How To Make Healthy Dairy-Free Chocolate Pudding

I thought this title might catch your eye?

Who doesn't love chocolate pudding? Or chocolate for that matter. It is one of my weaknesses, including Peanut Butter. Oh, if I could only kick the peanut butter cravings. Yes, I do have almond butter and I do like it (just not as much).

One thing that is hard when trying to lose weight is eliminating some of your favorite things. If you favorite things include ice cream or chocolate, cakes, brownies, you actually don't have to. Believe it or not. There are healthy, dairy and wheat free alternatives to these desserts and many more. And...they don't require cooking.

Every chocoate pudding requires chocolate so what I suggest you use is raw cacao powder. I am not saying Cocoa, that is different. Cocoa is roasted at a high temperature so it is cooked, therefore many of the great nutrients in chocolate are destroyed. Raw Cacao (spelled different), is not heated at a high temperatue therefore not destroying the fantastic nutrients contained in the cacao bean (which are the chocolate beans).

Raw cacao is very high in antioxidants - more than red wine, green tea and blueberries! Also, it is not processed or any sugar, etc added. Cacao also contains calcium, zinc, iron, copper, sulphur and potassium. Contains proteins, magnesium, beta-caroteine and linoleic acid (just to name a few).

I has a small amount of caffeine which is different when cosumed cooked. So cocoa powder would have a higher level of caffeine than the raw cacao.

Chocolate Pudding - the healthy way:
Ingredients:
2 tbsp Raw Cacao Powder
3 Dates (majoli dates work the best
1/2 - 1 tbsp Agave Nector or honey
1/2 tsp Natural Pure Vanilla
1 Avacodo
Sea Salt - just a pinch

• Soak dates in warm water for about 20 minutes or more.
• In deep bowl or smaller food processor, add soaked dates and Agave Nector or honey. If you just have a hand blender then put in deep bowl. Process until mixed.
• Mass avocado with a bit of water. Add Vanilla and Avocado (maybe 1/2 or a little more) into date and vanilla mixture and mix some more.
• Then add 2 tbsp (this depends on how chocolatey sp?? you want it). Then mix again. Do not over process.
• Mix to consistency of creamy pudding. If too dry you can add some more avacado that you have mixed well separately with a bit of water. Also sweeten to taste by adding more or less dates or honey.

This makes a small amount. Next time you may want to make more so adjust ingredients. Experiement with taste as in how sweet, how chocolatey or how thick or thin you like it.

This is so good  - honest! You don't even notice the avocado (of course unless you add too much). May take a bit of trial and error to figure out the right measurements to make it the way you like it. But, it is worth it.

This is far better than grabbing a chocolate snack that is full of sugar and preservatives or cheap chocolate with no nutrients in it.

If you click on the link below it will send you to another blog post where I share some more gluten-free and dairy free recipes.
More wheat-free and dairy-free snacks

HAVE A GREAT HALLOWEEN WEEKEND!

Results of Hormone Testing

Like I promised, info on the hormone testing that I had done.

I had saliva testing done. There are people who agree with it and people who do not. Like everything you hear the good and the bad.

Because I was going through such a hard time with emotions, moods, symptoms, headaches, etc. I did chose to do hormone testing. I researched the different testing procedures and I felt it was the best one. I also spoke with my Naturopath and the Compounding Pharmacist.

If you are not sure what a compounding pharmacy or pharmacist is - click on this link What is a compounding pharmacy

The compounding pharmacist wanted to make sure that I had some knowledge of hormone replacement therapy so he recommended I read a book that he felt was full of good information. The reading was a little dry but very important and informative

My nauturopath and the compounding pharmacist recommended saliva testing so that is what I did.

Saliva Testing and Prodedure
I got the kit from the compounding pharmacy. I had to wake up early and fill a vile with saliva. Try doing that - it takes time. You are not really allowed to drink anything either. I got it done and then it was sent off to the lab. This test cost me (in Canada) just over $200.00. It is a very comprehensive test and instead of me or anyone else "guess" the levels of my hormones, I figured this is what I should do.

