The Hemp Connection [Search results for minerals] 

inCYSTer Christine Marquette recently gave a great, detailed webinar about supplements and PCOS. In it, she pointed out that there are certain nutrients women with PCOS may need more of because their metabolism is altered.

What I've been wondering ever since, is whether or not they need more because their intentional eating plans have thrown them out of balance…or would they need more even if they ate absolutely perfectly? The research does support these additional needs, but what the studies do NOT do, is provide women with healthy food for a period of time to discern whether those needs exist even when the diet has been brought back into balance. I suspect the needs would still be different, although not perhaps not quite as remarkable as they are when you're not eating well.

I thought, once a week, I'd introduce you to a vitamin or mineral and challenge you to see if you eat enough of it, regularly, over the course of the day.

Once you bring all of your vitamins and minerals back to baseline, then you can more accurately determine whether or not supplementation is going to work for you. If you want to check out how you're doing, check out http://www.fitday.com/, where you can enter all of your foods and check out how your own intake measures up to the recommendations for the vitamins and minerals.

Vitamin A
How do you do with the following foods?
liver carrots broccoli leaves (not the commonly eaten florets) sweet potatoes butter kale spinach pumpkin collard greens cantaloupe egg yolks
Keep this list handy over the next week and think of ways you can be sure you're getting enough vitamin A. Here are some suggestions.
1. If you make your own smoothies, be sure to throw a handful of leafy greens into them. Even if they're fruit flavored, a handful won't make a difference flavor-wise, but they'll make a huge difference nutrition-wise.
2. If you juice, which is the easiest way to get tons of vitamin A, be sure to balance all that carbohydrate with some protein. The biggest problem with juicing for people who tend to be insulin resistant is the huge carbohydrate load in comparison to the protein juice tends to not provide.
3. Always buy the darkest possible greens for your salad
4. Think kale chips, broccoli chips, etc. They're easy to make and tasty to munch on!
5. If that hour between arriving home and eating dinner is a problem, stock your refrigerator with baby carrots and hummous to snack on while you wait.
6. Try putting spinach leaves instead of plain lettuce on your sandwiches.
7. I'm a huge fan of omelets and frittatas. I never ate Swiss chard until I learned to put it into a frittata. It's also a great way to clean out the vegetable bin at the tail end of the week, it's a cheap dinner (it adds some eggs to your diet), and it's so easy on those nights when you come home exhausted and not wanting to think about anything complicated for dinner.
8. Boil up some eggs and keep them handy for snacks and to top salads with. We tend to be afraid of eggs because of the outdated information about cholesterol. They're actually quite healthy, quite convenient, and something that can make getting vitamin A…as well as protein…a little bit easier.
9. Still have an abundance of vegetables after eating the frittata? Why not make some soup! I have a slow cooker and it is the best appliance for making an easy dinner. A few minutes in the morning and I've got the house smelling great by late afternoon. If thinking about this in the morning while you're rushing out the door just isn't going to work…try putting everything in the slow cooker the night before and programming your smart phone to remind you to plug it in before you leave for work.
10. Stir fry! It's quick and it's easy. You can also buy chopped up vegetables if you want it to be even easier.
OK, let's do it! Let us know how you do with the challenge, or if you have new suggestions to add.

Most people, by the time they find this blog, have been introduced to the idea that carbs are"bad".

I propose a new way of thinking.

Carbs, when eaten to satisfy insatiable carbohydrate cravings, are being used to feed a potentially destructive biochemical imbalance.

Carbs, when eaten as part of a balanced diet, and when chosen from unrefined foods that also provide fiber, vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants, can be incredibly important in overall health and recovery from PCOS.

By now this blog has quite a bit of information on what you can do to help your carbohydrate cravings. So today I wanted to talk about a carbohydrate that can be helpful to include.

Ezekiel bread gets its name from the fact that its ingredients are all mentioned in the Bible verse Ezekiel 4:9.

"But as for you, take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and spelt, put them in one vessel and make them into bread for yourself; you shall eat it according to the number of the days that you lie on your side, three hundred and ninety days."

The bread is supposedly nutritionally complete. I'm not so sure about that, but I do know because it contains bean flour it is much higher in protein than your average bread. And, Biblical scholar or not…it can be a great food to add to your diet so that sandwiches, a handy convenience food, don't have to be eliminated from your"things I can pack for lunch" list.

I like to call our PCOS diet an"aggressive Mediterranean" diet. And because this recipe originates from the Bible, it falls in that category.

These days, Ezekiel bread is pretty easily found in most healthy food stores. The folks at Food for Life have trademarked the name"Ezekiel 4:9", and they've ventured into other products such as pasta, that you may be interested in trying.

If you cannot find Ezekiel bread in your local store, I found the recipe online for you to make it yourself.

Turkey sandwich piled with veggies…here I come!

I recently started to tell a good friend about the antioxidant power of turmeric. He stopped me midsentence.

"What is it with all this antioxidant stuff? First it was pomegranates. Then it was Mongolian gojis. It's something different every day."

(Insert big sigh and eye roll here.)

"Can you even tell me what an antioxidant looks like?"

My friend's reaction verified something I've sensed for awhile now. In our quest to show how much we know about antioxidants, we've thrown long words and catch phrases at the public, to the point where the concept has become nothing more than hype.

It's not long after any concept hits"hype mode" that it becomes passe. And being passe is absolutely not what the average antioxidant should be, to ANYONE.

So, I'd like to answer my friend's question. My answer is somewhat long, but I will do my best to encourage him--and you--to see past the hype that's been flung at all those innocent pomegranates and beets and Indian curries!

Here are ten important things to know about antioxidants.

1. AN ANTIOXIDANT IS LIKE RUSTPROOF FOR YOUR BODY. Oxidation is the natural process of something breaking down over time. On your car, oxidation looks like rust. Oxidation in humans isn't much different; it's somewhat of a biological rusting out process. So an antioxidant, really, is human rustproofing.

2. AN ANTIOXIDANT SLOWS DOWN AGING. This is primarily a blog for women with PCOS. What does aging have to do with that? PCOS is a disease of inflammation, and inflammation is an aging process. If you stand back and look at the big picture, a lot of the symptoms of PCOS are actually indications of an accelerated aging process--arthritis, forgetfulness, poor sleep, diabetes at an early age, premature menopause--I am struck at how many of my clients really present as old people in young peoples' bodies. Just as there really is no cure for the wear and tear on the body of a car that works better than prevention, PCOS needs preventive action. It's about choosing food, activity and lifestyle behaviors that make it easier for your body to stay young. It IS possible to reverse some aging, but it's a whole lot easier to prevent aging before it happens. Making good antioxidant choices every day is an important part of your personal rustproofing plan (PRP).

3. DON'T JUDGE AN ANTIOXIDANT BY ITS SCRABBLE SCORE. This one drives me nuts. Nutritionists tend to be extremely detail oriented, and they seem to have adopted this compulsion to throw dozens of new long words at the public. I am equally as nerdy when it comes to biochemistry, but there is a place for those words. If seeing them in an article isn't inspiring you to put some new and different foods on your shopping list, what's the point?

I don't believe in dumbing down the public, but I have to admit, much of what I read has MY eyes glazing over because how the word was spelled or pronounced was apparently more important to the author than what's in it for me to care.

