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Quick Tips for Menopause
1. MENOPAUSE SYMPTOMS RESPOND TO COLLAGEN Here is some first hand feedback from our customers… “Almost all my menopause symptoms are gone after a few months on the collagen! I only get hot flushes now when I drink alcohol, then it’s my own fault! Lol” JB Hi Sally, FYI…had been taking your Pure Hydrolysed Collagen to assist with my arthritis for 4 months and naturally my pain subsided. But what transpired was the best and most unexpected thing. My menopausal hot flushes disappeared as well. At first I didn’t tie the two together but I had a bad month financially and couldn’t get my collagen and that’s when the hot flushes returned!! Perhaps coincidence? I think not! I have had hot flushes for over 5 years and nothing has helped before this. The fact that they have reappeared after stopping the collagen is what was so interesting. I’m back on the collagen now and will see if the flushes stop again. Hold thumbs!!” KL I have to say I started only this week with your pure collagen and already I noticed a significant difference in the frequency and severity of my hot flashes. Ursula D 2. MENOPAUSE AND YOUR DIGESTIVE SYSTEM Keeping your digestive system working well is another key to good health not only in menopause but throughout your life. Eat organic vegetables where you can, pasture-fed meats and chickens, eggs from pasture-fed chickens and game. Ditch the sugar, alcohol and junk and concentrate on really fresh and healthy foods. 3. MENOPAUSE AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY Stay active – exercise on its own won’t help you manage your weight but it does help to prevent muscle loss and helps to sensitise insulin. You don’t have to run a marathon or spend all day at the gym. Simply walking every few days or an hour or so is enough. 4. MENOPAUSE AND CHEMICALS Avoid chemicals on your face, when cleaning your home, washing your body and your clothing. Wherever possible, choose natural alternatives to chemicals. Look around your home. You’ll be horrified at how many chemical substances you use every day. 5. MENOPAUSE AND HEALTHY CHOICES Avoid genetically modified foods, avoid man-made fats and oils. Stick to animal fat and olive oil, butter and other healthy fats. You can get all the support you may need and embark on a ‘food journey’ through the 63 Days to Optimum Health Book. You will be guided over the course of 9 weeks to transition in your emotions, food intake and habits to create a new you. Hopefully (if you want to) you will lose weight, feel heaps better, and continue to apply these principles indefinitely. This book is for anyone seeking to ‘create health’ or maintain it. This comprehensive guide offers sections on gut heath, market place myths, substitutions for unhealthy old favourites, superfoods that improve immunity and nourish the body, and delicious, cook-from-scratch recipes that celebrate the benefits of making whole foods at home. By making informed choices, you can enjoy day-long energy and ongoing health.
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5 things worth knowing about menopause
Hot flashes, night sweats, hormone replacement therapy (HRT)… If that’s about as much as you know on the topic of menopause, here’s your chance to get to grips with this often-dreaded stage of life. Knowledge is power, after all. What is menopause? Sometimes referred to as ‘change of life’, menopause signals the end of a woman’s reproductive cycle and is diagnosed once a woman has not had a menstrual cycle for 12 consecutive months – this change occurs as a result of the ovaries producing less of the hormone estrogen, and results in several menopause-related symptoms. The process includes three well-defined stages: Perimenopause – this encompasses the period leading up to menopause as well as the 12 months following the end of a woman’s menstrual cycle. Menopause – this stage follows 12 months after a woman’s last period, whether this occurs naturally or as the result of the ovaries being removed. Postmenopause – this covers the period following menopause, but it can be tricky to determine exactly when it starts. Here are five things you may not yet know about menopause – and which, if this phase of life still awaits you, should prove helpful when you get there. The symptoms of menopause are many and varied While hot flashes and night sweats are undoubtedly the most well-known indicators of menopause, this stage of life comes with a laundry list of (not-so-lovely) symptoms, some of which can kick in as soon as your early forties. These include but are not limited to: Mood swings Debilitating fatigue Hair loss Insomnia Memory issues Weight gain Bloating Vaginal dryness Increase in allergies Digestive problems Accelerated ageing While we’re on the topic of symptoms, there are some foods and drinks that can aggravate the situation, so try to avoid them wherever possible. Alcohol Coffee Very spicy food Sugar in any disguise (that includes fructose, agave etc.) Dairy products (with the exception of butter) Fizzy drinks Junk fats Soya Your cholesterol levels can increase Unfortunately, menopause can spell disaster for cholesterol levels – even if yours have always been normal. This has to do with the decrease in estrogen levels during menopause, which causes (?) a subsequent increase in levels of LDL (the ‘bad’ cholesterol) and a decrease in HDL (the ‘good’ cholesterol). What’s important to remember here is to get your cholesterol checked regularly, regardless of whether you’ve done so in the past. That way you can take measures to address it should you find your levels rising. Weight gain is a problem for many You’ve heard about the dreaded ‘middle age spread’ and sadly it’s a reality for many women during menopause, when hormonal changes can cause an associated change in your weight. So, what can you do about it? Stay active While regular exercise alone won’t help you lose weight, it is vital for preventing muscle loss and helping to sensitise insulin (more on why the latter is important below). And you don’t have to run a marathon or spend all day at the gym to make it worth your while – going for a walk several