The Hemp Connection [Search results for inCYSTem] 

Hello there,

I've been working hard on getting this program up and running, and have appreciated the feedback that the women with PCOS who have subscribed have provided. It's taught me a lot, already, about what kind of nutrition advice works and what simply doesn't.

If you would like to participate, you can, until midnight tomorrow, join as a beta tester, for half ($7.50) of what the price will be ($15) for a month from that point forward.

You may use this in conjunction with any program another nutritionist might be giving you; its primary purpose is to give you ideas for meals and do the work of compiling shopping lists for you. I try to do a different theme every week, and I try to use the menus as an opportunity to expand on our popular"Food of the Week" feature you may have seen in this blog.

If you would like to register for this program, or have questions before you do register, please contact me at marika@google.com.

"Brain fog"--trouble with focus, memory, and concentration, is a common but little-discussed issue with PCOS. I believe that for many of you, it impairs your ability to follow through with changes you genuinely wish to make because you simply don't remember to do them.

This is more than just an annoying little problem. Women with PCOS are at high risk for developing diabetes, and people with diabetes are at high risk for developing Alzheimer's disease.

So while you may be more focused on how to feel better right now, look better soon, and become pregnant in the near future, I've got my eye on the big picture.

The good news is that the nutrition recommendations we make here are good for all of the problems you might have with PCOS--weight, skin, fertility, mood…and brain function.
,
Fish oil is one of the biggest tools you have. Eating a variety of foods, not forgetting the fruits and vegetables, and getting enough sleep, are all very important to do.

Yesterday I mentioned choline, a chemical that the brain uses to make acetylcholine, the memory neurotransmitter. If you've given up egg yolks because you are afraid of their cholesterol, take note: it's likely not the cholesterol in those yolks that are causing you trouble. And, you're throwing valuable choline down the drain that your brain wants and needs.

This coming week at The inCYSTem, I've put together a week's worth of menus incorporating foods high in choline, some seafood, and good omega 6 to omega 3 balance. A four week subscription to this new program is $15; if you'd like to participate and experience first hand what eating well can do for you…contact me at marika@google.com.

I don't know about you, but mushrooms just aren't my top priority when I'm writing my grocery list. They're fungus, right? They just can't have much to offer with regards to nutrition, with that neutral color and different texture!

Was I ever wrong! Last week I learned that mushrooms contain two nutrients with healing potential for women with PCOS. They contain chromium, a metal that can be helpful with cravings. You may have read earlier on this blog, chromium in large doses may damage DNA. So the wiser choice may be to include foods in your diet that provide this metal in a dose that Mother Nature has provided.

Mushrooms, surprisingly, also contain vitamin D! It's one of the few non-animal sources of this vitamin, so vegetarians take notice! Your pizza is a great place to sneak in some 'shrooms. You may have read that some mushroom producers are experimenting with a technology to increase the vitamin D content of mushrooms using light exposure. Even if you get the regular button mushrooms at the store that have not been processed in this fashion, they'll still contain vitamin D.

I spent last night looking at how different mushrooms vary in nutritional value. Regardless of what the type…portabella, shiitake, button…there was something valuable about each and every one of them.

So put them in your omelets, add them to your salads, toss them into your pasta sauce! Mushrooms, for PCOS, can be pretty marvelous!

If you'd like more specific help planning menus including mushrooms, our new inCYSTem menu planning/coaching program features mushrooms this coming week. If you sign up before October 23 and help us beta test this program, you pay half price ($7.50 for a month of ongoing menus and can continue to subscribe at that price for the following 5 months). Contact me directly at marika@google.com for more information.

Hello everyone,

I'm looking for some cysters to help beta test"The inCYSTem", a new eating program. It is a combination of PCOS-friendly menus and coaching.

Part of what I am testing is whether doing such a program will be self-supporting financially (and therefore feasible for me to spend time developing). I will be charging a fee for participation, but anyone who beta-tests the program during the month of October ($7.50, 50% projected normal price) will be able to sign up for the plan for the 6 months at this reduced price.

I hear all the time that women with PCOS want menus, menus, menus, and so I am developing a PCOS-friendly plan that you can follow independently, or discuss with anyone who is helping you with your PCOS.

The first unit will be available a week from today, October 3, 2009. To register, contact me directly at marika@google.com

I tried a new recipe this week for the inCYSTem menu program…fell in love with it…researched it…and would like to encourage you to consider trying it yourself.

That food is buckwheat!

Buckwheat is one of the few foods containing d-chiro-inositol, which women with PCOS can have problems making. Its regular consumption is related to better insulin function, better lipid profiles, and fewer blood clotting issues. It's a good source of magnesium and tryptophan. And it's considered a complete protein, so it's an excellent food for you vegans.

I've always loved buckwheat pancakes, but I'd never had the buckwheat groats. I tried them in a recipe for buckwheat pesto I found on the Bob's Red Mill website. I think it would be very easy to substitute buckwheat for rice in a lot of dishes, such as tabouli, risotto, and pilaf. In fact, I'm going to try to make a habit of it here in my home.

Here is Bob's buckwheat pesto recipe to get you started!

1 cup Buckwheat Groats
2-1/2 cup Water
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
2 Tb Olive Oil
1 Tb Butter, softened
4 cloves Garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup chopped Walnuts-Baker's Pieces
1 cup Finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp Basil (Imported)
1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup Sliced Black Olives
1/2 cup Soy Bacon Bits (optional)

Directions:
Boil water with salt. Add groats, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and leave pan covered for about 5 minutes, then fluff with fork.

Mix butter, olive oil, garlic and walnuts together. Separately combine parsley, basil, cheese and olives. Add butter mixture to groats, then add the parsley mixture. Salt to taste. Toss and serve. Sprinkle soy bacon on top, if desired.

Makes 6 servings.