Natural Skin Care Recipes

Increasing your consumption of Brassica vegetables is a great way to reduce your risk for breast cancer while also helping to offset elevated estrogen levels. Three of my favorite Brassica veggies include Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower. Below are easy ways to prepare these vegetables and help offset your estrogen dominance, and hopefully decrease your risk for breast cancer.

Baked Brussels Sprouts

Trim Brussels sprouts and layer in a Pyrex baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a touch of sea salt and ground black pepper. Bake at 400ºF for 20 minutes. Some of the leaves with fall off and get deliciously crunchy. Enjoy!

Steamed Asian Broccoli

Cut flowerets from head of broccoli and steam until bright green and tender crisp. Place in bowl and mix with 1½  tablespoons sesame oil, 2 teaspoons tamari sauce, and 1 tablespoon sesame seeds. Blend well and serve.

Pureed Cauliflower

I don’t know about you, but I dream about mashed potatoes. They are definitely on my comfort food list. But, as a woman with estrogen dominance, I just can’t justify the carbs. Thankfully, pureed cauliflower is the perfect answer.

Trim cauliflower and place flowerets in a steamer. Steam until very soft. Place in a food processor and add a spoonful of ghee (clarified butter). Add ground pepper and puree until the consistency of mashed potatoes. Goes great with fish or veggie stuffed peppers.

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Add all vegetables to roasting pan.
3. Top with basil and lemon pepper.
4. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 45 minutes.
5. Serve warm.

Fall is my favorite time of the year. Not only does it mean snuggly sweaters and football, but it is also the time to pull out those soup and stew recipes. As you look through your favorites, keep your hormone type in mind.

If you have low estrogen levels and are experiencing menopause symptoms, you will want to lean toward recipes that are light on the spice and acid and high in vegetables, gluten-free grains, legumes, and seafood/fish.

If you have high estrogen levels and/or are estrogen dominant, then you’ll want to lean toward a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, poultry, fish, eggs, and more acidic condiments like vinegar and lemon juice. You will want to steer away from a grain-heavy diet.

In some cases, you’ll find that perfect recipe that pleases both estrogen profile. And here is just such a one for you!

Butternut Squash Soup
Serves 6

Butternut squash is rich in beta-carotene and vitamin C. Beta-carotene helps balance the estrogen excess in women with estrogen dominance, while vitamin C has many menopausal benefits, including the ability to fight heart disease by preventing the oxidation of LDL cholesterol.

Plus, the onions in the recipe provide the antioxidant power of quercetin. And with an antiseptic boost from sage, this soup is sure to keep your immune system strong during the cold winter months.

1 cup red onion, chopped
2 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon ground sage
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups vegetable broth
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
2 tablespoons soy or rice parmesan cheese (optional)

1. In a soup pot, sauté onion in olive oil over medium heat until soft
2. Add sage, salt, pepper, broth, and squash. Bring to a boil. 
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until squash is soft. 
4. Ladle ¾ of the soup in to a blender or food processor and purée. 
5. Pour back into pot and reheat for 5 minutes. 
6. Stir in parmesan cheese (if desired) and serve.

With my constraints on the type of soy foods I recommend, many women often ask me how on earth they are supposed to work with the three soy foods I do allow: edamame, tempeh (fermented tofu), or tofu. Here are a few of my favorite suggestions.

Edamame

Edamame is easy! For a delicious finger food (and great alternative to greasy, unhealthy chips), steam edamame, toss with sea salt, and enjoy!

I also like to toss edamame into my salads for a quick hit of protein.

Tempeh

This one seems to baffle even the most devout vegetarian. The simplest answer? Treat like ground beef. Simply crumble tempeh and lightly sauté with onions and peppers. Add some diced tomatoes and your favorite blend of Italian spices and you have a delicious pasta sauce!

Another favorite? Add tempeh to chili to give it a protein-powered boost without altering the flavor of your favorite recipe. Again, crumble the tempeh to achieve the best texture and mouth feel.

Tofu

The bad news: Tofu is rather bland. The good news: Tofu is like a culinary chameleon, meaning that whatever you add to tofu, it magically “becomes.” Therefore, the secret to tofu is marinade and spice.

The easiest tofu recipe I know is to mix 2/3 cup tamari sauce, 2/3 cup olive oil, and 1/3 cup balsalmic vinegar. Add 2-3 tablespoons of your favorite spice mix and blend well. Cut tofu block into five slices. Add to marinade and refrigerate (covered) for at least four hours. Lightly sauté and you have a delicious meal that can be pair with virtually any side dish!