Once the lab completes the testing, the test results are sent back to the compounding pharmacist and he/she complies a detailed report and they then recommend what you should be taking. He sent me my test results, which was very cool. I then made an appointment and went in to speak with the pharmacist. I spoke with him for about 1 1/2 hours! He thoroughly explained everything to me. A lot of information all at once. My head was spinning. (Before I did the testing I also met and spoke with him about it)

He was completely confident about the bioidentical hormones. He had attended numerous conferences, studied the topic in great length and has worked with many women helping them relieve their symptoms. Bioidentical hormones are made in the pharmacy by the compounding pharmacists. They are formulated to be exactly like what our body produces (biologically identical) so they cannot be bad for you. I think that if you take them and not sure how much to take or do not follow the strick instructions given with them then you could have some wild symptoms. Just like anything else.

Test Results
My results showed that I was low on basically everything. Low estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. No wonder I was not feeling well at the time!

He explained how hormones are produced in our body and how our body requires minerals, vitamins and nutrients to produce hormones properly. He recommended I take zinc and selenium which is very important in hormone production. He also recommended a good fish/salmon oil (I take a good omega oil blend with DHA).

If our health is suffering, if we are not eating right, if our adrenal glands are being overworked (stress), if our thyroid is not functioning properly - this all affects our hormone levels which in turns affects the severity of the symptoms.

Did you know that thin women produce less estrogen as they age. Estrogen is also produced in body fat. The less body fat you have the less estrogen you will have. Probably the more hot flashes too.

For someone my age (I am 45), it was a surprise to him that I was so low in all of these hormones.

He made me up a dose of estrogen and progesterone. I decided to wait on the testosterone because when estrogen and progesterone levels are balanced, testosterone can begin to naturally increase and sometimes become balanced. He gave me a 3 month supply of the cream (you can get pills but go with the cream because dose can be controlled much easier). The price was only about $97.00 (CAD).

Synthetic Vs Bioidentical Hormones
Please don't get confused between synthetic hormones and bioidentical hormones. They are so very different. Doctors do not receive any training or knowledge on bioidentical hormones unless they chose to research themselves. When articles, etc refer to HRT (hormone replacement therapy). They are often referring to synthetic hormones. When someone is referring to bioidentical hormone therapy they will use BHRT.

If you want a good web site to learn more, the web site is

Dr Erika Swartz at www.drerika.com

She is a medical doctor and is a big advocate for woman's health.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to learn, to research, to educate yourself about what is out there to help you. There is a lot of information and it can be overwhelming.

I am so glad I have chosen the natural way to deal with the weigtht gain and symptoms of perimenopause. Even if you think you are too young to have low hormone levels but you ARE experiencing symptoms, then please get it checked out by someone you trust and someone who knows and is educated themself in the field of hormones.

Below is a link for compounding pharmacists in Canada and the US. They may not all be listed on the link but it is a good place to start.
Compounding Pharmacies

Physical & Emotional Cleansing

Well, I have to tell you I have been through some ups and downs lately. This mid-life thing is a little crazy.

I have been coping with digestive problems off and on for many years. Since I have been in perimenopause they have gotten worse. There are a couple of reasons why.

One reason is that old injuries have spoken very loudly and I have had to stop working out like I used. When I used to run, ride my bike and work out really hard at the gym, I never had to worry about digestion. As soon as I became more sedentary or if I took a trip somewhere, my digestive issues began again.

I am a yoga teacher and teach yoga but do not practice it enough on my own. I still go to the gym but my workout intensity has greatly decreased.

The other reason could/may be a combination of stress, symptoms of perimenopause and a thyroid that is not working 100%.

I have been eating a diet of a lot of raw foods for the last few months. This in itself will detox a person and cleanse them. I decided upon this diet because I love the food, have always eaten very healthy food and was looking for a sure fire way to improve my digestion (I also chose and love eating like this, the food is so great). Even by doing this, my digestion remained sluggish, that is why I chose to try a fast. I have read a lot about fasting and see it as a way of my digestive system healing. I will then see how I feel and resume a diet of raw foods (along with some healthy cooked foods).