If you're adding a few beets at the salad bar or learning to cook Indian curries, that's what matters. The chemicals will help you to be healthier, whether or not you can spell or pronounce them.

4. THE BEST ANTIOXIDANTS ARE FOUND IN THEIR ORIGINAL PACKAGING. I graduated from college in 1982, and there were only a handful of antioxidants to learn about at the most. Back then (I guess you could say the nutritional dark ages!) we learned mostly about vitamins and minerals. Many of the compounds we knew about, were extracted and sold as"complete nutritional replacements". Of course, the definition of"complete" was based on our limited knowledge of what food actually contains. They weren't really complete because they did not contain the antioxidant compounds we didn't even know about!

That, for me, was a huge lesson learned, about how much of an expert I can truly be in this field. There will always be things I don't know, and need to know, and my responsibility as a health educator is to be as complete in talking about what I don't know as I do about what I do know.

Therefore, my advice when it comes to antioxidants and supplements, is not to focus on what the most important, most perfect antioxidant might be, then to extract it and consume it in large quantities. Rather, look for opportunities to eat whole foods that are as close to the ground and/or tree when you consume them. The more something is sliced, diced, extracted, powdered, concentrated, the less like nature it is.

Remember, whole is best. There may be important nutritional compounds we have yet to learn about that aren't in those expensive antioxidant supplements.

5. ANTIOXIDANTS ARE COLORFUL CHARACTERS. Your plate needs a variety of colors if it's also going to contain antioxidants. I created this graphic last summer to illustrate the concept. If you're eating lots of reds and blues, and are judicious about which white foods you choose, that's a good start. But remember the greens, yellows, and oranges, too! It's really not that hard to choose colorfully. A plate of food that contains a lot of colors is also attractive. Would you rather have a plate of white fish, cauliflower, and mashed potatoes, or a chicken salad packed with apples, walnuts, and spinach?

Eat patriotically--doesn't matter what country--if you put color on your plate, you can't go wrong.

6. ANTIOXIDANTS LOVE A GOOD PARTY! Antioxidants tend to be more effective in the presence of other antioxidants. In other words, you'll get more bang for your buck out of Compound A if you are also eating Compound B. That's why there is no such thing as the ultimate antioxidant. Just like you have less fun at a party if you act like a wallflower, your"health party" will be a whole lot more worthwhile if you introduce and mingle different compounds.

7. ANTIOXIDANTS LOVE THE GYM. Antioxidants have an interesting relationship with exercise. Exercise, because it raises metabolism, is actually an oxidative activity. However…when you exercise regularly, your body becomes more efficient at storing antioxidants for future use, and then mobilizing them to areas where exercise has raised your metabolism. To get the best advantage out of exercise, it's important to (1) not overexercise, but (2) exercise regularly, and (3) be sure the diet you eat on a regular basis is full of colorful foods.

8. ANTIOXIDANTS ARE HOMEBODIES. When fruits are picked early so they can be shipped to distant markets, they're not allowed to ripen and develop their fullest antioxidant potential. When fruits are processed so they can be stored and consumed through off-seasons, they lose antioxidant power. So while I love blueberries and I appreciate their antioxidant power, they are more of a summer treat for me. Since I live in Arizona, I try to eat lots of citrus in the winter, watermelon in the summer, and to use foods from other areas as occasional treats. Every locality has its specialties. Become familiar with what's in season in your area, and if you travel, experiment with local specialties. A Goji berry is definitely a powerful antioxidant tool, but you can be antioxidant friendly even if your plate was not partially picked by distant farmers on exotic hillsides. Some of your greatest antioxidant friends may be lurking just down the road at your local organic farm.

9. ANTIOXIDANTS SHOULD NOT BREAK YOUR BUDGET. When you eat seasonally, you should also save money. In fact, one of the easy way to know what fruits and vegetables are in season is to look for what is cheap! If you frequent your local farmer's market, what you see at the majority of the stands is likely the local seasonal offering. I like eating seasonally because foods move in and out of my menu and I don't get bored because I'm eating the same thing over and over again. Get to know how seasons affect food availability in your area, and plan menus around that. It is fun, not to mention tasty!

10. THE BEST ANTIOXIDANT OF ALL--IS A PROACTIVE LIFESTYLE. OK, here's a picture of an antioxidant. (A face only a molecule mother could love…) What it looks like isn't as important as what it does. An antioxidant keeps you healthy and young! Any choice you make that creates an imbalance--too much exercise and not enough rest, not enough sleep, an imbalanced diet, poor stress management--puts you at risk of antioxidant deficiency. If you're not making good lifestyle choices and assuming a supplement will absorb the imbalance, you're putting yourself at even greater risk. Be sure your diet has a lot of variety and color.

Even better, apply that mentality to the rest of your life.
--Create a social support network with a variety of personalities that encourage the best in you to come out, and who accept you for who you are without unrealistic expectations.
--Participate in a few different physical activities that allow muscles to rest while others work.
--Do things that make you laugh! (Yes, in a way, your favorite corny movie is an antioxidant!)
--Do something creative.

There are many kinds of antioxidants that have nothing to do with nutrition. Be sure your choices add up to move you in the direction of capitalizing on them, rather than putting you in a position where you need to supplement to reverse damage that didn't need to be done.

OK, good friend, I hope I answered your question and you made it to the end of this blog post without rolling those eyes again!

Not long ago, I stopped into Planet Raw, in Santa Monica. It's a very popular hangout for raw foodists, so I wanted to see what the buzz was about. I actually enjoyed perusing the shelves, and they did have some fun things to buy for the more adventurous cook. I'll probably eat there from time to time, as it's a stone's throw away from my office.

However…I had a most disturbing conversation with one of the employees. When she learned that I was a dietitian, she commented,"Cool, maybe you can help then. We're having trouble finding protein sources. Do you have any ideas?"

So I mentioned Growing Naturals, the rice protein powder that I wrote up last week.

"Oh, we don't do rice."

When I asked why, she responded by explaining that Planet Raw's owner"doesn't do rice".

So I suggested pea protein.

"Oh, we don't do peas, either."

When I asked why, she responded by explaining that Planet Raw's owner"doesn't do peas".

I could see I wasn't going to get anywhere because I was in a food religion debate, not an evidence-based scientific discussion, so I politely guided the conversation to its end.

I later went to the website (which you can Google for yourself, I won't provide free advertising for this place through linking), and could find absolutely nothing explaining this philosophy. I saw plenty of advertising for expensive certifications as raw chefs, and courses for raw foodists…which, in essence, kind of seemed like me to be expensive courses on how to promote malnutrition.

I do my best to be positive and inspiring rather than confrontational on this blog, but sometimes I get pushed past my limit of tolerance. This philosophy, especially for women with PCOS who need a decent amount of protein in their diet to reduce the influence of insulin resistance, is simply dangerous.

Of course, a diet that is heavy on the raw, is perfectly fine. It means you're eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, nuts…all great sources of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. But a completely raw diet needs to be taken on with a lot of thought, not be a source of pride with regard to how many foods you can find an excuse not to eat. Here is why.