Of course, no tofu discussion would be complete (at least as far as I’m concerned) without a miso soup recipe. Here’s one from Hormone Revolution!

Miso Soup
Serves 4

4 cups water, divided
2 carrots, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 cup tofu, cubed
4 tablespoons miso
1 bunch scallions, chopped
½ tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

1. In a large pot, heat ½ cup water.
2. Add carrots and onions and cook for 8-10 minutes.
3. Add another ½ cup water and tofu. Cook for 5-7 minutes.
4. Add the rest of the water and bring to a boil.
5. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
6. In a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons of boiled water to miso to create a thin paste.
7. Add miso paste, scallions, and parsley to pot and stir.
8. Cook for five minutes and serve warm.

One of the easiest and most delicious ways to get the DIM you need to balance estrogen levels and offset estrogen balance is to increase your consumption of Brassica vegetables. Here are two of my favorite recipes. Enjoy!

Garden-Style Primavera

I developed this recipe for Dr. Lark’s newsletter several years, and it’s still a keeper!

1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup cauliflower florets
1 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup sliced red pepper
1 tsp minced garlic
2/3 cup of diced tomatoes, with juice
1 tsp basil
1/8–1/4 tsp ground pepper
2 cup of rice noodles, cooked
3 tsp goat cheese, crumbled

1. Heat oil in large skillet.
2. Add cauliflower, broccoli, red pepper, and garlic and sauté for 3–5 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, basil, and pepper and simmer for 5–6 minutes.
4. Add rice noodles and toss well.
5. Top with goat cheese and serve.

Broccoli Salad

This is a must-have for every picnic or pot luck! It is also featured in the book I co-authored with Dr. Lark entitled Hormone Revolution.

¾ cup nonfat mayonnaise
¼ cup erythritol
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 large head of broccoli
6 scallions, diced
4 pieces turkey bacon, crumbled
½ cup goat cheese, crumbled
¼ cup sunflower seeds.

1. Combine mayonnaise, erythritol, and vinegar. Mix well, cover, and place in refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.
2. Cut broccoli into small flowerettes. Add scallions, bacon, goat cheese, and sunflower seeds.
3. Mix in dressing and serve.

I am heading to a lakefront cottage soon, and while I am thrilled to be getting away and spending time with family, there is one aspect I am not looking forward to—those few dimples that peek out the side of my swimsuit. Yep, I too have a bit of cellulite and will be spending the next week or so trying to reduce the appearance of cellulite on my tushie.

The first thing I’ll do is really clean up my diet. No sugar, dairy, and wheat for me! Plus, I’ll add in lots of complex carbs and lean proteins, such as brown rice, flaxseed, free-range eggs, and wild-caught fish. Eating this type of diet can help to reduce cellulite.

I’ll also up my water intake and reduce anything that makes me retain water, such as salt and caffeine. This will help me flush the toxins and fats out of my system, and more importantly, flush out the fat stores that contribute to cellulite.

And my cardio exercise will get a kick in the pants as well. This means increasing my daily walk to a daily run of at least 45 minutes. I’ve found that the more cardio I do, the easier it is to reduce cellulite in my problem areas.

Lastly, I’ll do a few coffee-ground massages to help remove toxins and improve circulation in the affected area, thereby reducing the appearance of cellulite. While ingesting caffeine can contribute to the appearance of cellulite, rubbing coffee grounds on cellulite helps to tighten your skin and tissues by constricting your superficial blood vessels.

There are several good products on the market that help to reduce the appearance of cellulite , but I prefer to make my own. Below is one of my personal favorite natural skin care recipes for cellulite-free skin. And it smells amazing!

Reduce Cellulite With a Luscious Latte Lather

1/3 cup raw brown sugar

1-1/2 tablespoon fresh coffee grounds

1-1/2 tablespoon ground almonds

2 teaspoon peppermint oil

4 teaspoon flaxseed oil

1 teaspoon squalane

9 drops peppermint oil

1/4 teaspoon cocoa powder

1. Mix all ingredients in an air-tight container (preferably plastic).
2. Use in the shower, rubbing all over your body in a circular motion. (You can use as much or as little as you want.)
3. Store remaining mixture in the refrigerator until your next cellulite-blasting massages!
    

Now that you have an idea of how to eat in the morning, let’s look at three of my favorite lunches for a false fat diet. Not only are these recipes free of inflammatory foods, but they also include anti-inflammatory ingredients that help to further reduce false fat.