I do not eat meat but have been eating fish. I love fish and probably will continue.

The Emotional Cleanse
My emotions and hot flashes have been crazy lately!! Yesterday I felt like I was losing it and it took all I had to keep myself together in public. I still have to work! I have also been having frequent headaches.

Whether these emotional and physical symptoms are part of my detox, because I have been eating mainly raw foods and a lot of juices, I am not sure. If I am still detoxing, then it is a very long detox.

After, what felt like an emotional cleanse yesterday, I decided to try fasting. To do the ultimate physical cleansing. Today I have had water with lemon and herbal tea. Hmmm maybe add some juice (which make myself) later today or tomorrow. I don't feel hungry but I sure miss eating. It hasn't been long and they say the first 2 days are the hardest.

What helped me through yesterday (my emotional cleansing day) was to realize that it was probably just that - emotional cleansing. Just like our body, our emotions need releasing and cleansing. I was obviously holding onto a lot of stuff. I wasn't really aware of what I was so upset about yesterday or what made my emotions so extreme, but I tried to breathe through it, relax and tell myself that it will pass. I also really believe that it is a good thing that I am releasing all this. Blocked emotions can cause illness and disease (what I believe).

The Physical Cleanse
Now, what will the physical cleansing/fasting bring me. They say it brings clarity of mind, lots of energy, more intuitive awareness and of course improved digestion. Well, I will tell you one thing, it certainly was easier and faster getting ready for work this morning when I didn't have to cook or prepare my lunch to bring.

Eating is such a habit. I eat even when I am not hungry. If I was overweight and had to lose weight, an appetite supressant wouldn't work for me. I believe that most women eat even when they are not hungry. If we truly waited until we felt hungr (a good hunger, not starving), then we would not have weight problems. Often it is not real hunger that we feel but thirst or craving for sugar, sweetness, salt, chewing, etc.

I think that a big part of my digestive problems were because I ate too often and I didn't worry about the types of foods that I was combining. That irritated my digestive system. I am going to learn more about that.

Tomorrow my plan is to go without juice for sure until lunch. Then I will see how I feel, if I feel I need some juice to think clearly again and not feel faint, then I will have some.

The third day of the fast/cleanse I will add in some vegetable juices. I am and will go with how I feel. I am not sure what the next few days will hold for me.

I am in the middle of moving so that is stressful and requires a lot of energy but I am almost done!

I realize that in my last post I stated that this post would be about the results of my hormone testing that I had done. Sorry about that. I will write about that in my next post.

I would love to hear from you and if you have any experiences with fasting, cleansing...etc. Any advice?

Anxiety & Depression During Perimenopause Part 2

In my last post I spoke about how during perimenopause you may experience anxiety and/or mild depression, even if you have never had problems with these before.


As I said, it may take you by surprise and you may not know how to cope with it.

FIRST:     DO NOT PANIC – that just makes it worse

SECOND:   GO SEE A NATUROPATH DOCTOR OR A NATURAL HEALTH PRACTITIONER

ALSO: Start reading and learning about perimenopause (a great book is "Wisdom of Menopause" by Christaine Northrup). Take time for yourself and write in a journal or do some soul searching to see if you can get to the feelings of what is behind this. If you feel there is really nothing that could be causing the anxiety or mild depression that has set in, it is a good idea to get your hormone levels tested.

Here is a great link to articles by a very accomplished Dr (MD), Dr Erica Swartz, who specializes in women and hormone issues. Check out the articles for great information:

http://drhotzeblog.netymology.com/?cat=4

She also has a web site at www.drerica.com

How I got myself through this and over it:

First of all, I did not know why I was going through this. With research and a lot of reading I realized it was hormone imbalance. I went to Naturopath and talked to her about hormone testing and the difference between bioidentical hormones and synthetic hormones.