At the same time raw food diets have been studied and found to have benefit, they have also been associated with many problems women with PCOS already have.

lower bone density,
amenorrhea and underweightness in women,
dental erosion with a raw vegan diet,

elevated plasma homocysteine and low serum HDL cholesterol" and vitamin B12 deficiency.

Bottom line? Enjoy your occasional lunch at Planet Raw, and buy their coconut flour. But don't depend on them for advice when it comes to how to eat this diet in a way that allows you to reduce the influence PCOS has on your life.

For the record, I am NOT anti-raw. I am anti-malnutrition, and anti-inflammation. Be sure you know the difference if you choose to pursue a raw foodist lifestyle/food religion.

Fontana, L; Shew, JL; Holloszy, JO; Villareal, DT. Low bone mass in subjects on a long-term raw vegan diet." Archives of Internal Medicine 165 (6): 684–9, 2005.

Koebnick, C; Strassner, C; Hoffmann, I; Leitzmann, C. Consequences of a long-term raw vegan diet on body weight and menstruation: results of a questionnaire survey. Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism 43 (2): 69–79, 1999.

Ganss, C; Schlechtriemen, M; Klimek, J. Dental erosions in subjects living on a raw food diet. Caries Research 33 (1): 74–80, 1999.

Koebnick, Corinna; Garcia, Ada L; Dagnelie, Pieter C; Strassner, Carola; Lindemans, Jan; Katz, Norbert; Leitzmann, Claus; Hoffmann, Ingrid. Long-Term Consumption of a Raw Food Diet Is Associated with Favorable Serum LDL Cholesterol and Triglycerides but Also with Elevated Plasma Homocysteine and Low Serum HDL Cholesterol in Humans. Journal of Nutrition 135 (10): 2372, 2005.

The day after the FDA warning about pistachio nuts came out, I was in a local grocery store. As I walked through the produce aisle, I noticed the produce manager and his clerk with a huge bin; they were emptying out their inventory of pistachio nuts into a huge garbage bin. They had no idea where their pistachios had come from, and they had to throw them away.

I felt sad that so much food had to be wasted.

The day that the FDA warning about pistachio nuts came out, I received a note from Whole Foods Market. They were working to source where all their pistachio nuts came from. A detailed memo was released later in the week regarding the safety of pistachios in their many stores.

Please read this blog post and make your own decisions. But do consider the value in being an informed consumer. If you are judicious about where you shop, it may be worth a little extra investment. If you make a choice to purchase locally grown products at your farmer's market, you're not only supporting a local small business, you know exactly what hands your food passed through before it fell into yours.

There will come a time when pistachios will be considered generally healthy to eat, no matter what the source. And when that comes, keep these pistachio fun facts in mind:

--a one ounce serving of pistachio nuts scores higher on the USDA's antioxidant scorecard than a cup of green tea.
--pistachio nuts can help to reduce bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol
--pistachio nuts are high in lutein and can help prevent macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness
--pistachio nuts are a good source of many vitamins and minerals, including: thiamin, vitamin B6, copper, manganese, potassium, dietary fiber, phosphorus and magnesium
--pistachio nuts are a good source of healthy fats, including omega-3's

My point is…I hope you don't eliminate pistachios completely from your diet because of what you've heard in the news. The pistachio recall was specifically for pistachios from Setton Farms. If you can shop at a store or farmer's market where you can be assured pistachios did not pass through this processing plant, they can be a wonderful addition to your PCOS eating plan.

Here's a recipe for white bean pistachio chili to get you started!

I'm hearing more and more that many of you are switching to raw eating, and you're asking me if it's good for PCOS. It's not something that has been formally researched, so my answer is pulled together using what I do know about nutrition.

"Raw" refers to whether or not a food's temperature has exceeded a certain temperature during preparation. I actually tried to write a blog post about this several years ago and at the time could not find a specified temperature defining"raw" for a long time. I finally found something that suggested if it stayed below 124 degrees it would be considered raw. Then, last year, I ate lunch at the Whole Foods Venice, and decided to try a raw lunch for myself. The name of the restaurant that prepared my food was"118 Degrees," referring to the threshold raw temperature. This week, when researching it again, found everything from 104 to 118 degrees listed, without any scientific references for any of those values. It's one reason the diet can't be studied easily — those who follow it have yet to consistently define it.

One of the issues I have with any of those temperatures is that some of the foods popular in the raw community, by virtue of the fact that they grow in tropical climates, are regularly exposed to temperatures exceeding even the highest threshold. The mesquite trees growing in my backyard, yesterday alone, were exposed to an ambient temperature of 118 degrees the entire afternoon. The mesquite beans are dark, meaning they absorb heat and get even hotter. The flour made from them would not technically be raw, though mesquite flour is valued by the raw community. Coconuts, rice…both grow in tropical climates and therefore cannot be guaranteed to be"raw" if the benchmark is the definition above.

I'm assuming for the average person, for whom food is sustenance and not a religion,"raw" more likely means food that was not formally heated during preparation, and for the rest of this article that is the definition I will use.

Though raw eating has not been studied with regards to PCOS, it has been studied. It has been found to have both risks and benefits. The very first study of a raw food diet, published in 1985, found that after 7 months, subjects following this diet dropped their blood pressure, lost weight, and tended to spontaneously give up smoking and drinking.

One study found that raw foodists have lower cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. However, a couple of other cardiovascular risk factors, serum homocysteine and HDL, were elevated, likely because a raw diet tends to be low in vitamin B12. It would be wise to take a multi-vitamin just to be safe.

Another study reported more dental caries in raw foodists. I'm assuming this is related to the increased carbohydrate and simple sugar content of the diet. So don't forget to brush and floss!

Here's what all you readers really need to pay attention to. One study specifically looked at menstrual function and raw food. It found that about 30% of women studied who were under 45 years of age had partial to complete amenorrhea, with subjects eating high amounts of raw food (>90%) being more affected than moderate raw food dieters. Ouch, ouch, OUCH.

A raw diet is also low in DHA and EPA, the omega-3 fatty acids primarily found in fish. If you're a raw foodist and also vegan, consider taking an omega-3 supplement derived from marine algae.

One benefit to a raw diet is that most people who consume it eat far more fruits and dark green leafy vegetables than they used to. Yay for antioxidants! Interestingly, however, one study found that though raw foodists had higher beta-carotene levels than average, their serum lycopene levels were low. Since lycopene is found in easily found fresh fruits and vegetables like tomatoes and watermelon, this suggests that even when eating raw, it's important to make conscious choices and not limit yourself to a few favorites. It can't just be about carrot juice!

The flip side of all those fruits and vegetables, however, is that protein is a difficult nutrient to get with this diet without soaking and sprouting legumes, in adequate quantities to balance out all of that carbohydrate. It may aggravate your insulin resistance. Be sure to add some protein powder to your cooking to prevent that from happening. Growing Naturals organic brown rice protein isolate powder has designed its product to be raw-compatible; be sure to check them out!

Another natural consequence of cutting out so much protein is that the fat content of the diet naturally increases. And even if it's raw fat, and good fat, it still has calories. I would recommend working out some menus on paper or running them through http://www.fitday.com/ just to be sure the diet doesn't push you in the wrong direction.

