I've been reading a lot about inflammation recently, and thought the next few posts I would focus on foods that can reduce inflammation, which is the driving process behind PCOS. One of the most important nutrients you can get in your diet is magnesium. I thought for the next few weeks I'd highlight a food high in magnesium to help drive home the fact that these foods are crucial for everything from preserving fertility to keeping cholesterol low to protecting your mental health.
Several of my Facebook friends mentioned in their status reports that they were cooking pumpkin seeds from their Halloween pumpkins, so I thought I would take advantage of the fact that this food is a little plentiful in some households, and perhaps I can convince some of you procrastinators to not pitch a wonderful nutrient into the garbage! (Here you see my friend Tracey's daughter Reese creating her own stash.)
One-quarter cup of pumpkins seeds (AKA pepitas) contains almost half of your daily magnesium requirement. That's not shabby. Except…how the heck are you going to include that much on a regular basis? Here are some ideas:
1. Make your own trail mix for snacks and include them.
2. Sprinkle them on a sandwich.
3. Sprinkle them on salads.
4. If you're ever breading meat, grind some and add them to the flour.
5. Add them to your baking.
6. Buy them already shelled so they're handy for snacking.
7. Go to this website and look at some of their tasty recipes.
That should get you started!