Spinach Salad
Serves 4

2 cups fresh spinach, torn
1 pint fresh raspberries
½ cup walnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons walnut oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 ounces dark chocolate, shaved

In a salad bowl, combine spinach, raspberries, and walnuts. Add walnut oil and vinegar and toss. Top with dark chocolate and serve. (Serving size ½ cup spinach, ¼ pint raspberries, 1/8 cup walnuts, 1 tablespoon oil, and ½ ounce chocolate.)

Nutritional Info (per serving): Calories 257, Total fat 20 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 13 mg, Carbs 19 g, Fiber 6 g, Protein 5 g

Momma Sue's Chicken Soup
Serves 6

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 medium celery stalks, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
8 cups free-range chicken broth
¼ cup fresh parsley
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 cup green beans, cut
½ cup baby spinach
2 medium zucchini, sliced
¾ pound free-range chicken , cooked and cubed

 Sauté onion, carrots, celery, and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add chicken broth, parsley, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15-20 minutes. Add green beans, spinach, zucchini, and chicken. Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes. Remove bay leaf and serve.

Nutritional Info (per serving): Calories 213, Total fat 9 g, Cholesterol 37mg, Sodium 749 mg, Carbs 11 g, Fiber 3 g, Protein 24 g

Turkey Chili
Serves 4    

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups onion, chopped
1 cup red pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon marjoram
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cinnamon stick
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 cans low sodium tomatoes, chopped and undrained

Sauté onion, pepper, and garlic in olive oil. Add ground turkey and cook until brown. Add cinnamon, paprika, chili powder, cumin, allspice, marjoram, nutmeg, and cinnamon stick and cook 2-3 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and tomatoes and simmer 45 minutes. Serve warm.

Nutritional Info (per serving): Calories 275, Total fat 14 g, Cholesterol 90 mg, Sodium 360 mg, Carbs 18 g, Fiber 6 g, Protein 22 g

As I indicated in my earlier blog on false fat, foods that “injure” your digestive system can cause your digestive organs to swell and bloat, giving the appearance of “fat” in your abdominal area. To prevent this unwanted false fat, you will need to limit—or better yet eliminate—the most common culprits of false fat: wheat, dairy products, and sugar.

Now I know your immediate reaction is WHAT???? Are you kidding me? That was mine to. Let’s face it, the vast majority of foods contain at least one of these ingredients. But that’s all they are…ingredients. I’m not saying to give up bread or milk…just wheat-based bread and cow’s milk. But more on that later. Let’s first discuss why these four food groups are so bad for your health and your waistline.

Wheat Products

Wheat contains gluten, a protein that is difficult for your body to break down, absorb, and assimilate. Wheat intolerance can cause bloating, intestinal gas, and bowel changes, as well as fatigue, depression, post-nasal drip, nasal congestion, frequent colds, and even middle ear infections.

Great wheat-free substitutions include Glutino’s Flaxseed bread, Bionaturae’s pastas, Mary’s Gone Crackers crackers, and snack bars from Larabar (peanut butter is my favorite!!!) and Zoe’s (again, I have to go with the peanut butter).

Dairy Products

Dairy products are the main dietary sources of arachidonic acid, the fat your body uses to make inflammatory series-2 prostaglandin hormones. Dairy allergies or intolerance can manifest as bloating, intestinal gas, and bowel changes, as well as fatigue, depression, nasal congestion, and frequent colds. Dr. Lark has found that people can also have a delayed reaction to dairy, which shows up as anxiety, irritability, depression or mood swings, insomnia, fatigue, dizziness, confusion and disorientation, headaches, joint pain, and worsened PMS symptoms. Plus, even if you are not allergic to dairy products, the artificial hormones and pesticides used in livestock feed make cow’s milk an unhealthy choice.

Great dairy-free options include almond or rice milk, goat’s cheese (on occasion) and coconut milk-based yogurts. You can also choose sorbets or rice-based ice creams for a yummy treat.

Sugar

In addition to being highly inflammatory, sugar is also highly addictive and puts incredible stress on your adrenal glands. Plus, sugar depletes your body of important nutrients, including calcium, magnesium, and potassium. This leaching actually leads to cravings and binges as your body desperately seeks to replenish the nutrients that have been taken away.

In fact, sugar has been found to have opioid or narcotic properties—meaning they act like endorphins in your body. However, this fulfillment is short-lived. Just as with real drugs, sugar withdrawal causes physiological symptoms, including shaking, anxiety, low energy, and extreme cravings.