I was also extremely fatigued and cold all the time. It was getting hard to function every day. She looked at me and my HUGE cup of coffee I brought with me, and knew something was up. She tested my adrenal glands and my thyroid glands. We also talked a lot. Then I asked her what natural supplements I could take.

When she got the test results she confirmed that I was definitely in perimenopause but my adrenal glands were also burned right out (she even said it was one of the worst cases she has seen), as well as my thyroid gland was not functioning properly (hence being cold and so tired!!). She recommended some supplements for those things as well as digestive problems I was having.

I then went to a very good health food store and asked them. The health food store I go to is so great and they are very knowledgeable. I started on 2 supplements for perimenopause/menopause. I live in Canada and the supplements are by Lorna Vanderhaaghe.

I also started taking zinc, selenium, magnesium and a good omega oil blend with DHA, along with marine phytoplankton. I have always taken iron (I tend to be anemic), Vit C, E and B-complex. It sounds like a lot but I believe in feeling my best.

The Next Step:

Hormone Testing

The next step was to get my hormones tested to see where they were at…..I will report on this in my next post. I was very surprised, and so was the compounding pharmacist, about the results of my testing. Stay tuned and I will let you know how that went.

Anxiety & Depression During Perimenopause

If any of you have ever experienced anxiety or depression you know how troubling it can be. Of course either of these can occur at any age, but I want to talk about when these symptoms arise during perimenopause.

Many women do not realize that these can occur during perimenopause and if you have never experienced anxiety or never felt really depressed then it can be quite confusing. It is especially confusing if your life is going along like it always has, nothing has really changed.

You wonder...

Why am I feeling like this? Where did it come from? Is it my relationship? Is it my job? What is it?

I know, because I have been there. Up until a year or so ago, I had never really experienced anxiety. Well, maybe a little as a teenager or the anxiety brought on by stress, but not the "come out of nowhere anxiety". I didn't know what to do. One day I would be fine, the next day I would be a MESS! I would feel worried, I would feel panic, anxious, emotional, etc. I didn't know why. I could not figure out what had changed from yesterday to today. In many cases there was nothing that "should" be making me feel like this.

I remember driving around on a Saturday because I could not sit at home, I could not sit still and I didn't know what I wanted to do. I just had to get away. I didn't know where I wanted to go. I couldn't think straight. I was confused, anxious and unselttled. I was very emotional. Some of these times I would begin to cry for no reason so I couldn't even go for coffee!! I couldn't stop anywhere because I was crying and I could not stop myself. I didn't even know WHY I was crying!!! It was horrible!!

These feelings and moods would seem to happen on weekends. Which really sucks!! I guess because I wasn't in routine mode. During the week, life is such a routine and we just "do" things and don't really think too much, especially with a very busy life. Then the weekend would come and I hadn't planned anything and the anxiety would set it. The light depression would be there - for no reason.

I even ended a great relationship because of this. My personality changed. I lost my sex drive completely, I didn't really like myself because I was bitchy and over emotional. Everything my boyfriend did seemed to irritate me. I thought it was him. I really did.

I want all of you to know that if you are going through this - please do not panic. You can change it, you don't have to go on antidepressants or synthetic hormones.

I didn't take any drugs at all. I refused. I found natural alternatives that helped turn me around. I am back to my old self again and back with my boyfriend.

If you are going through this, it may be hard for you to talk to someone or perhaps they do not understand so you feel all alone and are convinced there is something wrong with you. Please don't think that. You are fine. Know that your hormones are just going crazy right now. Remember being a teenager? Basically this is the same thing.

In my next post I will tell you what I did that worked and what you can do. What helps is to understand that this anxiety and depression you are experiencing right now is probably hormonal imbalance. You can do something about it and you don't have to feel like this anymore. Believe me...I know. I felt like I was under a dark cloud and when I found my way out of it...it was like stepping out into the sunshine and clear blue skies. It was wonderful!!

