I just read some information over the weekend targeted at women with PCOS, in which they were advised to eat more almonds because of their omega-3 content.
Please note, almonds do NOT contain omega-3 fatty acids. The only nuts that do, are walnuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachio nuts, hazelnuts, and cashew nuts. If you wish to verify this for yourself, by visiting the USDA Nutrient Database. The compound you want to look for is called"18:3 undifferentiated fat".
Almonds are not bad for you, and in fact, they contain a lot of great things. In fact, according to the Almond Board of California, they are the tree nut highest in calcium, vitamin E, riboflavin, and niacin. All of these nutrients are important for total PCOS wellness.
It's just important to know that if you're looking for ways to boost your omega-3 intake (which we strongly encourage at inCYST), almonds are not going to be the nut that gets you there.
If you're a frequent traveler, chances are you have already had an opportunity to experience the new security measures at the airport, which include the new full body scanner.
One of the biggest concerns about this scanner has been the radiation exposure these scanners emit. Because radiation can affect fertility, a concern of many readers of this blog, I did some fact checking.
What is interesting to note is that before these scanners were even in existence, anyone stepping on an airplane was already increasing their exposure to radiation! In a 1998 study published in Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine, scientists concluded that an airline captain is exposed to 37% more radiation per year (219 millirem) than a nuclear power plant worker in the same period of time (160 millirem). For the pilot, that is the equivalent to 22 chest x-rays, for the power plant worker, 16 chest x-rays.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology, in an independent study, reported that the average scan with the TSA backscatter x-ray scanner provides 0.0024 millirem of radiation exposure. Meaning, you would have to have 4,000 TSA scans to equal one x-ray. The people at greatest risk for increased radiation exposure from these machines is most likely the TSA workers themselves, who conduct their work in the presence of the scanners for hours at a time.
Bottom line:
1. Your biggest dose of radiation exposure is actually coming from the time you spend on the airplane at altitude, not the short amount of time in the scanner. 2. If you are a pilot, flight attendant, or frequent flyer with concerns about fertility, it certainly is a good strategy to start being more diligent about your intake of antioxidants. I've listed the important ones below that are consistently recommended as cancer fighters. 3. If you are a reporter researching the scanner issue, instead of scaring travelers, perhaps the more relevant issue is why TSA is not requiring its employees to wear dosimeters to be sure their own exposure over time is not an occupational risk. It might also be a very quick way to identify a machine that is malfunctioning and exposing flyers to unnecessary additional radiation. 4. Flight crews and TSA employees might want to consider packing their bags with more fruits and vegetables. Especially since these are not items commonly available in airport food courts. 5. In addition to the standard security questions TSA members should ask for your 24 hour diet recall to be sure you're sufficiently protected for your flight. (Couldn't resist that one…just KIDDING!) 6. For our specific population most likely reading this post, I strongly recommend you discuss your travel strategy with the appropriate caregiver if you have a history of cancer, are in the middle of infertility treatment, or have a history of sexual abuse. It's best to know what choices are most appropriate for your personal situation before standing in the TSA line.
So if you're heading home at altitude for Thanksgiving, consider that the broccoli, cranberries, and sweet potatoes (even a small extra sliver of pumpkin pie) aren't all that bad if you're going to have seconds. Enjoy them, as well as your family.
BEST ANTIOXIDANTS FOR COUNTERING RADIATION
Vitamin C parsley, broccoli, bell pepper, strawberries, oranges, lemon juice, papaya, cauliflower, kale, mustard greens, and Brussels sprouts.
Vitamin E mustard greens, chard, sunflower seeds, turnip greens
You all are must be sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo tired of hearing me talk about the benefits of sleep. But I work with a sleepless population and it takes a few times to present my case before I make my point. I figure if I hammer at this from as many different angles as I can, and present as many examples of how poor sleep quality can interfere with your health, at least one of my examples will hit home and inspire you to consider your sleep habits and choices.
This doesn't bode well for Jay Leno and David Letterman…unless they team up with TiVo for advertising!
Women whose eggs had been examined and found to be of poor quality had those eggs examined by researchers. It was found that levels of chemicals indicative of oxidative stress were higher in those eggs than they were in the eggs of women whose eggs had been determined to be of good quality.
Taking this one step further, 18 women with low quality eggs were divided into one of three groups and given one of the following 3 regimens: (1) 3 mg melatonin per day, (2) 600 mg vitamin E per day, or (3) 3 mg melatonin AND 600 mg vitamin E per day. Oxidative stress markers were reduced in all three scenarios.
