Nuts make a great snack to keep you going between meals and Brazil nuts in particular are especially good for you. They’re an excellent source of the mineral selenium, a powerful antioxidant which can slow down the ageing process, stimulate the immune system and help protect women from developing beast cancer. Eating seven or eight nuts just three times a week can also reduce the risk of heart disease. Like all nuts, Brazils are packed with protein, fibre, zinc and magnesium. Eating them can also help keep the Amazon rainforests alive – Brazil nuts trees, which grow wild are  now legally protected from loggers and help communities make a living from the forest without destroying it. Sprinkle chopped Brazil nuts on to yogurt, or just munch a handful for a healthy, nutritious snack.

There is one little thing that you can do to lose weight which will  make a big difference and that is to simply eat more slowly. Taking your time over your food is a much neglected weight loss essential.

In today’s fast paced world most of us rarely take the time to chew our food properly and savour every bite. But if you take more time to consume your meal not only will you eat less but you’ll enjoy it more and feel more satisfied after. This is because it takes about 20 minutes for the stomach to register to the brain that it’s satisfied. Many of us gobble our food down, still feel hungry and end up eating far more than we need to because we’ve eaten so quickly.

 

As well as taking your time, another important aspect is to be more ‘mindful’ when you consume your food. Conscious or mindful eating sounds very Zen but all it really means is to take your time eating by being in the moment. Take a look at your food, smell it, chew it slowly and savour the flavour and texture of each bite. Put your knife and fork, or your fingers, down between each bite. Eating in this methodical way not only helps you to digest your food better but it encourages a calm and relaxed mindset. New research has shown that there is a strong link between high levels of stress and weight gain – particularly around the  middle.

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In a nutshell, mindful eating can help you lose weight, enjoy food more, eat less and reduce stress. By giving your digestive enzymes plenty of time to work their magic it can also boost the digestive process so your body gets the nutrients it needs to help you lose weight. Remind yourself of the benefits the next time you find yourself gulping down your food and try following these simple mindful eating rules instead:

 

The rules of mindful eating:

• Switch off the television: don’t do anything else when you eat. Don’t watch television, drive, walk, talk on the phone, argue, surf the net or read a book. Concentrate only on the food you are eating.

•  Slow down: Put your knife and fork down between bites. Don’t put another bite into your mouth until you have finished chewing and swallowing what is in your mouth already. This can be tough if you are very hungry but deep breathing between mouthfuls should help. You may also want to buy smaller knives and forks to one ones you normally use so you eat less with every bite – or even better try using chopsticks.

• Go for quality: Only eat food that is healthy and fresh. Don’t eat something just because it’s there or because it’s almost past it’s sell by date or because it says diet on the packaging. Eat what looks and smells nutritious and delicious to you.

• Follow your hunger: Let your hunger lead you to eat. Don’t get to the point when you are starving but allow yourself to feel hungry – remember, a little hunger won’t kill you.

• Use napkins: Set your table, dim the lights and put some fresh flowers on your table. Try to make every meal time an occasion. Put your knife and fork on your napkin.

• Listen to your stomach: It is not a crime to leave food on your plate or even throw it away. You aren’t a fully paid up member of the clean plate club. Be honest with yourself. Let your body tell you when to stop, not what is left on your plate. If you find it hard to leave food on your plate when you start to feel full put your plate to one side. If you are at home throw the food away. If you are out, set your plate on the edge of the table to let your waiter know to take it away.

• Let music play on: Calming music when you eat can be very relaxing. You can try listening to classic FM or to your own classic collection. Do make sure that the music is background music only – gentle and calming in the background and not loud and distracting.

• Stop beating yourself up: You aren’t ‘bad’ if you do indulge now and again and eat too much and you are not ‘good’ if you stick to vegetables and fruit for every meal. Eating so called healthy or unhealthy food does not make you a sinner or a saint. It’s your attitude that makes all the difference. Remember the 80/20 rule. It’s fine to indulge every now and again as long as you eat healthily most of the time – food, after all, is one of life’s pleasures.

