For many people, Christmas is a time to celebrate and spoil their children.
For those of us without children, it is a day tinged with sadness. Perhaps you have withdrawn completely from your family and friends because it is too painful to see the babies and children being fussed over, when you know that they aren't yours.
My third pregnancy was due on Christmas Eve 2007, and if that child had been born he/she would have been here celebrating with us today.
My heart goes out to every one of you who has never conceived, or has miscarried, or has suffered a stillbirth. We have never been able to share the joy that others are experiencing as parents today. I wish I could put my arms around you all.
Much love and hope for the coming year xo
Belinda
Monday 24 December 2012
Tuesday 18 December 2012
Supplements
I have had so much going on in life and not enough money to afford any more than the basic costs of living. As a result my health has been waaaay down the priority list for far too long. This year my PCOS/Endo symptoms have become alot worse and my weight is out of control.
Now that I am in a better place financially, I have started to implement many of the principles of the Gabriel Method again and also throw in a few of my own ideas. I have been reading up on some really important stuff and have invested in some great supplements that are known to benefit anyone who is suffering from the awful symptoms of PCOS or Endo, or is struggling with excess weight.
Omega 3
Fish oil is really important to anyone who is trying to lose weight. I specifically say fish oil, not just "Omega 3", because there are many TYPES of Omega 3 fatty acids. Some are found in seeds such as linseed/flaxseed and chia (the two most easily obtainable from health food stores), however these contain a fat known as ALA.
The issue with ALA is that our bodies need to convert ALA into a "longer chain" fatty acid called EPA (the one found in fish/krill oils). However, we need to make sure we are getting other things into our diet to be able to convert the ALA into EPA efficiently. So it is much easier to take fish/krill oil instead.
Also, I believe you would need to take alot of linseed or chia to get the equivalent amount of Omega 3, so it would require alot of measuring and, if you are taking linseed, you need to grind it before consumption otherwise the seeds may not digest properly. Chia seeds, if you do take them, are expensive and they require alot of water to help digest them. The up side of chia seeds is that you can sprinkle them over a salad, bake them in bread or muffins, or you can blend them up in a smoothie. They are very small, like poppy seeds, which makes it easier for them to break down in your gut.
I am taking 6000mg of fish oil a day, but I may scale it down as I read somewhere recently that while we are getting too much Omega 6 (from processed/fatty foods), trying to take MORE Omega 3 isn't necessarily a good thing. If we can cut down the processed foods then we shouldn't need to overdose the Omega 3. I am eliminating it as much as possible, obviously we can't avoid Omega 6 completely.
Vitamin E is really important to supplement when taking fish oil because Omega 3 can deplete it, so if you are taking fish oil then make sure you are taking a Vitamin E supplement with it (unless the fish oil capsule you are taking already has Vitamin E in it).
DIM/I3C
I have posted about DIM/I3C in the past and I truly believe that this supplement is important for anyone who is suffering from an excess of oestrogen. Oestrogen is made in our fat cells, so if you are overweight then the chances are that you have an excess of oestrogen.
My personal experience of oestrogen excess has been:
Fluid retention
Weight gain (mostly around the abdomen, bottom and thighs)
Sugar and carb cravings
Decreased sex drive
Foggy thinking
Heavy/irregular bleeding
Miscarriage
Abnormal blood clotting
PCOS
Endometriosis
And they are just the obvious ones!
Serrapeptase
I posted about this supplement back in June this year.
Serrapeptase digests (dissolves) non-living tissue such as blood clots, cysts, arterial plaque and inflammation. Endo sufferers may find that it heals scarring caused by adhesions where the endometrial tissue has formed on organs outside the uterus.
It is always important to buy a serrapeptase supplement that has an "enteric coating". This simply means that the supplement won't be destroyed in the gut but will break down once it reaches the intestines.
So they are my "big 3" supplements. I am waiting for the Serrapeptase and DIM/I3C to arrive from the USA (cheaper to buy it online and ship it, unless I can find a cheaper supplier in Australia).
Now that I am in a better place financially, I have started to implement many of the principles of the Gabriel Method again and also throw in a few of my own ideas. I have been reading up on some really important stuff and have invested in some great supplements that are known to benefit anyone who is suffering from the awful symptoms of PCOS or Endo, or is struggling with excess weight.
Omega 3
Fish oil is really important to anyone who is trying to lose weight. I specifically say fish oil, not just "Omega 3", because there are many TYPES of Omega 3 fatty acids. Some are found in seeds such as linseed/flaxseed and chia (the two most easily obtainable from health food stores), however these contain a fat known as ALA.
The issue with ALA is that our bodies need to convert ALA into a "longer chain" fatty acid called EPA (the one found in fish/krill oils). However, we need to make sure we are getting other things into our diet to be able to convert the ALA into EPA efficiently. So it is much easier to take fish/krill oil instead.
Also, I believe you would need to take alot of linseed or chia to get the equivalent amount of Omega 3, so it would require alot of measuring and, if you are taking linseed, you need to grind it before consumption otherwise the seeds may not digest properly. Chia seeds, if you do take them, are expensive and they require alot of water to help digest them. The up side of chia seeds is that you can sprinkle them over a salad, bake them in bread or muffins, or you can blend them up in a smoothie. They are very small, like poppy seeds, which makes it easier for them to break down in your gut.
I am taking 6000mg of fish oil a day, but I may scale it down as I read somewhere recently that while we are getting too much Omega 6 (from processed/fatty foods), trying to take MORE Omega 3 isn't necessarily a good thing. If we can cut down the processed foods then we shouldn't need to overdose the Omega 3. I am eliminating it as much as possible, obviously we can't avoid Omega 6 completely.
