All posts that are Eat Burn Sleep are here! Gut-brain health, optimum physical health, body composition, and anti-aging. Everything you need for your new anti-inflammatory mind and body!
I sometimes curse being born a woman. No two days of the month are the same for us! We have ups, we have downs, we have days where we could conquer the world and we have the dreaded premenstrual syndrome or PMS.
It is, of course, all worth it as we have been blessed with the ultimate creating ability, which is to carry babies.
So how can you reduce your PMS symptoms and stop writing off 4 to 5 days a month?
SLEEP. I can never say it enough, but sleep is the biggest healer. Sleep regulates hormones, mood and lack of sleep will always worsen health struggles. I regularly take an essential amino-acid called L-Tryptophan which helps with sleep function, mood, immune system, circulation, nervous system, and digestion.
Magnesium citrate or glycinate. A deficiency in magnesium has been shown to increase PMS symptoms. Around that time of the month, many women suffer from constipation due to the rise in estrogen. Magnesium citrate powder has a mild laxative effect, so this side effect can be beneficial too.
Evening Primrose Oil has been shown to help balance our hormones. Taking it regularly can help PMS.
Fish oils, DHA in particular. Omega 3s decrease inflammation in the body and DHA is beneficial for hormones. A study has shown that women in Japan tend to store less fat thanks to the higher levels of DHA in their bodies due to their high fish consumption. If you are looking to try for babies, DHA helps with the development of the brain and eyes in fetuses.
Decrease your consumption of sugar, caffeine, alcohol, and increase your intake of water to fight off water retention. Increase your intake of green leafy vegetables such as spinach and swiss chard. They are loaded with magnesium. The fiber in these vegetables also helps move excess estrogen through the intestinal tract. Estrogen dominance during the luteal phase is often a cause of PMS symptoms
Increase your consumption of good carbs. The reason why you crave sugary foods is that they raise your insulin levels which in turn raise serotonin levels and lift the mood. Have some good carbs like ripe bananas, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash. Check out my basic good carbs soup recipe in the eat section.
Exercise. Take it easy on your body and do walks, gentle sessions of stretching/yoga/pilates exercises at home rather than strenuous classes.
If despite all the above your PMS symptoms continue, acupuncture can be very helpful.
Be kind to yourself. I find that I tend to be hard on myself, like many of my girlfriends. We want to be amazing at all times, be the best mothers, friends, look good, be in a good mood, exercise regularly, etc. But that isn’t realistic and it is important to treat ourselves like we would treat a friend. With kindness, support, and understanding.
I hope you found this helpful. Do not hesitate to drop me a note if you have any questions!
We hear a lot of conflicting information about nutrition. Some people are advocates of vegan diets, others of low carbs diet, paleo diet, ketogenic diet etc. It can be overwhelming and when we read about it, we can find so many different theories which all make perfect sense on paper.
So… I thought I would share my experience of a low carbohydrates diet with you, which I have followed for about two years. Why did I do it? What were the short-term effects? What were the long-term effects? What does research show? And my advice on how much carbs to eat, which carbs to eat and at what time of the day.
My experience- Why did I go on a low carbohydrates diet?
My experience with a low carb diet has been very interesting. I suffer from autoimmune issues, which main cause is inflammation in the body. If you look up at what creates inflammation, what will come up is sugar, all grains (wheat, rice, oats, buckwheat etc), corn, pulses, and legumes. Indeed, a diet high in grains raises Omega 6 levels in the body when what you want is more Omega 3, as Omega 6 are inflammatory and Omega 3 anti-inflammatory.
As a result, in 2011, I adopted a paleo diet. The Paleo diet is based on all meat and fish, eggs, vegetables (excluding the ones above), fruit, nuts and unrefined sugars like honey, dates or maple syrup. It worked really well for me and my inflammation markers went down.
However, when my digestion plays up and I get bloating and IBS or IBD symptoms, I follow a candida diet/very low carbs for a few weeks and it settles things. It also really helps to shed some body fat and get leaner. For me, this miracle diet consists of meat, fish, chicken, eggs, non-starchy vegetables, nuts, and good oils.
The short-term effects – amazing!
This diet worked wonders for me in the short term. My stomach issues settled, I had absolutely no bloating or IBD symptoms, I was full of energy, my skin was clear and I became super lean.