Stress proofing your diet

All this is fine if you’re relaxed, on holiday or it’s the weekend but what about those times when we’re busy and stressed. When you’re stressed it is so easy to feel drawn towards something that distracts you and makes you feel better quickly and that something is often food. However, learning to become more mindful in these moments can help you break that destructive pattern. Here’s how:

First of all acknowledge that you are feeling stressed. It’s impossible to change unhealthy habits unless you recognise that you have them. Learn to recognise your stress signals, which might include headaches, rapid breathing, or munching when you’re not hungry.

Second, when it’s time to eat instead of stuffing food down try to enjoy the taste of what you are eating; the textures, and smells, which is how we derive comfort from food in the first place. The more you savour and enjoy your food the less you will need to eat of it to get the stress relief you are seeking.

 

If you do succumb to a stress induced binge make a mental note of it and then the next time you feel tempted recall the guilt you felt afterwards. Is your binge worth it? Then take steps to control the amount you are eating. Buy one chocolate bar instead of a multi pack. And when you eat that chocolate bar stop and check in with yourself. Think: do I really want to eat this? Is it going to help me? Just taking a moment to reflect on the reasons you are eating can interrupt the pull towards comfort eating.

Often we don’t distinguish between physical hunger and emotionally driven cravings. Try rating your hunger on a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 not hungry at all and 5, starving. If it’s a 1 or 2 ask yourself if it is food you are really craving or reassurance or distraction. If it’s a 3 or 5 eat something healthy. If it’s a 4 or 5 eat a healthy meal or snack straight away; the hungrier you are the more vulnerable you are to overeating.

 

If the urge to raid the biscuit tin is just too great don’t deny your craving as this will only strengthen your desire to scoff the lot. Instead remind yourself that you always have choices: do you want to have one biscuit now, with a piece of fruit or do you want to wait until the urge is so strong that you can’t fight it anymore? Recognising that you have choices puts you in charge, not the food craving.

This month’s case study is 40 year old ‘Stephanie’ – who came to the Clinic because of an early menopause.

Stephanie’s Story

For the last year my periods had become more irregular to the point of not knowing when they would arrive. I was experiencing hot flushes throughout the day which I had never had before. It just felt like a wave of heat coming through my body – almost like a ‘furnace’. The night sweats were also a nuisance because I was waking up several times to change my night clothes which were drenched. I decided to go to my GP because I thought I needed to have some checks to see what was happening.  He ran a simple blood test to check my hormone FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) which he explained was an indicator of egg reserve. The higher the FSH, the lower the egg reserve and the closer to the menopause you are. The normal range is between 4 and 10 and mine was 98.7.

 

He told me I was likely to be in my ‘peri menopause’ which means the function of the ovaries declines, periods become irregular and symptoms like hot flushes and sweats can be experienced. I asked why I was going through the menopause now as I understood it was something that happened towards the age of 50. He explained that women are born with a certain number of eggs and some are born with less so they are more likely to enter the menopause at an earlier age. My GP recommended I go on HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) because not only would it stop my symptoms it would protect my bones because I had a higher risk of developing osteoporosis (bone thinning condition).

 

I went away and thought about what my GP had said and decided that I didn’t want to take HRT. Although it scared me because I was going through the menopause earlier than I should, it scared me even more at the thought of taking HRT. I had heard negative things about HRT and I was generally quite averse to taking any kind of medication. However, I knew I had to do something so I looked on the internet to see what information I could find. I typed in ‘natural menopause’ and it directed me to The Dr Marilyn Glenville website. I read about the services offered and realised the clinic was based in Tunbridge Wells – not far from where I lived! I phoned straight away and decided to book an appointment. I thought this would be better than trying to follow a book and struggle on my own.

 

I spoke to a very helpful receptionist who explained that the initial consultation was one hour and before the appointment she would send me a questionnaire to complete and return beforehand. As I was filling in the questionnaire I realised I had other symptoms – not just the hot flushes and sweats! I had low energy, flare ups of acne around my chin and headaches. I felt I was falling apart!