How your diet affects your health appears to be more determined by the proportions of carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that your diet contains. If you want to do that with raw foods, just be sure you do it right.

Douglass JM, Rasgon IM, Fleiss PM, Schmidt RD, Peters SN, Abelmann EA. Effects of a raw food diet on hypertension and obesity. South Med J. 1985 Jul;78(7):841-4.

Koebnick C, Garcia AL, Dagnelie PC, Strassner C, Lindemans J, Katz N, Leitzmann C, Hoffmann I. Long-term consumption of a raw food diet is associated with favorable serum LDL cholesterol and triglycerides but also with elevated plasma homocysteine and low serum HDL cholesterol in humans. J Nutr. 2005 Oct;135(10):2372-8.

Ganss C, Schlechtriemen M, Klimek J. Dental erosions in subjects living on a raw food diet. Caries Res. 1999;33(1):74-80.

Koebnick C, Strassner C, Hoffmann I, Leitzmann C. Consequences of a long-term raw food diet on body weight and menstruation: results of a questionnaire survey. Ann Nutr Metab. 1999;43(2):69-79.

Garcia AL, Koebnick C, Dagnelie PC, Strassner C, Elmadfa I, Katz N, Leitzmann C, Hoffmann I. Long-term strict raw food diet is associated with favourable plasma beta-carotene and low plasma lycopene concentrations in Germans. Br J Nutr. 2008 Jun;99(6):1293-300. Epub 2007 Nov 21.

I love bananas. They are one of my favorite fruits. My basic smoothie recipe is one cup of yogurt, a banana, and whatever fruit is in season. I put them on my oatmeal. I bake with them. I freeze them and eat them like ice cream. So it always bothers me to see nutrition and fitness experts steer people away from bananas. Apparently they are too high in carbohydrate. If you DO get permission to eat one…you have to cut it in half. (Like who is going to eat the other half the next day when it's all brown?) My theory has always been, if you eat a banana, you get fiber, and you get vitamins and minerals, so you get a whole lot more than carbohydrates. And if you eat a banana, it is filling enough that you are less likely to be hungry for other, less nutritious carbohydrates. So last week, when I saw bananas hit the newswires, for a good reason, I was excited! A new study tested the athletic performance of people eating bananas vs. those using sports drinks. And the bananas won out. Of course they did. Mother Nature designed them. There are people, a lot of them, who devote their lives to creating the ultimate nutrition supplement. There are labs with hundreds of thousands of dollars devoted to researching whether or not those supplements should contain vitamin M, mineral T, or antioxidant Y. And the banana, the fruit we've been telling people to stay away from, was the secret weapon all along. By the way, if you're like me and you like bananas when they're still a little green without any brown spots, you're getting an additional type of carbohydrate--resistant starch. This type of carbohydrate passes through the stomach undigested and is not processed until it ferments in the large intestine. The resulting byproduct is a prebiotic, meaning it feeds healthy bacteria and promotes calcium absorption. It may even promote weight loss, because carbohydrates your body uses as resistant starch yield fewer calories than calories that do not.

So before you take bananas out of your diet because a trainer who heard it from another trainer who heard it at the gym from someone who read it on a website told you not to eat them…take a look at the research. I think this guy knows a lot more than personal trainers who have nothing to gain and money to lose if you eat bananas instead of earning them commission and endorsement money on some artificial supplement. Has Mother Nature ever packaged anything with bad intent?

Our blog statistics have shown over time, that we get quite a bit of regular traffic from the other side of the world. I have to admit, my advice is hemisphere-centric, since I've never been south of the Equator. So I invited a friend from Australia, Olwen Anderson, who works with PCOS in her part of the world, to share a little bit of advice. Here's hoping for our Aussie readers, it introduces you to someone close to you who can help you, and that what Olwen has to say, is helpful!

Legumes are a girl’s best friend… when you have PCOS

Olwen Anderson is an Australian Nutritionist-Naturopath who specialises in treatment of hormone imbalances and gut disorders. Her blog contains lots of PCOS-friendly recipes: Visit www.olwenanderson.com.au

Been diagnosed with PCOS? Meet your new nutritional “best friend” – legumes.

When you think about food as medicine, legumes should almost be a compulsory prescription for good health. These amazing little vegetables are packed to the brim with nutrition that can help moderate your hormones. They taste great; and once you learn how to prepare and use them, they will open up a whole new culinary world for you.

Legumes include chick peas (or garbanzo beans), black eyed beans, haricot, lima beans, kidney beans, soy beans and many other dried beans that are a staple food in many countries. In fact, legumes are one of the powerful plant foods common in countries where people routinely live happy, productive lives to 100 plus.

Phytoestrogens and fibre are two outstanding features of legumes that will benefit you. Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring plant chemicals that have a molecular shape similar to estrogen. When digested, they ‘latch on’ to the estrogen receptors of cell membranes, and effectively block real estrogen molecules from connecting with the cell. This means that when you have plenty of the right fibre in your diet, you’re automatically reducing the effects of excess circulating estrogen.

Its good bacteria in your intestines that convert plant phytoestrogens to their active form. These good bacteria feed and breed on soluble and insoluble dietary fibre. Fortunately legumes are packed with fibre, so your intestinal bacteria will love them. When there’s plenty of fibre in your diet, your body produces more sex hormone binding globulin. This transporter molecule travels through your bloodstream, picking up and removing excess hormones, including excessive androgen hormones like testosterone. Exactly what you want to happen in your body.

Even better, legumes are packed with nutrients: Some protein, a little of the good fats, and complex carbohydrates. They’ll take ages to digest, resulting in smoother blood glucose management; and they’re packed with minerals too.

But won’t they make me flatulent?

Many women worry that if they start enjoying legumes, they will become windy. To prevent this, start with small quantities (about one tablespoon) and build up over a few days to half a cup so your intestinal bacteria have a chance to adjust.

It’s easy to incorporate legumes into your diet every day:

- Sprinkle chick peas (garbanzo beans) through your salad

- Enjoy some home made baked beans for breakfast with poached salmon

- Fresh broad beans, steamed and mashed, make a great vegetable side dish

- Include legumes in your stews, casseroles and soups. Like minestrone soup; or lentil stew.

You can buy legumes canned; but the dried variety, cooked, taste so much better. (Also, avoiding canned food helps you avoid suspected endocrine-disrupting chemicals like BPA). Buy dried legumes, soak for a few hours, boil until cooked, (firm but not crisp), then freeze in portion size containers.

I always keep containers of cooked legumes meal-ready in the freezer. Then, if I want a quick meal, I can take one out, stir-fry in a hot pan with garlic, spices, some kangaroo fillet, a few baby tomatoes and a handful of baby spinach leaves. Fast, healthy, one-pot cooking.

Looking for recipe inspiration to enjoy legumes?

- Visit my web site at www.olwenanderson.com.au (recipes tag on the blog)

- Look at recipe books for cultures where legumes are part of the daily diet: South American, Mediterranean, Indian.

Recently I read"Prodigal Summer" by Barbara Kingsolver. In it one of the characters noted that her menstrual cycle and the moon were related. I did some Internet research and found an interesting article in Wikipedia, from which this is excerpted.