As you can imagine, I thought I had found the holy grail and I decided that would be my way of eating going forward. No more bananas, dark chocolate, dates or yummy Paleo cakes for me as they contain sugar from the natural sweeteners I use, like maple syrup, dates or honey. But who cares when you feel so good?!
The long-term effects – not so good…
So medium term, i.e. a couple of months into this way of eating, I noticed my portion size increasing and a sense of never feeling full. I started gaining weight as I was snacking too much -on nuts mainly!- and would not feel satiated. But as this diet worked so well a few months before that I wasn’t ready to question it yet.
I found myself cutting down on fruit massively and basically following a very low-carb on a daily basis. I would have salmon and eggs in the morning. Chicken and salad for lunch and something similar in the evening or fish/meat if I went out. I snacked on nuts. I ate absolutely no sugar, starchy carbs or fruit. I did this for 2 YEARS!
That definitely was a mistake for me as I noticed quite a lot of undesirable side effects. It took me a while to understand where it came from. When something works for us, we find it hard to question it at a later stage. The reality is I had taken it too far.
Side effects of very low carb diets
I am naturally very curious – and nerdy- so I spent hours researching what the physiological effects of a very low carbs diet were. Here is what I found. I definitely experienced these sides effects, unfortunately.
– Not eating carbs is bad for your brain. I started feeling depressed. Indeed, serotonin (the hormone for happiness), is produced in the presence of insulin. Insulin can only be released when we eat carbohydrates. Too much insulin stimulation is dangerous and can lead to diabetes, but not enough leads to low levels of serotonin and a bad mood! I was down and couldn’t work out why. No matter how much exercise I would do -which normally lifts the mood- or nice things I would do in my life, I was in a low mood. It turned out I wasn’t producing enough serotonin, the happy hormone 🙂
– It can also lead to weight gain for a few reasons. The first cause of weight gain is low serotonin levels. Serotonin is not only a feel-good hormone, it also is a natural appetite suppressant. I kept feeling unsatisfied for that very reason and I found myself eating more. The second cause was the impact on my thyroid. Low carb diets can lead to low thyroid levels. If your thyroid levels are low, your body burns less and you gain weight. I got some blood tests done and they showed my thyroid levels were low. After reintroducing bananas, sweet potatoes, butternut squash and the occasional dates/honey sweetened treats, they came back to a normal range.
– Finally, the worst side effect for me was bad sleep. As explained above, low carb diets lead to low serotonin levels. Serotonin reduces cortisol levels (stress/being alert hormone) and allows the production of melatonin (the sleep hormone). Without insulin, we don’t produce enough serotonin or melatonin.
How to play it, based on my experience and research
Here is what I would recommend doing, based on my experience:
Do not cut out all carbs. Have nutritious carbs like sweet potatoes, butternut squash, bananas, dates, quinoa, rye bread etc. Check out my basic good carbs soup recipe.
Have some good complex carbs at night. I am talking about the ones mentioned above. Bananas help you sleep better and carbs in the evening will increase your insulin levels, lower your cortisol levels and make you feel relaxed. So you can have a good night of sleep – which helps with weight loss, see my article on sleep!
Limit high glycemic index food to avoid blood sugar spikes and try to stick to slow release carbs.
The bottom line is: moderation is always a good idea!
Today, I am talking about a topic which is quite controversial, and on which we hear so many contradictory opinions. DAIRY.
Is it bad for you? Are humans meant to drink cow’s milk? Do we need calcium? What about bone health?
There is a lot to cover and we could really go in depth, but I have decided to give you an overview of the research out there so you can form your own opinion on the topic and make the right choices for yourself.
1/ The milk we consume has changed. Indeed, milk use to come from Jersey and Guernsey cows which produce A2 type milk (A2 being casein, the protein in milk). However, these cows can’t produce large amounts of milk, and with a growing world population, farmers switched to more productive breeds. The milk protein now is A1 which seems harder for our bodies to digest. In the UK, the brand Gold Top offers Jersey milk on Ocado.com.
2/ Everybody hasn’t got the gene which allows to process milk. Humans are born with a gene to produce lactase ( the enzyme to digest lactose). That gene mutates between the age of 2 and 5 ( the weaning age in most cultures). When populations in Africa starting drinking cow/goat’s milk 10,000 years ago – start of agriculture- that gene mutated and was present in adult hood in some people. However a large part of the world population hasn’t got the gene to produce lactase (for example, most people in South East Asia) when in other parts, people have it and are tolerant to lactose (for example, in Scandinavia).