Please stay tuned. Breathe......do something that makes YOU feel good. When I was going through this phase I took a lot of hot baths and would have a cup of tea or wine and read. I couldn't be around anyone. That is when the book "Eat, Pray, Love" came out and I read that. If you have not read it - READ IT!!!What an escape!! Love it!

DAIRY FREE CHEESE RECIPE - SO YUMMY!!

A few posts ago, I spoke about how many women during Perimenopause become wheat and dairy sensitive. I am definately one of them.

Even if you do not think you are sensitive to wheat and dairy, you may want to think about giving them up. If you are having symptoms such as bloating, fatigue, slow digestion, allergy like symptoms and congestion, you may be wheat and/or dairy sensitive. Try giving up dairy and wheat and see if those symptoms go away. Most likely, they will.

I love cheese and that is one thing I really miss but I have found great alternatives.  One is cashew cheese. I realize this sounds a little strange but it is SO good!

When I started preparing more recipes that were not cooked, processed or dairy or wheat based I started with very basic ingredients and appliances. A coffee grinder is a wonderful tool and can make small amounts of pates and nut cheeses.

Below is a recipe for cashew cheese (the way I make it). Because I use my coffee grinder I can only make a small amount at a time so I have to do a few batches, but it is worth it.

CASHEW CHEESE

Using raw, unsalted cashews that have been soaked overnight in salt and filtered water (8-10 hours or more). Then rinse them.
Maybe start with about 1 1/2 cups of the raw cashews

• Put about 1/2 C (or not even) of the soaked cashews in the coffee grinder
• Add a bit of sea salt (about 1/4 tsp)
• Squeeze about 1/4 of a lemon on top
• Add 1 tsp of nutritiona yeast (buy at a health food store - Red Star brand in bulk is good)

Blend in grinder. You have to stop and stir mixture often. If mixture sticks to side when mixing, pick up grinder and shake it around while it is on to make sure it grinds up evenly. Keep opening grinder and stirring it. Continue until it is rich and creamy. The texture of cream cheese. If it is a little dry then add just a touch of water.

If you use a food processor instead it may turn out a bit course, not realy creamy (at least it did for me). I prefer the coffee grinder because it makes it nice and creamy.

Make it to suite your taste. If you find it is too lemony then add less lemon. If you want it more cheesy then add more nutritional yeast. If it is too dry then try adding a bit of water. If you want it salty then add more sea salt.

You can also taste it while it is mixing and adjust to your taste then.

About Nutritional Yeast:
Nutritional yeast is nonactive yeast. It is fine for someone with candida. It is not an active yeast.
It is very good for you as it is a complete protein, contains 18 amino acids, is a rich source of B-complex, some brands are enriched with Vitamin B-12 and it contains chromium. It is low in fat and sodium.
YOU GOTTA TRY IT!!

It is a fantastic food and you can also sprinkle it on popcorn and add it into homemade salad dressings, on top of steamed veggies, etc.

You can purchase it at a health food store where it is usually found in the bulk food section. Red Star is the brand I like. It is very fine and flaky and is a pale or a brighter yellow-gold. It actually has a cheesy smell to it.

You may be wondering why I am recommending a nut cheese that is probably high in fat when my blog is to talk about controlling weight during perimenopause. Well, this does. It is a good fat. It is NOT processed or pasturized. It is free of preservatives, additives and coloring. It is healthy fo you. Of course you should not sit down and eat a bowl of it with a bunch of crackers. It is filling and is nutrient dense and loaded with flavor and goodness.

It is great on veggies. Put it on celery sticks, cut up bell peppers, cucumber, zuchinni, or wrap it up in a leaf of lettuce. It is also great with tomato and avocado.

I hope to add video to this blog where I will show you how to make some more healthy and tasty foods you will love!

If you have any questions while making this cheese or any comments on the cashew cheese, please let me know!

EMOTIONAL UPS AND DOWNS DURING PERIMENOPAUSE

So far I have spoken about many physical aspects of Perimenopause. I now want to mention the emotional or mental aspects of Perimenopause.