And THEN…in the final phase, 115 women who had not become pregnant with in vitro fertilization (IVF) were divided into two groups. The first group received 3 mg melatonin per day and the second group received no supplement. Melatonin significantly improved the rate of fertilization.
The researchers concluded that oxidative stress (which is what happens when you stress all day and don't sleep well all night), damages the quality of eggs. They also concluded that melatonin supplements can help improve fertilization rate.
Just a note--take melatonin if you want, but don't lose sight of the big picture. If you backed yourself into a corner because you weren't managing your stress and sleep, a pill may not be the complete solution to the entire problem.
Tamura H, Takasaki A, Miwa I, Taniguchi K, Maekawa R, Asada H, Taketani T, Matsuoka A, Yamagata Y, Shimamura K, Morioka H, Ishikawa H, Reiter RJ, Sugino N. Oxidative stress impairs oocyte quality and melatonin protects oocytes from free radical damage and improves fertilization rate. J Pineal Res. 2008 Apr;44(3):280-7.
I work with and talk about food all day long. But if it's not easy, I don't bother. Food should be fun, not tedious. And if you don't like it, you're never going to eat it.
That's why I wanted to pass along a great idea from colleague Tavis Piattoly, sports dietitian for the New Orleans Saints, the New Orleans Hornets, and St. Amant High School Athletics.
Over the weekend, he shared that he grilled butternut squash, and it turned out tasting just like sweet potato fries! All he did, was brush them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder…then put them on a sheet of tin foil on the grill.
And voila! A tasty summer treat to go with whatever protein you choose to grill. Not to mention nice doses of vitamins A, C, E, and folate.
Thanks, Tavis! Next time give me a heads up on dinnertime. I promise I'll bring dessert.: )
Some friends of mine here in Phoenix are working on a unique project, in conjunction with Intel, to promote the viablility of sunflower oil as a biofuel.
Whether your engine is your alternative auto…or your own body, sunflower seeds can be a nice addition to your fuel mix.
I've encouraged that you avoid sunflower OIL, since when you refine the oil out of the seeds, and consume it in disproportionate ratios to other fats, which is what happens when you use it to fry foods, the total composition of your fat intake tends to be pro-inflammatory. However, when consumed unprocessed, as in seeds, there are some great benefits to sunflower seeds in the diet.
One of the most important is vitamin E. It's an incredibly important antioxidant that can help prevent cholesterol buildup, even reduce cholesterol. It's also very important for protecting your brain, which with PCOS is crucial. That is where your hormone control center is located. It's been found to help reduce the magnitude of hot flashes.
Sunflowers are very high in phytosterols (which you'll be hearing more about soon in future blog posts). Sunflower seeds have one of the highest concentrations of phystosterols. They're also high in magnesium, a mineral often deficient in women with PCOS, which means that it may help you with stress and anxiety.
What is fascinating about sunflower research is that most of it has been done on livestock, not humans. It is well known among dairy and poultry farmers that their animals will be healthier and live longer if sunflower seeds or sunflower meal is added to their diet. Economically, they have learned that there is a profit to be made from using this knowledge. We're not quite there yet with humans…we're still biased in thinking the answer to every one of our aches, pains, and diagnoses, is a pill. (If you could see my"research institute projects to consider" list right here, it gets longer and longer as I write about all these great things like vinegar, strawberries, sunflowers, that should be given more attentio and hopefully will.
But don't wait for me to get going on those studies! Sunflower seeds are so easy to add to your diet. They can't hurt and they might help…and they're tasty! I see no reason why you can't be your own research subject as soon as you write your next grocery list.
How do you like your sunflower seeds? Here are some of my favorites.
1. In my oatmeal. 2. In my trail mix. 3. Sprinkled on soup 4. Sprinkled on salad. 5. Added whole to homemade bread, pancakes, etc. 6. Ground and added to flour or breading for meat.
Park CS, Fisher GR, Haugse CN. Effect of dietary protein and sunflower meal on blood serum cholesterol of dairy heifers. J Dairy Sci. 1980 Sep;63(9):1451-61. Ziaei S, Kazemnejad A, Zareai M. The effect of vitamin E on hot flashes in menopausal women. Gynecol Obstet Invest. 2007;64(4):204-7. Epub 2007 Jul 30.