times a week is enough. Cut the carbs This is good advice at any age, but as we get older our insulin becomes less sensitive, with the result that our bodies produce more of it. And the more insulin we produce, the more fat we end up storing around our bellies. So, if you’re a fan of carbohydrates, which automatically trigger insulin production, now is the time to part ways with them in favour of a slimmer, relatively symptom-free menopausal you. Keep your digestive system in shape Again, this is advice worth following throughout your life. Here are a few valuable tips to keep in mind when planning meals: Ditch the sugar, alcohol and junk – focus on fresh, healthy foods instead. Source organic vegetables, pasture-fed meat and chicken and eggs from pasture-fed chickens, whenever possible. Avoid genetically modified foods. Use healthy fats – animal fat, olive oil and butter. Avoid all seed oils – these are inflammatory and will result in weight gain. There are alternatives to HRT Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is very often recommended for woman experiencing menopause, but it’s vital that you think very carefully before embarking on this course of action as natural estrogen is very different to the synthetic estrogen we are given during menopause – synthetic hormones build fat and can predispose you to cancers. There are safe natural options you can try and seeking advice on what these are and which ones could work for you could be a huge help during the menopausal years. There are supplements that can help In spite of the difficulties associated with menopause, there is good news in the shape of several fantastic supplements that can help your body navigate this challenging time. B Complex A menopause all-rounder Omega-3 fish oil Powerful anti-inflammatory agent Improves memory function Calms and improves mood levels Improves fat burning Renewed Balance Body Cream A natural progesterone – only suitable if you are not on HRT Addresses a multitude of menopausal symptoms including: Osteoporosis Insomnia/restless sleep Anxiety/depression Brain fog Mood swings Weight gain Vitamin D3 Important for cardiovascular health Improves depression/anxiety Prevents fatigue Prevents bone and muscle pain Vitamin K2 Improves bone density – directs calcium to the bones, rather than, for example, the kidneys where it forms kidney stones Enhances remineralisation of bone, reducing osteoporosis Regulates the function of hormones Improves brain function Promotes healthy blood sugar levels Pure Hydrolysed Collagen Collagen is found in your bones, skin, ligaments and joints and literally holds everything together in the body Promotes healthy joints and rebuilds cartilage Prevents wrinkles and can smooth some of them out Improves arthritis Strengthens arteries Promotes weight loss through fat-burning Glutamine Eliminates or significantly reduces cravings for sugar, alcohol and tobacco Improves blood sugar levels Helps burn fat As an essential transmitter, glutamine is wonderful for memory loss, focus and concentration Prevents muscle wasting Berberine Normalises blood sugar levels There are also a number of targeted nutrients and specialised supplements that you can trial under the direction of a trained Functional Nutritional Therapist.
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Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS)
BURNING MOUTH SYNDROME is a distressing condition that is all too common. Your mouth feels as though you have had a big gulp of boiling water and scalded your tongue and lips, gums, palate and/or throat or all of the above. It can appear out of the blue, develop over time or come and go. Some of the conditions which are linked to this include diabetes, allergies, candida overgrowth, acid reflux, thyroid conditions, menopause or medication. It also seems to be not too bad in the morning, and then get worse as the day progresses. Some of the symptoms include: Pain Increased thirst Changes in, or loss of taste Metallic taste in mouth that remains even after eating or brushing teeth Burning sensation in one or more areas of the mouth RISK FACTORS While this can happen spontaneously, some common medical conditions that can cause BMS include: Sjogren’s Syndrome Radiation therapy Chemotherapy Low blood pressure medications Vitamin B deficiency Iron deficiency Acid reflux Diabetes Thyroid problems Fungal infection in the mouth Allergic reactions to dyes, foods, toothpaste, fragrances or environmental elements OTHER RISK FACTORS YOU MIGHT CONSIDER: Being female Postmenopausal Over the age of 50 Dry mouth A recent illness New medication A recent traumatic life event Elevated stress levels Conventional therapy is merely giving salivary replacement products and various drugs, many with side effects. Here are a few things we have found to have helped people we’ve dealt with: VITAMIN B12 UNDER THE TONGUE: one of the main nutrient deficiencies which can cause this is Vitamin B12, and more than 50% of people with BMS had high homocysteine levels due to B12 deficiency. B12 reduces homocysteine, and in most cases will eliminate BMS. In addition to this, make sure you eat more beef, liver, wild-caught salmon, sardines and mackerel to boost your levels. Take B12 for around 8 months, then see how you go without it after that. It will take a little while to work. IRON RICH FOODS: sometimes in addition to a B12 deficiency – or because of low B12 – your iron stores will be low. Don’t ever take iron unless you have a blood test!! Too much iron is more dangerous than too little – but you can eat iron-rich foods like: organic beef liver, grass-fed beef, sardines, and other animal products for heme-iron (the most important one). Non-heme iron although poorly absorbed and not the same as animal-derived iron, can be obtained from spinach, pistachios and raisins. ZINC: a deficiency in zinc is also a cause of BMS, and this deficiency is widespread. Some signs of deficiency are a weak immune system, diarrhoea, allergies, thinning hair, leaky gut and acne. Zinc-rich foods include: pumpkin seeds, grass-fed beef (very nice source), cashews, cocoa powder and kefir.
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