To this point, a study published in the June 2002 issue of Obesity Research found that withdrawal from repeated, excessive sugar intake created symptoms that were similar to those of withdrawal from morphine and nicotine.

Making the Change

I know that eliminating these food groups/ingredients can seem imitating, but it is not nearly as difficult as it appears at first glance. The best thing to do is to wean them in. Pick one (wheat for example) and make the substitutions for a week. Then add another (maybe dairy) the second week. By week three you can add the final one. Next thing you know, an entire month will go by and you’ll be off all three.

You can also approach it like a true foodie and explorer rolled into one. Look for gluten-, dairy-, and sugar-free options at your local grocery and health food stores. Check out Web sites and magazines that focus on allergen-free foods. You can also visit my Web site for great alternatives and recipes.

As the temperature starts to rise, I am often inundated with requests for my ice cream and sorbet recipes. And this year is no different.

One of my favorite recipes is a blueberry-pomegranate sorbet that is not only packed with amazing antioxidants, but also helps cool hot flashes, tames night sweats, and eases other menopause symptoms. Enjoy!

Blueberry Pomegranate Sorbet

Serves 6 

¾ cup xylitol

½ cup filtered water

2 cups pure pomegranate juice

1 cup fresh, puréed blueberries

Extra blueberries and mint leaves (optional)

1. Combine xylitol and water in saucepan and stir over medium heat until xylitol dissolves.
2. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.
3. Cool completely.
4. Whisk in pomegranate juice and puréed blueberries.
5. Place in ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, place in freezer-safe container, and freeze.
6. Serve with extra blueberries and mint leaves.
   

Nutritional Info (per serving): Calories 196, Total fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 18 mg, Carbs 67 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 1 g

Yesterday on Oprah, Robin McGraw (Dr. Phil’s wife) and Dr. Christiane Northrup discussed menopause and the effect it had on a woman’s life. In the course of the conversation, they talked about the pluses and minuses of bioidentical hormone therapy.

I was not able to watch the show, but I pulled video and some text off Oprah’s Web site to see if I could get the gist of the story. Two particular conversations were especially poignant to me. The first was Robin McGraw’s statement that her mother never discussed her experiences with menopause with her.

It is amazing to me that, as women, we can discuss everything from our favorite books and recipes to the best hair salon or ob/gyn. But when it comes to really discussing how we feel, both physically and emotionally, we tend to hold back. Why is that? What’s wrong with saying that you have unbearable hot flashes, bed-soaking night sweats, or excruciating menstrual cramps? Even more difficult is admitting that we are sad, disappointed, irritable, or, God forbid, angry.

What are we afraid of? That someone will judge us as less than? Ladies, we need to be gentler with ourselves and our gender in general. These are tough times we are all living through and no one has the magic answer in how to cope with them. The best we can do is to be compassionate, share our feelings and experiences, and be there for each other.

The second thing that struck me was when Robin discussed changes in her overall attitude, sharing that she was normally a happy person and always smiling and that she felt as if she was losing that. Wow did that hit home personally!

It seems like, lately, I have been completely out of sorts. It wasn’t until I read Robin’s quote that it occurred to me that I might need to adjust my hormone protocol. I had a really solid program that has been incredibly beneficial for me for the past five to six years. But in the last six months, I have undergone IVF treatments (two). Of course it makes sense that my hormones may have been affected for longer than simply the weeks I was taking the hormone medications.

As Dr. Northrup indicated on the show, an imbalance in any other the key sex hormones (estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone) can lead to a whole host of physical and emotional side effects. For me, irritability was the one that was the most notable (to others beside myself, I’m sure!). And, sure enough, too little progesterone can lead to irritability.

You’d think I’d know better! After all, in Hormone Revolution, Dr. Lark and I talk at length about the signs and symptoms of hormone imbalance. Looks like a classic case of the shoemaker’s kids going without shoes!

And while both Dr. Lark and Dr. Northrup are big advocates of bioidentical hormone therapy (and for good reason!), I think I’ll just readjust a few of my supplements and try a progesterone cream for now. Hopefully my hormones—and my mood—will come back into balance soon.

As I wrote in my blog back in early November, there are several spices that are particularly beneficial for women in early menopause or premenopause. These spices—namely ginger and cinnamon—can help to ease perimenopause symptoms. Not to mention, they taste fabulous!

The best way I know to stay in delicious hormonal balance is to incorporate these spices into your life. And what could be a tastier way to enjoy these spices than gingerbread!

