Happy Friday everyone
Have you got some “self care” planned for the weekend ahead?
Is the food stocked with plenty of veggies and healthy proteins, and have you premade any healthy snacks you may need?
For those who usually like a drink, have you considered your alternative?
To protect the gut, consider a kombucha instead along with veggie sticks and hummus to get plenty of fibre rich veggies in: celery, cauliflower florets, radish, cucumber, carrots etc
We are 6 days into the programme. Has anyone had any “die off” symptoms such as headaches, rashes, and lacking energy?
Today I just want to check in and see if you are eating plenty of plant foods. If you don´t usually eat much fibre rich food, it is something you will need to increase gradually otherwise you may get very bloated.
There are many reasons for including fibre in your diet to improve your health, but they help bowel movement and the elimination of toxins from the body via poop.
Most women only eat an estimated 13.5g of fibre a day. That’s about half of the dietary guidelines of 25 grams, and woefully short of the 30 grams a day some experts recommend for (peri)menopausal women.
A key role of fibre is to aid in the elimination of toxins. It does this in a few different ways. One way is simply by binding to bile to remove them from the body. Fat-soluble toxins are more likely to be eliminated this way since they will be bound up in bile. Fibre also aids in the elimination of heavy metals through directly binding to them and then moving them through the system and out of the body. Other toxins may also bind directly to fibre rather than bile for elimination.
A few of the vital functions of fibre include:
- Removal of waste including toxins produced by body cells and those taken in.
- Food for the gut microbiome, which produces SCFAs such as butyrate which also plays important roles in health
- Lowers blood pressure and LDL cholesterol
- Keeps bowel movements regular *
- Helps to reduce blood sugar and regulate glucose balance
- Maintains healthy GI and manages intestinal permeability
- Maintains satiety longer
*Constipation is common during and beyond the menopause transition as oestrogen and oestrogen receptors in our GI tract decline, affecting the muscles in the colon. Increased stress levels can make constipation worse.
Fibre and your hormones:
Fibre reduces circulating oestrogen levels by altering the gut microbiota and decreasing reabsorption of oestrogen in the gut.
Fibre feeds your gut microbiome. The gut microbiome plays a key role in our energy metabolism as well as oestrogen metabolism. Menopause alters the gut microbiome. It is thought that these gut microbiome changes may increase fat gain, lower metabolism, and increase insulin resistance during the menopausal years. Fibre feeds your gut microbiome. It is thought that women eating diets rich in plant foods have reduced menopausal symptoms.
Fibre protects your heart. Menopause can increased heart risks factors like abnormal lipid levels. Eating more fibre can help manage cholesterol levels.
Fibre helps with blood sugar management. As our sex hormones decline, our cells can become more resistant to insulin making it harder to manage blood sugar. The fluctuations of our hormones during perimenopause can also lead to glucose spikes and crashes. Fibre helps reduce spikes and helps keep blood sugar stable.
Fibre may help relieve hot flashes. Blood sugar fluctuations may make hot flashes worse. By keeping your blood sugar levels stable and feeding your gut microbiome, fiber may help reduce hot flashes. However, temperature regulation is also controlled by the brain.
Helping the gut and elimination of excess oestrogens
1. Hydrochloric Acid (aka Stomach Acid)
Improve the level of your stomach acid level by drinking 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or ½ lemon in a glass of warm/lukewarm water upon rising. Do not eat till 30 minutes later. You can have it with your thyroid medication if you are taking any.
2. FIBRE
Take at least 2-3 tablespoons of insoluble fibre per day; Ground golden flax seed helps oestrogen metabolism really well. If you can’t tolerate flax seed, substitute with chia seeds or psyllium husk.
3. LIVER SUPPORTING SUPPLEMENTS
Get a good quality Vitamin B complex – it is a key vitamin to open up the detoxification pathways. If you don’t feel good taking it, get the methylated form of folate and B12.
