Nutrition for Women

If you have not heard, read, or absorbed the great research regarding nuts, then listen up. Nuts, often wrongly shunned by the fat-phobic, are a true dieter’s friend. And the BFF of the nut world is the almond.

The oil in almonds contains phenylethylamine, a naturally occurring, feel-good brain chemical that works as a natural metabolism booster. Phenylethylamine revs up your metabolism and is thought to play a role in improving your mood and energy, both of which are important in controlling your eating.

Plus, nuts provide good, healthy fats that help you gain appetite control and reestablish healthy leptin levels. When going nuts, choose raw options and remember that quantity is key. Stick to a handful rather than a bag-ful.

One thing you’ll find me sipping all summer long is green tea. If you are looking to lose weight and kick up your metabolism, then be sure to include green tea in your natural weight loss plan.

Green tea contains polyphenols, nutrients block the enzyme that breaks down norepinephrine, a brain chemical that regulates your metabolism. The higher your levels of norepinephrine, the faster your metabolism, which in turn allows you to burn calories even more efficiently.

In fact, researchers have found that green tea extract providing 375 mg of catechins (270 mg as EGCG) and 150 mg of caffeine each day—roughly amounts found in three strong, brewed cups of tea—burned an additional 500 calories per week, with no changes in diet or physical activity. That equates to about eight pounds a year!

For the summer, I personally like Mighty Leaf tea’s Green Tea Tropical, Gypsy Tea’s Mojito Mint, or Ito En’s Teas Tea Green White bottled tea (also available at Target). In a pinch, I’ll grab an unsweetened iced green tea from Starbucks.

With Memorial Day weekend almost over and summer virtually upon us, it is safe to say that most women are looking for ways to tone up, slim down, and gain better appetite control.

When faced with this kind of awe-inspiring dilemma, I turn to one thing: food. Yep, food. Eating the right foods in the right amounts can help you gain control over, well, overeating. This week, I’ll give you my three-step plan for natural weightloss so you can start the summer off right.

Natural Weightloss Step #1: Fiber

I know…shocking! The reality is nothing even touches fiber for natural appetite control. Fiber provides a sense of satiety or fullness in your stomach. It also produces bulkier stools with a higher water content, thereby helping to eliminate excessive fluid (and fat and calories) from the body. Plus, fiber helps to lower your risk for estrogen dominance by binding to estrogen in your intestines and removing it through elimination.

The trick is to get the right amount of fiber from the right sources. My first choice is ground flaxseed. I add two to three tablespoons to my morning smoothie or sprinkle over oatmeal or a salad. Next, you can get great fiber from vegetables, namely spinach, celery, or broccoli…just to name a few. My last choice would be grains (brown rice in particular), as they are starchy and high in carbohydrates.

No matter how carefully you plan your menus and follow your exercise routine, none of it will matter if you don’t hold yourself accountable.

To help you make the transition from your current way of eating to one that supports your natural weight loss plan, you MUST hold yourself accountable to leaving your former eating habits behind so you can fully incorporate your new natural weightloss efforts.

Identify Your Problem Foods

First and foremost, you need to identify those foods in your current diet and decide which ones can stay (fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, nuts and seeds, etc.), and which ones need to go.

The most common problem foods include:

• Wheat and gluten products (pasta, bread, couscous, bagels, etc.);
• Dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese, ice cream, etc.);
• Sugar (candy, baked goods, frozen treats, sweeteners, etc.);
• Caffeine (chocolate, coffee, sodas, black tea, etc.); and
• Alcohol.

Keep a Food Journal

You’ve heard it a million times before, but the reality is keeping a food journal really is a huge part of being successful in any natural weight loss plan.

There are several things to note in your food journal. The first (and most obvious) is to log what you eat and what time. The key is be honest. Did you have fries? Slurp down a milkshake? Don’t leave it out. Owning up to your slips is a critical part of the process.

Next, indicate WHY you ate it.

• Is it just a habit?
• Do you eat certain foods because they're part of your childhood?
• Are you eating it because it requires little thought or effort, such as pizza and hamburgers?
• Do you eat the same foods day after day because it's simple and easy?
• Do you use the food or beverage to boost energy?

Also, start to identify those foods you may be addicted to. Sugar, caffeine, and alcohol are the most commonly accepted addictive foods, but dairy and wheat-products can be just as addictive.

Also mark your state of mind when you are eating. Are you an emotional eater, using food to comfort or dull some emotion, such as eating chocolate or potato chips when you feel needy, fearful, upset, or angry?

Make a brief note next to each food on your list about why you think you eat it. As you keep track of your food intake in this way, you can begin to identify patterns, bad habits, and emotional triggers. Then you can take start to take responsibility for your food choices, make better choices, and enjoy continued success on your natural weightloss journey.

You can achieve healthy, natural weightloss AND eat out at the same time.

Dining out can often be a HUGE pitfall when you are watching your weight. Luckily, I have pored through the most common ethic food categories and put together a list of dishes to help you make intelligent menu selections, particularly if you are following a natural weight loss plan.

In general, you will want to order salads, non-dairy soups, vegetable or bean appetizers and side dishes, and vegetarian or fish entrées. I’ve found that most restaurants are willing to make up vegetarian entrées and platters at your request, even if they are not on the menu.