3/ The naturally occurring lactase found in milk is destroyed during the pasteurisation process. Raw milk is easier to digest but is obviously risky when it comes to bacterial infections.
4/ Dairy creates inflammation and has been linked to IBS (inflammatory bowel syndrome), IBD (inflammatory bowel diseases), Eczema and other auto-immune issues.
5/ Due to the hormones found in milk, dairy has been linked to hormonal imbalances and cancers of organs sensitive to hormones – breast, cervix, testicular, uterus, prostate etc.
6/ In a study conducted in Sweden, lactose was used to accelerate the AGEING process in mice.
7/ The bone health and dairy myth. Saying that drinking milk is good for bone health is a huge simplification of the process for the absorption of calcium and bone formation. Calcium absorption is very complex and the presence of vitamin D is necessary. Vitamin K is also crucial for the utilisation and regulation of calcium in the body. Finally, magnesium is also absolutely needed for calcium absorption and bone formation. Calcium is present in many other foods (green leafy vegetables, beans and pulses, sea vegetables) and is probably better absorbed than from milk due to lactose intolerance in many people.
8/ Studies have shown a higher rate of bone fractures in people who drink milk. This paradox is most probably due to the fact that many people can not process lactose and hence can’t absorb calcium from milk.
In the light of the above, I would suggest finding out if you are lactose intolerant or not. If you are, I would cut out dairy and not bother with lactose-free milk and products as they tend to be processed. If you are able to digest lactose and dairy, I would switch to A2 type milk and stick to unprocessed raw cheeses (typically, many traditional French cheeses) in order to consume a product high in lactase and good bacteria for the gut.
I will soon publish a post about all the milk alternatives on the market and what my favorites choices are + why!
Many people have requested that I do a post explaining the diet I follow and why I eat this way.
My Story
As some of you may know, I suffer(ed) from 2 autoimmune diseases. Ulcerative Colitis which is unfortunately increasingly common and Auto-Immune Haemolytic Anaemia which is rare and potentially fatal. Indeed, I almost lost my life to it twice, in October 2012 and in February 2013. During this difficult period, my body was not responding to medication and my inflammation markers were really high. I had to find a solution, to stay alive for my children, and for myself.
To cut a long story short, I have tried and tested many diets/supplements/lifestyle changes until I found what works for me, and have luckily managed to stay in remission since 2016 and medication free too.
Why is this relevant to you?
Inflammation is the cause of MOST diseases: cancer, heart attacks, diabetes, arthritis, psoriasis, eczema, auto-immune issues, Alzheimer’s, neurological diseases, digestive issues etc.
Keeping inflammation low in your body is the KEY to long-term health. It will allow you to live a better life, of higher quality, physically and mentally. You will stay looking young and fit. It is scientific and not a fad diet.
What are the basic principles of an anti-inflammatory diet?
Unless you have a health issue, I would recommend sticking to it 80% of the time. It is really important for your mental health to enjoy yourself and not feel deprived. The link between mental and physical health is very strong so do not make yourself unhappy obsessing over food!
An anti-inflammatory diet focuses on food groups that do not increase inflammation in the body. The food groups to avoid are refined sugar, all grains (wheat, oats, rice, buckwheat etc), beans and pulses, potatoes, dairy, and alcohol.
My diet is basically a paleo diet. I focus on eating fresh fish, meat in moderation, eggs, non-starchy vegetables, fruits, nuts, natural sugars (honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar) and good fats (coconut, olive, and avocado oil).
I hope the above helps! If there is anything specific you would like me to cover in my next post, let me know!
Many people experience issues with their thyroid, the gland which controls metabolism (conversion of oxygen and calories to energy).
The thyroid converts iodine from food into thyroid hormones, T3 and T4. T3 and T4 are then released into the blood stream and are transported throughout the body where they control metabolism.
In a nutshell, a good thyroid function is essential for a good metabolism. So wether you have issues or not with your thyroid, you might want to keep an eye on those thyroid levels and keep everything in check.
1/ Eat seaweed / sea vegetables regularly. Not only they are full of easily absorbable calcium but they are also packed with iodine.
2/ Avoid raw kale and other cruciferous (broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, Brussel sprouts, radishes). They contain goitrogens that may disrupt the thyroid if consumed in large quantities. However cooking these veggies reduces goitrogen levels by a third. Kale smoothies aren’t so good for your thyroid basically!