Menstruation and the moon
Traditional sources agree that the menstrual cycle is linked to the cycle of the moon.[citation needed] These sources generally indicate that women menstruate at the time of the new moon, and ovulate at the full moon. Although scientific evidence for this has been weak, the problem may be that most women today live in urban environments where the moon is no longer a significant contributor to nocturnal light. The fact that women who work on night shifts, where they are exposed to strong light at night, often experience menstrual irregularities, is just one example of how rhythms of light and darkness do influence hormonal physiology, including the menstrual cycle.[22]

The word"menstruation" is etymologically related to moon. The terms"menstruation" and"menses" come from the Latin mensis (month), which in turn relates to the Greek mene (moon) and to the roots of the English words month and moon — reflecting the fact that the moon also takes close to 28 days to revolve around the Earth (actually 27.32 days). The synodical lunar month, the period between two new moons (or full moons), is 29.53 days long.

A 1975 book by Louise Lacey documented the experience of herself and 27 of her friends, who found that when they removed all artificial night lighting their menstrual cycles began to occur in rhythm with the lunar cycle. She dubbed the technique Lunaception.[23] Later studies in both humans[24] and animals[25] have found that artificial light at night does influence the menstrual cycle in humans and the estrus cycle in mice (cycles are more regular in the absence of artificial light at night), though none have duplicated the synchronization of women's menstrual cycles with the lunar cycle. One author has suggested that sensitivity of women's cycles to nightlighting is caused by nutritional deficiencies of certain vitamins and minerals.[26]

Some have suggested that the fact that other animals' menstrual cycles appear to be greatly different from lunar cycles is evidence that the average length of humans' cycle is most likely a coincidence.[27][28]

Note that the cycle reconnected itself to the lunar cycle with the removal of artifical night light. It's another way of saying what I've been saying all along: melatonin, which does not reach its normal levels in the presence of light, is crucial for normal functioning menstrual cycles.

Take a look around. Are you pulling the shades completely? Have you removed night lights? Taken the clock radio away from your nightstand? Avoided excessive computer and television in the evening hours?

Mother Nature has funny, yet insistent ways of reminding us that when we drift too far from her wisdom…things just don't work the way they should.

I recently started to tell a good friend about the antioxidant power of turmeric. He stopped me midsentence.

"What is it with all this antioxidant stuff? First it was pomegranates. Then it was Mongolian gojis. It's something different every day."

(Insert big sigh and eye roll here.)

"Can you even tell me what an antioxidant looks like?"

My friend's reaction verified something I've sensed for awhile now. In our quest to show how much we know about antioxidants, we've thrown long words and catch phrases at the public, to the point where the concept has become nothing more than hype.

It's not long after any concept hits"hype mode" that it becomes passe. And being passe is absolutely not what the average antioxidant should be, to ANYONE.

So, I'd like to answer my friend's question. My answer is somewhat long, but I will do my best to encourage him--and you--to see past the hype that's been flung at all those innocent pomegranates and beets and Indian curries!

Here are ten important things to know about antioxidants.

1. AN ANTIOXIDANT IS LIKE RUSTPROOF FOR YOUR BODY. Oxidation is the natural process of something breaking down over time. On your car, oxidation looks like rust. Oxidation in humans isn't much different; it's somewhat of a biological rusting out process. So an antioxidant, really, is human rustproofing.

2. AN ANTIOXIDANT SLOWS DOWN AGING. This is primarily a blog for women with PCOS. What does aging have to do with that? PCOS is a disease of inflammation, and inflammation is an aging process. If you stand back and look at the big picture, a lot of the symptoms of PCOS are actually indications of an accelerated aging process--arthritis, forgetfulness, poor sleep, diabetes at an early age, premature menopause--I am struck at how many of my clients really present as old people in young peoples' bodies. Just as there really is no cure for the wear and tear on the body of a car that works better than prevention, PCOS needs preventive action. It's about choosing food, activity and lifestyle behaviors that make it easier for your body to stay young. It IS possible to reverse some aging, but it's a whole lot easier to prevent aging before it happens. Making good antioxidant choices every day is an important part of your personal rustproofing plan (PRP).

3. DON'T JUDGE AN ANTIOXIDANT BY ITS SCRABBLE SCORE. This one drives me nuts. Nutritionists tend to be extremely detail oriented, and they seem to have adopted this compulsion to throw dozens of new long words at the public. I am equally as nerdy when it comes to biochemistry, but there is a place for those words. If seeing them in an article isn't inspiring you to put some new and different foods on your shopping list, what's the point?

I don't believe in dumbing down the public, but I have to admit, much of what I read has MY eyes glazing over because how the word was spelled or pronounced was apparently more important to the author than what's in it for me to care.

If you're adding a few beets at the salad bar or learning to cook Indian curries, that's what matters. The chemicals will help you to be healthier, whether or not you can spell or pronounce them.

4. THE BEST ANTIOXIDANTS ARE FOUND IN THEIR ORIGINAL PACKAGING. I graduated from college in 1982, and there were only a handful of antioxidants to learn about at the most. Back then (I guess you could say the nutritional dark ages!) we learned mostly about vitamins and minerals. Many of the compounds we knew about, were extracted and sold as"complete nutritional replacements". Of course, the definition of"complete" was based on our limited knowledge of what food actually contains. They weren't really complete because they did not contain the antioxidant compounds we didn't even know about!

That, for me, was a huge lesson learned, about how much of an expert I can truly be in this field. There will always be things I don't know, and need to know, and my responsibility as a health educator is to be as complete in talking about what I don't know as I do about what I do know.

Therefore, my advice when it comes to antioxidants and supplements, is not to focus on what the most important, most perfect antioxidant might be, then to extract it and consume it in large quantities. Rather, look for opportunities to eat whole foods that are as close to the ground and/or tree when you consume them. The more something is sliced, diced, extracted, powdered, concentrated, the less like nature it is.

Remember, whole is best. There may be important nutritional compounds we have yet to learn about that aren't in those expensive antioxidant supplements.

5. ANTIOXIDANTS ARE COLORFUL CHARACTERS. Your plate needs a variety of colors if it's also going to contain antioxidants. I created this graphic last summer to illustrate the concept. If you're eating lots of reds and blues, and are judicious about which white foods you choose, that's a good start. But remember the greens, yellows, and oranges, too! It's really not that hard to choose colorfully. A plate of food that contains a lot of colors is also attractive. Would you rather have a plate of white fish, cauliflower, and mashed potatoes, or a chicken salad packed with apples, walnuts, and spinach?

Eat patriotically--doesn't matter what country--if you put color on your plate, you can't go wrong.

6. ANTIOXIDANTS LOVE A GOOD PARTY! Antioxidants tend to be more effective in the presence of other antioxidants. In other words, you'll get more bang for your buck out of Compound A if you are also eating Compound B. That's why there is no such thing as the ultimate antioxidant. Just like you have less fun at a party if you act like a wallflower, your"health party" will be a whole lot more worthwhile if you introduce and mingle different compounds.

7. ANTIOXIDANTS LOVE THE GYM. Antioxidants have an interesting relationship with exercise. Exercise, because it raises metabolism, is actually an oxidative activity. However…when you exercise regularly, your body becomes more efficient at storing antioxidants for future use, and then mobilizing them to areas where exercise has raised your metabolism. To get the best advantage out of exercise, it's important to (1) not overexercise, but (2) exercise regularly, and (3) be sure the diet you eat on a regular basis is full of colorful foods.

