really serious. Go read "Eat Fat, Lose Fat."
4) Speaking of taking fish oil, I need to start taking all those pills again: UGH! Honestly, this is what broke me the first time through. Months and months of downing probably 20 pills a day. When you're relatively young like me, it just doesn't feel right to have to tote around a pill box as big as my Grandma's. After a while you really start to wonder if they're even doing anything for you. Well, after going off of them I found out that yes, indeed, they were really doing a lot for me. So like I said, I've been psyching myself up to get back on track there. I'll be taking a multivitamin (prenatal, just in case), calcium & magnesium supplement (3 pills/day), probiotics (2/day), fish oil (2-4/day), garlic, B-complex, sometimes vitamin C, and Metformin (2/day). Metformin is the only prescription in the bunch, also known as Glucophage. Its a diabetes drug that helps your body be more sensitive to insulin, and it has also turned out to be a miracle drug for PCOS women. They don't really know how it works, but it does.
5) Do the organic thing: yes, its expensive, my husband calls this the Bankruptcy Diet. But frankly, I need to reduce the chemical load on my body and those pesticides are often endocrine disruptors...
6) No more eating out: oh man, this one is a toughie because a) I'm not a great cook and I hate cleaning up after myself, and b) my hubby loves eating out. Not that it would hurt him to do it less either... This one actually has double benefits though because in addition to being much healthier, it also saves a lot of money. Maybe even enough to cover the organic bill!
7) No more plastic: I've actually done this one for a while but have been a little lax about it at times. However, since PCOS is a hormone problem, and plastics often leach endocrine-disrupting chemicals into whatever substances they contain, its best to avoid it as much as possible. So, no more GladWare, no Dasani water, you get the idea... Glass and stainless steel are my new best friends. Oh yeah, this ban goes for styro too...
8) All natural body products: I've also been doing this one for a while as well, but I can always do more. Again with trying to reduce my exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Check out Skin Deep for more info on this one.
9) Hello, exercise! I am basically a lardo who sits on the couch under my laptop as much as my toddler will allow. Really, the only exercise I get is chasing him around if I happen to allow him out of toddler confinement (aka the shopping cart). I do have this nifty 20 minute Pilates DVD that has been pretty good for me in the past. I bought it because I thought I could probably manage an exercise that you do lying down the whole time, and that is basically true. Its just a matter of making myself do it. Oh yeah, and there's that $1500 treadmill with an inch of dust on it in the corner. Maybe I'll work my way up to that... But seriously, studies are showing that regular exercise can be as effective at combating depression as prescription medications! Definitely going to need to deal with that when I'm going through sugar DT's.
10) Explore multiple healing modalities: go to the chiropractor regularly, and if I can find any way to afford it, visit a massage therapist, a homeopath and an acupuncturist regularly as well, and maybe a naturopath or herbalist too. I have had very good results from these things in the past and they just make you feel good and help your body click along a little bit better. Probably the biggest barrier to this type of care is the cost, since its all out of pocket. So what ends up happening is that I rationalize my way out of going, booting myself to the bottom of the priority list and suffering along with stuff that I could most likely get rid of with the proper help. Its time to hoist myself up a few notches on that priority list, and convince myself (and hubby) that these things aren't just luxuries.
I guess I should put some sort of disclaimer on here since we are going to be talking about a lot of health related things. I am not a health care professional. Any information here is purely for support and education purposes and any changes you make to your personal care habits based on this blog should be reviewed by your health care provider. Your health is your own responsibility, and I am not able to take any liability for anything that may result from your following ideas on this blog. Though I will screen them for propriety, I also cannot assume liability for the content of any comments on this blog. Everyone's body is different and what works for me may not be appropriate for you. You always need to be your own advocate and do your own research before making health and lifestyle related decisions.
OK, that being said, what I am doing is pretty much common sense and is based on a whole food, close to nature approach, and as such, would probably be healthy for most people, PCOS or not. I do basically believe that PCOS and similar problems are a reaction, in genetically sensitive individuals, to our modern environment, and therefore can be helped a lot by avoiding man-made things and living naturally.
Well, I'm going to wrap it up for now. Thanks for sticking with me though this long intro post. From here on out, I'll be posting what I'm eating and doing for myself every day, along with some discussion topics, interesting info I come across, etc. Please, please, chime in and let me know where you're at in your journey, share recipes, etc. I'm looking forward to seeing the changes unfold!
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