3/ Avoid foods with soy as they contain isoflavones. Soy milk, tofu, edamame, miso.
4/ Avoid gluten. Hypothyroidism and coeliac disease are often diagnosed together.
5/ Reduce your intake of fat. Fats may also interfere with the thyroid’s ability to produce hormone as well. Some healthcare professionals recommend that you cut out all fried foods and reduce your intake of fats from sources such as butter, mayonnaise, margarine, and fatty cuts of meat.
6/Consume coffee in moderation as it interferes with thyroid function.
7/ Avoid too much alcohol. Alcohol consumption can wreak havoc on both thyroid hormone levels in the body and the ability of the thyroid to produce hormone.
8/ Have sea salt rather than pink himalayan salt as the latter doesn’t contain iodine.
9/ If you have hypothyroidism avoid the cold (like cryotherapy) and if you have hyperthyroidism avoid the heat (like sauna and steam rooms).
10/ Do yoga. Inversions like shoulder stand are great for thyroid function.
11/ Avoid very low carb diets. They are known for lowering the thyroid function. Keep good sources of carbs like sweet potatoes, butternut squash, quinoa, bananas, berries in your diet.
This topic is a little taboo yet so many of my friends ask me what to do when bloated or not regular. Given that 60% of our neurotransmitters are in the gut -not the brain, that isn’t surprising we don’t feel good and aren’t in the best mood when our tummies are playing up. Digestion has a massive impact on our mental and physical well-being.
Dangers of OTC laxatives
Many people use over the counter laxatives as a temporary relief. The problem with those is they make things worse in the medium term and can make them pretty bad in the long-term.
Slimming teas and constipation OTC pills disturb the flora and cause constipation the following day and after. Long-term, they can stop the intestinal peristalsis, which is the movements the intestines makes to move food along. Basically, they disrupt the normal functioning of intestines and make digestion even more out of sync.Natural solutions
Chia seeds: they are a great source of Omega-3s and can be added to smoothies, yogurt, salads, cereals. They swell in the stomach and help digestion.
Flaxseeds: they need to be milled to be absorbable. Similarly to chia seeds, they are packed with Omega-3s and swell with water. I love adding some to my protein shakes or soup. A way to ease constipation fast is to soak some flaxseeds in a little water overnight, drink it on empty stomach in the morning followed by a couple more glasses of water.
Psyllium husks: they are also a bulk-forming laxative and need to be taken with a lot of water. They can also help with diabetes and weight loss. They are safe to be taken daily.
Activated charcoal: This helps with gas and bloating. Safe enough to be taken regularly and available in most pharmacies.
Giving the system a rest: the digestive system needs a break sometimes, and a good way to restore balance is to give it some rest. Spacing out meals and doing less snacking, or having a very light dinner like soup with a tablespoon of flaxseeds might help.
Probiotics: Taking them on an empty stomach before breakfast allows the good bacteria in the gut to grow.
Magnesium Citrate: In powder form, this supplement is excellent for the nervous system, muscles and helps to sleep better. Taking it in the evening allows for a good rest and has a mild laxative side effect.
Eating fiber: Including good fiber in the diet helps massively. I love rye bread as it has a very high fiber content, is low in gluten and has been shown to aid with weight loss.
All the above are natural ways to reintroduce a good balance in the digestive system. I am a firm believer of gentle treatments over anything harsh or too strong. The flora has a fine balance and it can easily be disturbed.
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Reboot and Revive
I sometimes curse being born a woman. No two days of the month are the same for us! We have ups, we have downs, we have days where we could conquer the world and we have the dreaded premenstrual syndrome or PMS.
It is, of course, all worth it as we have been blessed with the ultimate creating ability, which is to carry babies.
So how can you reduce your PMS symptoms and stop writing off 4 to 5 days a month?
We hear a lot of conflicting information about nutrition. Some people are advocates of vegan diets, others of low carbs diet, paleo diet, ketogenic diet etc. It can be overwhelming and when we read about it, we can find so many different theories which all make perfect sense on paper.
So… I thought I would share my experience of a low carbohydrates diet with you, which I have followed for about two years. Why did I do it? What were the short-term effects? What were the long-term effects? What does research show? And my advice on how much carbs to eat, which carbs to eat and at what time of the day.
Many people have requested that I do a post explaining the diet I follow and why I eat this way.