8. ANTIOXIDANTS ARE HOMEBODIES. When fruits are picked early so they can be shipped to distant markets, they're not allowed to ripen and develop their fullest antioxidant potential. When fruits are processed so they can be stored and consumed through off-seasons, they lose antioxidant power. So while I love blueberries and I appreciate their antioxidant power, they are more of a summer treat for me. Since I live in Arizona, I try to eat lots of citrus in the winter, watermelon in the summer, and to use foods from other areas as occasional treats. Every locality has its specialties. Become familiar with what's in season in your area, and if you travel, experiment with local specialties. A Goji berry is definitely a powerful antioxidant tool, but you can be antioxidant friendly even if your plate was not partially picked by distant farmers on exotic hillsides. Some of your greatest antioxidant friends may be lurking just down the road at your local organic farm.

9. ANTIOXIDANTS SHOULD NOT BREAK YOUR BUDGET. When you eat seasonally, you should also save money. In fact, one of the easy way to know what fruits and vegetables are in season is to look for what is cheap! If you frequent your local farmer's market, what you see at the majority of the stands is likely the local seasonal offering. I like eating seasonally because foods move in and out of my menu and I don't get bored because I'm eating the same thing over and over again. Get to know how seasons affect food availability in your area, and plan menus around that. It is fun, not to mention tasty!

10. THE BEST ANTIOXIDANT OF ALL--IS A PROACTIVE LIFESTYLE. OK, here's a picture of an antioxidant. (A face only a molecule mother could love…) What it looks like isn't as important as what it does. An antioxidant keeps you healthy and young! Any choice you make that creates an imbalance--too much exercise and not enough rest, not enough sleep, an imbalanced diet, poor stress management--puts you at risk of antioxidant deficiency. If you're not making good lifestyle choices and assuming a supplement will absorb the imbalance, you're putting yourself at even greater risk. Be sure your diet has a lot of variety and color.

Even better, apply that mentality to the rest of your life.
--Create a social support network with a variety of personalities that encourage the best in you to come out, and who accept you for who you are without unrealistic expectations.
--Participate in a few different physical activities that allow muscles to rest while others work.
--Do things that make you laugh! (Yes, in a way, your favorite corny movie is an antioxidant!)
--Do something creative.

There are many kinds of antioxidants that have nothing to do with nutrition. Be sure your choices add up to move you in the direction of capitalizing on them, rather than putting you in a position where you need to supplement to reverse damage that didn't need to be done.

OK, good friend, I hope I answered your question and you made it to the end of this blog post without rolling those eyes again!

I love fruit. All fruit. I could survive on it if it was nutritionally complete.

I am also surprised at how many women with PCOS avoid fruit, because they've been told it's too high in carbohydrates. And then they tell me about what they binged on late at night after a full day of avoiding fruit.

Fruit isn't just carbs. It's fiber. And vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants! Lots and lots of antioxidants! This word should be tattooed backward on all of your foreheads so that every time you look in the mirror you are reminded that PCOS is oxidizing you faster than your body normally would allow itself to be…and your best defense is…fruits and vegetables!

Fruit is best eaten with a protein, so that its glycemic effect is lessened. I thought, while fruit was in high season, I'd post a weekly fruit idea and see how it gets you started.

I'm really in love with this tea and fruit idea I recently wrote about. It's really just decaffeinated tea with sliced fruit in the bottom, like you'd see in sangria. This really adds so little sugar to the batch that you can have it without worrying too much about the carbs. The tea itself has antioxidants, especially if you use decaffeinated green tea, which gives you a potent double whammy that is far better for your body than any soda ever canned.

You can make tee-gria with any kind of fruit that's cheap. So I've just been going to the store, buying a bunch of fruit on sale, and making decaffeinated tea. It's just sweet enough, without being too sweet, and a nice change from water. Right now I have peaches in my tea. I am curious how the cherries are going to taste!

The combinations of fruits and teas out there, could keep you busy experimenting for years! If you came up with a great combination in your own kitchen…please share with us!

Malnutrition is another cause of low progesterone. If you automatically assume that this can't apply to you, your loved one or a patient, because sitting in front of you they are"overweight", consider the many ways someone can be malnourished.

You can be malnourished if you eat a lot of calories without nutritional value. Eating a lot of junk food, and very few fruits and vegetables, for example, can deplete the body's supplies of important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

You can be malnourished if you eat so much of one kind of food that in the process of metabolizing it, you burn through important nutrients. That can happen if you eat a lot of carbohydrates, for example, it uses up a lot of chromium.

You can be malnourished if the list of foods you eat is very narrow--even if all of them show up somewhere on the Internet as the"world's healthiest". You need variety in order to get all the nutrients that makes your hormones work.

You can be malnourished if you take certain medications. The list of nutrients that can be depleted on certain medications is long. If your physician or dietitian have never checked yours, maybe it's a good service to request on your next visit.

You can be malnourished if you only consider"nutrition" to be what you weigh and you starve yourself in order to change that number. That happens a lot with PCOS. It is an erroneous belief that overweight causes PCOS. PCOS is worse if your weight is too high, but your weight does not cause it. Eating healthfully will steer your weight down, if you need to lose some, but starving yourself may keep you stuck at a weight you'd rather not be at.

You can be malnourished if you yo-yo diet. That is what happens when you put all of the above together in one scenario. Eating disorders and PCOS go hand in hand. Most of the women I work with are soooooo afraid of food on our first visit. They don't eat anything because they're scared that one indiscretion will elevate their blood sugar, prevent that pregnancy, make the scale go up…and then when they can't take it anymore, they binge on all the foods they tried to avoid.

That is simply no way to live!

I had the most enjoyable visit with a client a few days ago who was exactly like that when we first met. I was so surprised when, in the middle of our visit, she took me into her kitchen and showed me her refrigerator, loaded with all kinds of fruits and vegetables. Then she cooked me some green beans in red chile that she'd created. We finished the visit over mango slices sprinkled with chile powder. (For another post!) It was such a turnaround, and I was so happy to see that the focus had become all of the wonderful things you can DO with food, instead of all of the sacrifices you have to make if you want to"eat healthy".

She's pregnant now. At one point she rubbed her belly and said,"Thank you, baby!" That little miracle we are all extremely excited to meet did her mama a huge favor by introducing her to food as something fun, and something to enjoy.

I am hoping that all of you enjoy your Thanksgiving dinners and think about what you eat as how you NOURISH, not what you DEPRIVE yourself of. It may prove to be an important part of pumping up your progesterone.

I once had to use crutches for 2 months, with absolutely no weight bearing on the injured leg. All I could think of that whole time was walking again. The day I finally got the go-ahead, I threw down my crutches…and my leg wouldn't respond. Because I had not used all the body parts that are needed to coordinate the task, they had forgotten how to do something I took for granted. It was a great reminder to not take things for granted and to never lose respect for the many wonderful things I am designed to be able to do.

I love helping people pursue health. But one think I dislike about working in medicine is all the focus on what is wrong…at the expensive of remembering what is right.