Perimenopause is a phase of life where changes occur on a physical, emotional, spiritual and mental level. Coud this be part of a mid-life crisis? I hate to consider this age mid-life and I don't even like talking about it in that way. But people tend to when they don't know how else to explain it.

In our 40's and even late 30's, we look at our life and begin to analyze it.

Are we where we thought we would be at this time?

Emotional things that we may have suppressed or avoided begin to surface. Life may be telling us that it is time to work through those issues. It is time to know who we really are; to become our authentic self.

Many women lose the sense of who they really are. You are busy taking care of your family and tend to put yourself last because that is what your mother did, your grndmother did, etc. Especially if you have had to work full time while raising kids and staying married. Yikes! That takes so much energy!!

Many women during Perimenopause are not sure how to deal with this and feel overwhelmed. Antidepressants may seem like the only answer or a good one at the time. I want you to know that there are many things that you can do and a few resources are listed below.

I have been going through this since my early 30's. It never really ends....but it gets better.

I found a few resources and have listed them below. They have really helped. They focus on releasing emotionas, releasing blocks, not dwelling on them. No psycho-therapy here.

Byron Katie and "The Work"

Who are you without your story? She was once severely depressed. She developed questions and a technique tha pulled her out of it.

http://www.thework.com/

The Sedona Method

A technique, which at first, seems a little odd and almost too simple. It took me a while to really believe in this. I find it isreally good to combine "The Work" and the "Sedona Method".

http://www.sedona.com/

"Excuses Begone!" by Dr Wayne Dyer

He is my self-help guru. I absolutely love him!! His new book is "Excuses Begone!" and I loved the way he explains it. He borrows "The Work" and adds more of his brilliance to come up with his method of releasing. This is really good.

http://www.drwaynedyer.com/

LOOK AT THE WEB SITES.
"The Work" has worksheets and gives out a lot of free information. You can start your work now.

A BOOK YOU CAN RELATE TO:
A FABULOUS BOOK called "How Did I Get Here" by Barbara De Angelis isSO FANTASTIC!! At least is was DEAD ON FOR ME. It expressed exactly what I was feeling and going through at the time I read it. It is a older book but I'm sure you can buy it online or at a used book store (that is where I found it). It appears as if Barbara wrote this book when she was going through Perimenopause. It doesn't mention Perimenopause but it deals with the emotional shift and change that we feel on the inside. When ou inside world changes, we must change out outside world. Very interesting and an entertaining read.

So take a trip to Chapters or your nearest book store and look through these books and others. Everyone is different and what works for one person, may not work for another.

When I go to a bookstore, I clear my head, relax and just know that the right book will find me. It always does. Don't have too many expectations. Be open and have faith that you will find the book that has exactly what you need at this time in it.

Gook luck and let me know what books you have read that have worked for you or that you feel other women would enjoy reading.

OUTDOOR MARKETS & TIME AWAY

Hello everyone!

To all the Canadian's out there, this weekend is Thanksgiving so I hope everyone gets to enjoy some fabulous food and special times with family and friends.

I am from Edmonton, AB and I live in Nanaimo, BC (Vancouver Island) so I will not be with my family this Thanksgiving. These are times when I REALLY miss them. My 20 year old daughter will be with my family and I will be spending it with my boyfriend here in Nanaimo. At least we will all be together for Christmas.

A couple of weekends ago, my boyfriend and I went to Victoria, BC. If you have ever been there, you know how absolutely beautiful it is!! It is about 1 1/2 hours from Nanaimo and is the largest city on Vancouver Island. I have travelled a lot and I feel Victoria is one of THE most beautiful cities I have EVER seen and am very luck I live so close.

It is right on the ocean, the weather is the best in Canada and it is a very healthy and vibrant community. There are quaint outdoor cafes, shops and markets. Below are just a few pictures of my visit there. The weather was incredible as you can see.



There are tons of these little outdoor markets in neighbourhoods. These are my favourite places to shop. We don't have any in Nanaimo so I take advantage of them when I come to Victoria.

Here I am buying some fresh veggies!!