Vitamin E is really important to supplement when taking fish oil because Omega 3 can deplete it, so if you are taking fish oil then make sure you are taking a Vitamin E supplement with it (unless the fish oil capsule you are taking already has Vitamin E in it).
DIM/I3C
I have posted about DIM/I3C in the past and I truly believe that this supplement is important for anyone who is suffering from an excess of oestrogen. Oestrogen is made in our fat cells, so if you are overweight then the chances are that you have an excess of oestrogen.
My personal experience of oestrogen excess has been:
Fluid retention
Weight gain (mostly around the abdomen, bottom and thighs)
Sugar and carb cravings
Decreased sex drive
Foggy thinking
Heavy/irregular bleeding
Miscarriage
Abnormal blood clotting
PCOS
Endometriosis
And they are just the obvious ones!
Serrapeptase
I posted about this supplement back in June this year.
Serrapeptase digests (dissolves) non-living tissue such as blood clots, cysts, arterial plaque and inflammation. Endo sufferers may find that it heals scarring caused by adhesions where the endometrial tissue has formed on organs outside the uterus.
It is always important to buy a serrapeptase supplement that has an "enteric coating". This simply means that the supplement won't be destroyed in the gut but will break down once it reaches the intestines.
So they are my "big 3" supplements. I am waiting for the Serrapeptase and DIM/I3C to arrive from the USA (cheaper to buy it online and ship it, unless I can find a cheaper supplier in Australia).
Oestrogen excess
The signs and symptoms of oestrogen excess may include any of the following:
- In women:
PMS
Fatigue
Fluid retention and abdominal bloating
Weight gain, especially in lower body which is hard to lose
Mood swings/Weepiness
Depression/Sadness – esp. before a period
Anxiety and irritability – esp. before a period
Insomnia – esp. before a period
Accelerated ageing
Frequent thrush
High blood pressure
Sugar and Carbohydrate craving
Decreased sex drive
Foggy thinking
Dry eyes
Fibroids
Fibrocystic breasts/Breast tenderness
Gall bladder problems
Premenstrual headaches and migraines
Heavy or irregular bleeding
Infertility
Miscarriage – esp. in first trimester
Osteoporosis
Low thyroid function
Abnormal blood clotting
PCOS
Auto-immune disorder (e.g. Lupus)
Breast cancer
Endometriosis
Endometrial cancer (uterine cancer)
Fatigue
Fluid retention and abdominal bloating
Weight gain, especially in lower body which is hard to lose
Mood swings/Weepiness
Depression/Sadness – esp. before a period
Anxiety and irritability – esp. before a period
Insomnia – esp. before a period
Accelerated ageing
Frequent thrush
High blood pressure
Sugar and Carbohydrate craving
Decreased sex drive
Foggy thinking
Dry eyes
Fibroids
Fibrocystic breasts/Breast tenderness
Gall bladder problems
Premenstrual headaches and migraines
Heavy or irregular bleeding
Infertility
Miscarriage – esp. in first trimester
Osteoporosis
Low thyroid function
Abnormal blood clotting
PCOS
Auto-immune disorder (e.g. Lupus)
Breast cancer
Endometriosis
Endometrial cancer (uterine cancer)
- In Men, excess oestrogen can cause any of the following signs or symptoms:
Fatigue, Insomnia
Hair loss
Headaches
Weight gain
Fluid retention and abdominal bloating
Anxiety, Irritability, Depression
Breast enlargement
High blood pressure
Carbohydrate craving
Diminished sex drive
Foggy thinking
Dry eyes
Gall bladder problems
Osteoporosis
Low thyroid function
Abnormal blood clotting
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
Prostate cancer
Hair loss
Headaches
Weight gain
Fluid retention and abdominal bloating
Anxiety, Irritability, Depression
Breast enlargement
High blood pressure
Carbohydrate craving
Diminished sex drive
Foggy thinking
Dry eyes
Gall bladder problems
Osteoporosis
Low thyroid function
Abnormal blood clotting
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
Prostate cancer
Saturday 1 December 2012
Slight change of plans
Well since my last post I was struggling with my desire to go back to Australia and see my friends and family (it had been 2 years since I last saw them) or stay in the UK and try to find a job.
Australia won.
I figured now is the best time to go because if I get a good job then it would be at least a year before I can take a reasonable holiday to go home.
I have been in Aus for a month now. WORST TIME OF YEAR TO BE HERE!
It is sooooo hot, 40 degrees celcius yesterday and it wasn't even officially summer!
I moved to the UK for a reason, that is, the cooler climate. I have never enjoyed the summer in Australia, not even as a child. I think that the older I get, the less I am able to cope with the heat.
Ah well.... my parents aren't getting any younger so I have to make the most of it really.
So until I return to the UK (hubby is still there), any plans to TTC are on hold. I am looking at getting some Traditional Chinese Medicine and have been recommended a practitioner close to where I am living. She claims to have had good results for women who have Endo and PCOS. I will post again when I have started treatment to let you know what is being done and how it is working for me.
Australia won.
I figured now is the best time to go because if I get a good job then it would be at least a year before I can take a reasonable holiday to go home.
I have been in Aus for a month now. WORST TIME OF YEAR TO BE HERE!
It is sooooo hot, 40 degrees celcius yesterday and it wasn't even officially summer!
I moved to the UK for a reason, that is, the cooler climate. I have never enjoyed the summer in Australia, not even as a child. I think that the older I get, the less I am able to cope with the heat.
Ah well.... my parents aren't getting any younger so I have to make the most of it really.
So until I return to the UK (hubby is still there), any plans to TTC are on hold. I am looking at getting some Traditional Chinese Medicine and have been recommended a practitioner close to where I am living. She claims to have had good results for women who have Endo and PCOS. I will post again when I have started treatment to let you know what is being done and how it is working for me.
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