So today, I wanted to take a post and challenge you to think about, and take a moment to be grateful for, the many things your body did for you today. It doesn't make the problems any less important, at all. It is just a way of putting those problems into proper perspective.

Did your body…

…smell a spring flower?
…hug a loved one?
…inhale lungful after lungful of oxygen to nourish your muscles and brain?
…laugh at a joke?
…read an e-mail?
…remember how to get you to work?
…carry a bag of groceries?
…caress a puppy?
…digest your lunch?
…hum a favorite song?
…support you as you stood up from your desk chair?
…let you know that you needed to scratch an itch?
…support your weight and balance you as you ran your errands?
…pump blood through your heart and blood vessels all day long, even when you were not consciously thinking about it?
…remember how to spell your name as you signed that credit card receipt?
…sort through all the vitamins and minerals and antioxidants in all the food you ate and send each one exactly to where was needed?
…maintain a constant temperature?
…remember the difference between a square and a circle?
…filter toxins from your blood using your kidneys?
…heal a wound?
…prompt you to instinctively use your brakes when the traffic light turned red?
…coordinate your fingers through all the typing tasks you asked it to do with your computer?

Then you are, indeed, quite amazing. Celebrate yourself. Use your talents, skills, and abilities to do good. Treat yourself with respect. As such a miraculous creation, you deserve nothing less.

For more inspiration, check out this interview by my friend Isabelle Tierney.

I'm all for local eating. But another endeavor I enjoy is helping other cultures find worthwhile products to produce that encourage preservation of the rainforest and farming of products other than coca. So I was excited to see the country of Peru have such a beautiful and informational pavilion at Expo West.

We all know about quinoa and I've written about purple corn…here are some other foods you might be seeing more of that could be fun to try!

Maca Most of us think of maca as a supplement to enhance sexual prowess. It's actually been studied in the laboratory and been found to enhance libido and semen quality. It may also help alleviate sexual dysfunction related to antidepressant use. It may also help reduce enlarged prostate glands.

That being said, Americans have a really bad habit of taking something they think is"good", grinding it up, concentrating it, and using it in larger quantities than would be possible in nature. In this case, there is some thought that excessive maca consumption may negatively affect thyroid function. In addition, there are several varieties of maca, and only the red was found to have significant hormonal effect. Labeling on supplements may not contain this information and you may be wasting your money.

Bottom line, if you see it on a restaurant menu or a fun international market, take it home and cook it like a turnip! Be careful, however, about the supplement version.

Amaranth Gluten-free enthusiasts love this grain, but like quinoa, it's not actually a grain…it's a seed. It can be toasted and eaten like popcorn, or cooked like a grain. Here is more information on how to use amaranth in your kitchen. In other parts of the world, such as Asia and Africa, amaranth leaves and roots are also culinary specialties.

Regular consumption of amaranth seed may help regulate hypertension and cholesterol, and the leaves and roots are very high in vitamins and minerals, including calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, copper, and manganese.

Both Bob's Red Mill and Arrowhead Mills sell amaranth flour, but if you can't find it in your store, here are amaranth options on amazon.com.

Aguaymanto This fruit is related to one of my local favorites, the tomatillo (you can see the similar husks in the photo). It is currently being researched for its potential as an antioxidant source, and it has been found to contain melatonin.

Locals like to use it in jams, syrups, and pastries, but it is also seen in fruit salads and salsas.

Lucuma, or eggfruit, if you Google it, will pop up quite frequently as the next big superfood, and ground powders are available online. (As with maca, I am not providing links, as I am not telling you about these foods to encourage a superfood or supplement mentality.) This fruit tree can grow in warmer US climates such as Florida or Arizona. It's a Peruvian favorite, as illustrated by the blog Peru Food. It is described as tasting a little bit like maple syrup ice cream.

It is a favorite of raw food enthusiasts. They promote it as low-glycemic, though I was not able to find the actual scientific reference for it in my search; most references circle back to the same video. If anyone out there can direct me to that, I'm happy to post for everyone.

Nutritionally, lucuma is high in fiber, iron, and as you might guess from its beautiful color, beta carotene.

Sacha Inchi, or the Peruvian peanut, comes from the rainforest. I actually tried this at Expo West; it was prepared like corn nuts and there was also a version coated with fair-trade chocolate (isn't that the best way to get Americans to try anything new and different?) It's pretty high protein, and it contains ALA, the vegan omega-3 fatty acid. (With respect to the omega-3's it's an option to flaxseed.) In Peru, its oil is used for cooking so I imagine some day it will show up in US markets as well.

Again, American marketing reps are trying to capitalize on the superfood craze when selling this food. It's fine to eat, and its nutritional value is nice, but no need to abandon everything else you're doing for it. Try it when you can, enjoy it when you find it, and know it fits well into a hormone-friendly lifestyle.

One of the reasons I put this blog post together is to illustrate why closing out food choices can deny you some food fun, not to mention nutrition! If you're locked into a top ten list of foods, you may miss some great culinary experiences…that can be healthy as well! Sometimes when you're focused on"fixing" a disease it can take the fun out of food. The more enjoyable it is, the more likely it is you'll have a healthy relationship with it. Every culture has its gems, even if they're not salmon, blueberries, and broccoli!

I admit, I had a personal reason for writing this blog post. My Peruvian friend Denise has told me she wants to share her favorite local Peruvian restaurant with me sometime soon. I wanted to be sure I knew what I would be seeing when I looked at the menu. Now that I've done my homework, I'm hungry and looking forward to what the menu has in store.

Gonzales GF, Miranda S, Nieto J, Fernández G, Yucra S, Rubio J, Yi P, and Gasco M. Red maca (Lepidium meyenii) reduced prostate size in rats. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2005; 3: 5.

Dording CM. Fisher L. Papakostas G. Farabaugh A. Sonawalla S. Fava M. Mischoulon D. A double-blind, randomized, pilot dose-finding study of maca root (L. meyenii) for the management of SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction.

Czerwiński J, Bartnikowska E, Leontowicz H, et al. Oat (Avena sativa L.) and amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) meals positively affect plasma lipid profile in rats fed cholesterol-containing diets". J. Nutr. Biochem. 15 (10): 622–9, 2004.

Wu, SJ; Tsai JY, Chang SP, Lin DL, Wang SS, Huang SN, Ng LT (2006). Supercritical carbon dioxide extract exhibits enhanced antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of Pysalis peruviana. J Ethnopharmacol 108 (3): 407–13

Kolar J., Malbeck J. Levels of the antioxidant melatonin in fruits of edible berry species. Planta Medica 2009 75:9

Wow! Our Austin inCYSTer Christine Marquette has had her nose to the grindstone! She's just released 3 e-books, all about PCOS!

E-book #1 The Quick Start Guide to PCOS

This guide is intended to teach basics to women newly diagnosed with PCOS, people who are supporting a loved one with PCOS, and anyone who has an interest in PCOS and does not know much about it. In it you will learn the definition of PCOS, signs and symptoms of PCOS, how PCOS is diagnosed, what causes PCOS, treatment of PCOS (including the importance of identifying your treatment team, useful laboratory values, medications, complementary and alternative medicine), and nutrition and exercise basics.