Take a look at these BEAUTIFUL sunflowers!! They are so bright, colorful and full of sunshine - I just love them!

We then went for a walk along the beach. The beaches here are rocky and have huge logs that have drifted up on shore. The logs are from all the logging done on the island (which I am not happy about). Vancouver Island has so many beautiful old growth forests and trees that reach to the sky and are very, very old. It is like a rain forest here with lots of ferns and trees covered with vines and moss. Very beautiful.

One reason why I love to come to Victoria for the day or weekend is that it is like a mini-holiday. I feel far enough away from the everyday stressors and I am in a place that is so amazing, has a lot to do, has some extremely healthy restaurants and health conscious people and it is on the ocean!! How great is that!

I come back home feeling rested, calm, peaceful and happy! When I am there, my body relaxes, my mind quiets and I feel at peace. We all need that.

Where can you go for the day that will help you release the stress, feel more at peace and just be in the moment? You don't have to go far. Just a day trip. We often think we need a holiday far away to rest and relax. You don't. Try taking a day trip. Explore the area around where you live. Be a tourist in your province, in your state, in your city.

Let me know where your favourite day trip is.

To my fellow Canadians - HAVE A VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

How to Control Hot Flashes During Perimenopause

Hello everyone

I am going to share with you a rememdy for hot flashes that really works!! If you are going through Perimenopause, Menopause or are Post-Menopausal and are having hot flashes, there is something you can do that will really help to control them. It is all natural and great for your physical and emotional health. It even helps you lose weight!

I have heard others mention this remedy and I can tell you, from personal experience, that it really works. It works for me everytime.

When I stop doing it, the hot flashes return. When I start doing it again, the hot flashes go away, or do not occur as often.

DO I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION NOW?!

What remedy am I speaking about?

Cardiovascular activity. That is right - doing cardio.

You may have been hoping for a pill or something else but this is what works and it benefits you in so many other ways also.

Cardiovascular activity helps decrease high blood pressure, high blood sugar, helps you lose weight, decreases stress, makes your heart and lungs stronger, helps make you stronger and is good for your skin.

I have always been active but have had periods of time when I was injured or on a holiday and didn't do my cardio. That is when I had more hot flashes. As soon as I got back to doing cardio again, the hot flashes would go away. I have read this as I was doing my research on perimenopause and it is proven to help.

My friends agree that this makes a difference for them as well. For me the intensity of the cardio also makes a difference. Each woman has a different fitness level so each woman will be different as to what intensity of cardio works for them.

If I do not do cardio at least 3 x a week I notice I have more hot flashes. For myself, walking isn't much of a cardio workout but for some it is. If I do a power walk and go up and down some hills, if I do the stairs, cardio on gym equipment or ride my bike, my hot flashes decrease.

I realize that you may not have time every week to do some intense or long cardio sessions, but please make time for some cardio each day. Walk during lunch, breaks and right after work (before you go home if you can, then it is done).

Do the stairs, which is a high intensity workout and really works for zapping hot flashes. Just pick a few flights and do those over and over. A workout to try: go up each step 2 x, then every 2nd step 2x, then sideways (once right foot first, 2nd time left foot first), then run up and down the flights, etc. There are numerous options. Play around with it. Challenge yourself each time and watch how you improve!

If you already work out and do cardio and are having quite severe hot flashes then maybe you need to bump up your cardio a notch. Do it for longer, or shorter but more intensly, or do it more times per week. See what works for you. (There are also some great natural products out there that help with hot flashes)

Stress brings on hot flashes. Cardio exercise helps to eleviate stress. Try some deep relaxing breathing also which helps. Combining yoga and cardio sessions during the week would be perfect!

Let me know what works or doesn't work for you. I am sure there are many women going through perimenopause or menopause and would love to here what works for others to get rid of hot flashes.

Time to get moving!

MSG Can Cause Obesity

During Perimenopause women usually gain weight around the waist and deal with bloating and headaches.