 

During my first consultation the nutritionist took a detailed case history and asked about my mother and whether she has gone through an early menopause. She hadn’t which was why I was shocked to learn that I was. She explained exactly what was happening to my body during this peri-menopause phase – my egg production was declining and therefore oestrogen levels were dropping which was causing my hot flushes and sweats.  I asked the nutritionist exactly how long my symptoms would last and when would I get another period, but she was unable to answer this as she explained that each woman is different. Some women will have one final period and that is it while some will get irregular periods for a year or two and then they will stop. She also said the same is true of symptoms – some women get hot flushes and some don’t – there is no black and white answer to it!

 

  

The nutritionist explained that one of the key factors is to eat a well-balanced diet as it enables the body to adjust automatically to the hormone changes, naturally maintaining oestrogen from the adrenal glands and fat deposits. As my GP had said, with an early menopause comes an increased risk of osteoporosis which did concern me particularly as my mother suffers with this.  At this stage the nutritionist recommended that I do a bone density scan by ultrasound. It was a simple heel scan which gave me my ‘T Score’ which is the comparison of my bone density with a young adult. The scan took just minutes to do and because it was ultrasound it was non-invasive. From this scan, it showed that my bone density was normal which was a relief. The nutritionist recommended that I repeat this ultrasound scan every two years.  This really put my mind at rest to know my bones were strong, and I wanted to make sure I maintained this. In conjunction with this scan, I performed a urine test to assess my actual level of bone turnover and whether it was too high. Again this came back normal so it was recommended that I repeat it in two years time.

We talked at length about my current diet which she felt was mostly good, but there was too much tea going in! I was drinking 6 cups a day and I suppose it was partly habit and partly because I felt slightly addicted to it! She explained that because tea contains tannin, it can block the uptake of vital minerals like calcium which is important for keeping my bones strong. She also explained that because tea does contain some caffeine and other stimulatory compounds it can also trigger hot flushes and night sweats. This was enough to put me off drinking it! She recommended an herbal tea ‘lookalike’ called Rooibos (red bush) which was the nearest thing to normal tea. I even got my husband drinking it!

The nutritionist put together a comprehensive supplement programme for me which incorporated vitamins and minerals to ‘supplement’ my diet and specific herbs to help re-balance my hormone levels naturally. The formula contained black cohosh, agnus castus, sage, dong quai and milk thistle. I was also given additional vitamin C and an high strength fish oil which also helps with hormone balance and minimises dry skin which can be a symptom of the menopause.

 

I went away for six weeks and followed the eating plan and took all the supplements. When I went back, I reported great results having not had a single hot flush! My energy had improved and my skin was noticeably clearer and I no longer had headaches. The nutritionist said that I had made excellent progress in a relatively short space of time. All my friends, particularly my husband were so pleased that I was ‘my old self’ again. I was also beginning to get some ‘mid cycle’ vaginal mucous which was quite reassuring that my hormones had not totally dropped off. It somehow made me feel more feminine. The nutritionist did suggest that she could give me different herbs to help bring a cycle back, but I was feeling so well and actually quite happy not to have a monthly bleed I decided not to. She did also suggest I could have an ultrasound of my womb and ovaries.  Although I decided not to go ahead with the scan at this stage, it felt reassuring that I had been offered this service to give me peace of mind if I wanted it.

 

Marilyn’s Comment

 

This case is very inspiring as Stephanie saw such dramatic improvement in a short space of time. Stephanie, like many women decided to follow a natural route rather than take HRT. It is however important to take a sensible approach to an early menopause. Providing you are taking control of your health and seeking professional advice, you can manage your symptoms quite effectively with nutrition.

 

 

If you feel that your periods are becoming more irregular and you are experiencing symptoms like Stephanie, then please do contact The Dr Marilyn Glenville Clinic on 0870 5329244.

 

If you are interested in having a bone turnover test please see the resources page.