Nothing says "Happy Holidays" to me quite like the smell of gingerbread baking. So, my gift to you this season, is a healthy version of my mother’s amazing gingerbread.

You can find this recipe and others like it (including several for women suffering from menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats) in Hormone Revolution.

Gingerbread
Serves 9

½ cup canola oil
½ cup erythritol
1 egg
½ cup light molasses
1 ½ cups Pamela’s wheat-free baking mix
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup boiling water

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Cream oil and erythritol for 30-45 seconds.
3. Add egg and molasses and beat thoroughly.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together baking mix, salt, baking soda, ginger, and cinnamon.
5. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture, alternating with boil water, until well blended.
6. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 8x8 pan and bake for 40 minutes, or until toothpick, comes out clean.
7. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Time and again, Dr. Lark has recommended that women of all hormone types limit, if not avoid, wheat and wheat-based products. I personally subscribed to this advice several years ago and I can tell you first-hand that I believe it has played a large role in balancing my hormones.

Wheat is one of the two most common food allergens, and the gluten found in wheat can trigger a very serious condition known as celiac disease. Those afflicted with the disorder are plagued by diarrhea, gas, vomiting, and anemia, and are at higher risk for more serious conditions, including osteoporosis and gastrointestinal cancer.

Clearly celiac is the very extreme of wheat-related issues, but if you are concerned about your hormonal health, you would be wise to steer clear of wheat. Women suffering from menopause symptoms are often at risk for wheat-related mood shifts, due in part to their growing inability to produce enough enzymes that are needed to digest wheat properly and easily.

And for those of you who are in estrogen dominance or are experiencing early menopause or premenopause, wheat should also been taken off your list. Wheat can worsen PMS symptoms and aggravate all perimenopause symptoms, including heavy menstrual bleeding and irregular menstrual cycles. Plus, studies have shown that an astounding 80 to 93 percent of women suffering from migraines also suffer from food allergies that trigger their headaches, and wheat is one of the most common allergens that affects migraineurs.

What to Eat

Believe me, I know the idea of giving up wheat can be daunting, but remember, it is an ingredient, not an entire food group. That means you can still have bread, pasta, pizza, pancakes, crackers, cookies, etc.—you just need to know what kind to buy. Thankfully, you have this blog to guide you!

For bread, I highly recommend Glutino’s Flaxseed bread. In fact, it’s the only pre-sliced bread I recommend. It is amazing toasted or dipped in an egg and cinnamon mixture and grilled. Top with sautéed apples and you are in for a treat!

For an easy, amazing flour and pancake mix, Pamela’s Products is the way to go. They also have bread, brownie, and cake mixes that you can’t beat. I’ve even swayed my family onto these mixes and they don’t even try to eat wheat-free…the mixes are just that good!

For pizza, you can buy Amy’s rice crust frozen pizza or pick up a bag of Namaste Foods’ pizza crust mix. It is easy and delicious!

For pasta, you can’t go wrong with Bionaturae pastas. My husband ate these pastas for nearly six months before he knew they were wheat-free.

For cookies, there are a large number of wheat-free brands. My personal favorites are Pamela’s Oatmeal Raisin, Paul Newman’s wheat-free, dairy-free Fig Newmans (yes, I spelled that right!), and Jennie’s Chocolate Macaroons.

Most of the brands I’ve mentioned are available at Whole Foods Markets. To locate a store near you, log on to www.wholefoods.com. If there isn’t one in your area, you can still purchase products from the store by visiting www.gaiam.com, clicking on “shop,” then on “health,” and finally on “Whole Foods Market.” You can also visit my Web site at www.decadenthealth.com for a list of wheat-free substitutions and recipes.

And to give you a little taste of how easy and delicious wheat-free can be, here’s a great granola recipe from my grandmother that I’ve tweaked over the years. Enjoy!

Grandma Ginny's Granola

4 cups oatmeal

2 cups soy flour

1 cup almonds, sliced

1 cup sunflower seeds, raw

1 cup coconut, unsweetened

1 cup flaxseed, ground

1/2 cup dried mango

2/3 cup olive oil

2/3 cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease 13x9-inch baking dish.
3. Combine oats, flour, almonds, sunflower seed, coconut, flaxseed, and mango in a large bowl. Set aside.
4. Combine oil, honey, and vanilla in a small bowl. Pour over oat mixture and blend well.
5. Pour mixture into baking dish and bake for 40–45 minutes or until browned. Stir mixture every 10–15 minutes.           
6. Cool on baking rack. Can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.