In my last post I spoke about not eating preservatives and to read the lables of all food items you buy and have in your house. Since our body cannot utilize the foreign chemicals that are contained in fast foods and packaged foods, those chemicals end up being stored in fat and in fluids in our body. They can also do damage to natural chemical balance of our body.

The following paragraph is from an article called "MSG Is A Slow Poison" by Elizabeth Joyce:
John Erb was a research assistant at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, and spent years working for the government. He made an amazing discovery while going through scientific journals for a book he was writing called "The Slow Poisoning of America." In hundreds of studies around the world, scientists were creating obese mice and rats to use in diet or diabetes test studies. No strain of rat or mice is naturally obese, so the scientists have to create them. They make these morbidly obese creatures by injecting them with MSG when they are first born. The MSG triples the amount of insulin the pancreas creates; causing rats (and humans?) to become obese.

This is very serious so I wanted to include the names that MSG can hide under.

If a food label has any of the below listed as ingredients - IT DOES CONTAIN MSG:
Monosodium Glutamate, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Hydrolyzed Protein, Hydrolyzed Plant Protein, Plant Protein Extract, Sodium Caseninate, Calcium Caseninate, Yeast Extract, Textured Protein, Autolyzed Yeast, Hydrolyzed Oat Flour, Corn Oil.

If a food label lists any of these ingredients - IT PROBABLY CONTAINS MSG:
Malt Extract, Malt Flavoring, Bouilion, Broth, Stock, Favoring, Natural Flavors/Flavoring, Natural Beef or Chicken Flavoring, Seasoning, Spices.

If a food label lists these following ingredients - IT MAY CONTAIN MSG:
Carrageenan, Enzymes, Soy Protein Concentrate, Soy Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate.

You may not realize that most chain restaurants and (probably all) fast food restaurants have food loaded with MSG.

Because I get headaches and very bad symptoms when I consume all forms of MSG and other chemicals I have to ask the waitors if the food they serve contains preservatives. They ask if I have allergies and I tell them that I get very sick and I can tell if the food, sauces, desserts contain preservatives - I WILL know. You can imagine they get pretty nervous so they are usually good at telling me the truth. You would be surprised how many places use preservatives in their foods or use sauces, spices, flavorings with preservatives - which in most cases contain MSG.

Do yourself and your family a favor and print out the list above and take a look at your packaged foods, salad dressings and canned food. Read all labels when you are shopping. You will notice how hard it is to buy anything without a chemical name in the ingredients. Educate yourself, make the right choice and avoid these products.

Let me know what you find. I know avoiding foods with MSG and other preservatives has had a HUGE impact on me being able to lose the extra weight and keep it off! Also, my health is so much better for it!

Perimenopause - What Would You Like to Know?

I am new to blogging and before I get to far into all my blog posts, I thought I would take time to ask you what you want to know.

Perimenopause is a broad topic and one that I have researched and learned a lot about. Why? Because I am going through it right now also. I am 45 years old and started having symptoms about 2 years ago. I also started to gain weight around my waist - something that I never had to worry about before.

I am a personal trainer, yoga teacher and health nut so I have never had to worry about my weight. Then hormone imbalance hit and wow! What a difference! That began my obsession into finding out how I can control this unwanted weight gain (around my waist) and some of the uncomfortable symptoms I was experiencing. I realized that it was my responsibility to help myself. I needed to find out what was going on and what I could do about it - NATURALLY! I have gathered tons of information through my experiences as a personal trainer, yoga teacher and my years of studying nutrition, health and self-development.

I do practice what I preach. Below is a picture of me and my cousin this ummer (July 2009) on the beautiful Hornby Island off the coast of Vancouver Island, BC (Canada). I live on Vancouver Island. We are both 45 years old and have had 1 child each. We have had to adjust our eating over the years to help us stay lean and healthy. It is all about what you eat and your lifestyle. It is possible for anyone.

So let me know what you want to know. I will then write about it. Until then, I will post information I feel is valuable and that will help you in your journey through this phase of your life.

Can't wait to hear from you!