E-book #2 The Nutrition Guide to PCOS

This book is the second in a three part series of guidebooks intended to help women with PCOS manage their syndrome. In this book we will review the nutrition basics covered in The Quick Start Guide to PCOS. Next, we will move on to identifying appropriate portion sizes of fats/proteins/carbohydrates, how to count carbohydrates, how to read food labels, and how to plan meals and snacks. We'll wrap up with some sample menus, snack ideas, and recipes. In the resources section you will also find some blank food logs and menu planning worksheets.

E-book 3 The Supplement Guide to PCOS

This is the final book in a three part series of guidebooks intended to help women with PCOS manage their syndrome. It covers supplements in each of the following categories: vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other supplements. Each nutrient is explained along with the potential benefit for PCOS.

Rumor has it there's a fourth one in the making, about vegetarian eating and PCOS. You can keep up with Chris' work on her Facebook page, entitled Marquette Nutrition and Fitness.

Way to go Chris!

For ordering information please click on this link.

I've always wanted to take this topic on but everytime I started, and I looked at the list of supplements needing to be covered, I've been overwhelmed.

Thank heavens for a network of professionals with different interests and talents! Christine Marquette, RD, LD, HFS, CLT, has recently released an e-book on this very topic. If you order it be sure to use the coupon code she's created for inCYST fans, INCYST10, for a 10% discount.

I've actually talked her into doing a webinar for us as part of the 2011 PCOS training. To name a few, Chris is covering: cinnamon, turmeric, American Ginseng, Saw Palmetto, D-Chiro-inositol, L-Arginine, Alpha-Lipoic Acid, the B vitamins, vitamins C, D, and a few minerals (calcium and magnesium).

Click here if you'd like to buy Chris' e-book on PCOS supplements.

If you'd like to test drive our professional training with this session, you can register for this topic alone ($40) at this link. If it turns out you like what you hear…you can apply the money you invest into our complete training ($425) if you do so on or before December 31, 2011.

Bored with salmon, but still want to get your Omega 3's?

Prefer a mild-flavored, white fish?

Looking for a more sustainable option in your seafood?

Try Barramundi!

A native of the tropical waters of northern Australia, southeast Asia, and southern China, Barramundi is farmed in the U.S.

If you're worried about farmed fish, don't be. Not all farmed fish is bad. In fact, the Monterey Bay's Seafood Watch program rates U.S. farmed Barramundi a"Best Choice" because of our environmentally friendly farming practices.

Why eat it? Barramundi has 833 mg of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids per 5-oz serving and contains less than 150 calories! It's a great source of lean protein, is rich in vitamins and minerals, and is low in saturated fat. Because of U.S. farming practices, it's also free from contamination with PCBs, mercury or other contaminants.

How to buy it? You may find it called Silver Barramundi, Giant Perch, Palmer Perch, and Barra. Locally it can be found at Giant and Safeway.

How to make it? Barramundi has a sweet, mild flavor and light, flaky texture and is super easy to prepare. Below is a recipe and links to more!

Barramundi and Lemon Butter

4 Barramundi fillets

2 tsp. olive or canola oil

2 Tbsp. butter

1 clove garlic, minced

3 Tbsp. fresh or bottled lemon juice

5 leaves minced fresh basil (or 3/4 tsp. dry)

Salt to taste

Gently saute the garlic in butter for about 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and basil. Add salt to taste. Remove from heat. Coat fillets with olive or canola oil. Pan fry one side on high heat for 3 minutes. Flip and cook other side 1-2 more minutes or until fish is cooked through. Transfer to serving dish. Spoon sauce over fillets.

Serving Suggestion: Serve on a bed of sauteed spinach or greens, and fresh tomato salsa.

Danielle Omar, MS, RD
The Food Confidence Expert

www.foodconfidence.com

If you live in Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Texas, Hawaii and Arizona, today is the day you can now buy a megadose of caffeine at Starbuck's, in the form of their new 31 ounce beverage, the Trenta. As you can see in the photo, the Trenta is just shy, volume-wise, of a Big Gulp.

Starbucks is downplaying the calories, saying that these new larger-sized beverages contain less than 230 calories. We all know these calories are not nutritionally dense, and not loaded with the many vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants our readers know they need to be pursuing when making food choices.

Most importantly, however, and what is not being discussed, is the amount of caffeine this 31 ounce drink contains.

Remember, caffeine intake is associated with insulin resistance, as is lack of adequate sleep, which is exacerbated by excessive caffeine intake.

My recommendation? Save the extra 90 cents a day this will cost and over the course of a year…you'll have just over $300, which you can invest in a few nice massages.

Excess, even if calories are not involved, are not helpful when you're working on pursuing balance.

I am continuously struck by the immense quantity of health, nutrition, and medical advice that is offered to us by not only our physicians, but on television, the internet, and from personal trainers, friends, and well-meaning strangers. Additionally, there are no quality controls on the internet, unless you go to select, peer-reviewed sites. Even seemingly legitimate sources may disperse faulty information.

I had the dubious privilege of attending a corporate wellness training recently, in which the educator advised people to substitute honey for sugar, and sea salt for salt, because “the honey is good for your health, because it’s natural, and the sea salt is just evaporated ocean water.” I was thinking about how crazy that is, when honey is a known cure for low blood sugar and salt is, well, SALT, regardless of the source. Sure, they both have some beneficial trace minerals, but if you’re watching your sugar or sodium intake, you’ve got know you’re still eating sugar and salt.

If you are being conscious and conscientious about your health, you may find yourself suffering from a serious case of information overload, in addition to the original problem. We simply cannot absorb all of this information, nor should we. Information overload looks like:

• Hundreds of backlogged e-mails from WebMD, the Mayo Clinic, Dr. Weil, and a host of other experts;

• Stacks of clippings, magazine articles or issues, or books related to health topics;

• Fear, frenzy, and distress when you see or hear another piece of health or nutrition advice, or a medical warning is issued on the news; and

• Avoidance of such material, as well as physicians and other healthcare providers.

My frustration with this situation made me think about the fact that I know so much about nutrition, medicine, and psychology, and have a critical perspective on all of it – but if you’re new to nutrition, or having a medical or psychological diagnosis, you can easily get a lot of misinformation. And when misinformation from one source collides with correct information from another source and even more misinformation from yet another source, the net result is chaotic and the bottom line is, you may get frustrated and give up trying to get educated or get well.

I suggest asking a trusted physician or dietician for two or three of their favorite, reputable sources of health information and using those exclusively. Random internet searches are liable to lead you into chat rooms, hucksters, and juicy-sounding but inaccurate tidbits. Do yourself a favor and limit the information overload. Doing so will help reduce the kind of stress that contributes to inaction, insomnia, and a host of other symptoms, both mental and physical.

Gretchen Kubacky, Psy.D. is a Health Psychologist in private practice in West Los Angeles, California. She has completed the inCYST training. She specializes in counseling women and couples who are coping with infertility, PCOS, and related endocrine disorders and chronic illnesses.

If you would like to learn more about Dr. HOUSE or her practice, or obtain referrals in the Los Angeles area, please visit her website at www.drhousemd.com, or e-mail her at AskDrHouseMD@gmail.com. You can also follow her on Twitter @askdrhousemd.