• American cuisine: salad or salad bars, bean or vegetable soups, baked potatoes, rice, vegetable side dishes or platters, fish or shellfish entrées.
• Italian cuisine: escarole soup, bean or minestrone soup, white bean salad, Caesar salad, risotto, polenta (cornmeal) with a mushroom sauce, grilled eggplant entrée, fish or shellfish entrées.
• French cuisine: vegetable or seafood salads, nondairy soups, vegetable side dishes, stewed beans, fish or shellfish entrées.
• Indian cuisine: lentils, rice pilafs, cucumber salad, curried vegetable or shellfish dishes.
• Chinese cuisine: stir-fried vegetables, sizzling rice soup, tofu or bean curd dishes, steamed rice, shrimp and mixed vegetable entrées.
• Japanese cuisine: Japanese salads, miso soup, sticky rice, sushi, side dishes and soups made with vegetables and tofu.
• Mexican cuisine: mixed vegetable salads, tostada salad, bean and rice side dishes, bean or shrimp burritos, chicken or shrimp fajitas, bean or seafood tacos (skip the cheese and sour cream).

When watching your weight, it helps to prepare with a grocery list of natural weightloss staples.

The best way to ensure you can adhere to any natural weight loss plan is to make sure you always have a few staples on hand. It will help you ward off binges and help with appetite control.

•    A variety of dried herbs
•    A salt-free herb blend such as Spike or Mrs. Dash
•    Brown rice
•    Raw almonds
•    Raw walnuts
•    Soy or almond milk
•    Almond butter
•    Herbal or green tea
•    Mineral water
•    Liquid stevia (flavored if you like)
•    Pure maple syrup
•    Honey
•    Xylitol and/or erythritol
•    Olive oil
•    Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
•    Bagged organic lettuce
•    Fresh fruits and vegetables (that fit your hormonal profile)
•    Soy or goat yogurt
•    Flaxseed

I’ve also found that the easiest way to make sure you have these staples on hand, as well as any other items you may need, is to organize your shopping trips. Before you head to the grocery store, plan out your meals for the next week, check your supply of the essentials I mentioned above, and make a list of needed ingredients to be sure you pick up everything you need.

People with wheat allergies or intolerances are often deficient in certain nutrients. Supplemental B vitamins and probiotics can help.

Research shows that patients with longstanding celiac disease, whose absorption of nutrients has been impaired by the disease, have significant and faster improvement in their overall health with B-vitamin supplementation.

To augment your wheat-free efforts, Dr. Lark recommends taking the following every day:

• Folic acid (800 mcg),
• Vitamin B12 (500 mcg), and
• Vitamin B6 (3 mg).

Studies also show that gluten-related problems are associated with reduced levels of good bacteria (probiotics) in both the colon and the upper small intestine. To protect against this, Dr. Lark recommends taking supplemental probiotics that include beneficial Bifidobacterium.

Going wheat-free doesn’t have to mean losing out on the occasional treat. Try these great wheat-free, but flavor-packed desserts.

Oatmeal Cookies
Makes two dozen

Oatmeal cookies were my dad’s absolute favorite. Every time I make these, I can feel him with me, enjoying the moment.

½ cup canola oil
¼ cup erythritol
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup Pamela’s baking mix
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup dried blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Mix oil and erythritol together in a large bowl.
3. Add egg, vanilla, and salt. Blend well.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together salt, baking mix, baking soda, oats, and dried blueberries. Mix well with a whisk.
5. Add to oil and egg mixture and mix well. (Add a few tablespoons of water if you want to thin out the dough.)
6. With a tablespoon, scoop out dough and place onto a greased cookie sheet.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until slightly brown.

Gingerbread
Serves 9    

The smell of gingerbread evokes so many amazing memories for me. The aroma alone sings of warmth, comfort, and home.

½ cup butter
½ cup erythritol
1 egg
½ cup light molasses
1 ½ cups Pamela's baking mix
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup boiling water

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cream butter 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 boiling 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. Delicious warm or at room temperature.

It seems like every great breakfast involves wheat. These two recipes lose the wheat but keep the decadent deliciousness!

Grandma Ginny's Granola
Serves 20

This is my grandmother’s amazing granola recipe, but with a few health tweaks of my own.

4 cups oatmeal
2 cups soy flour
1 cup almonds, sliced
1 cup sunflower seeds, raw
1 cup coconut, unsweetened
1 cup flax seed, ground
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, and flaxseed 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 air-tight container.

Nutritional Info (per serving): Calories 339, Total fat 21 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 7 mg, Carbs 29 g, Fiber 7 g, Protein 10 g

Huevos Rancheros
Serves 4    

This is, hands-down, my husband’s favorite breakfast. I was thrilled to create a wheat-free version he loves!

4 6-inch corn tortillas
½ teaspoon cumin
16 ounces black beans, rinsed and drained
1 chipotle chile canned in adobo, diced
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 eggs
½ cup salsa
1 avocado, sliced

1. Preheat oven to 200°F (to warm).
2. Put tortillas on a baking sheet, cover with foil, and place in oven to warm.
3. In a small saucepan, mix cumin, beans, and chile for 5-7 minutes.
4. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil, then fry the eggs.
5. Place tortillas on individual plates. Top with equal amounts of bean mixture, one egg, 1/8 cup of salsa, and 1/4 avocado slices.
6. Enjoy warm.

Nutritional Info (per serving): Calories 318, Total fat 15 g, Cholesterol 187 mg, Sodium 613 mg, Carbs 33 g, Fiber 9 g, Protein 15 g

One of the biggest problems facing people going wheat-free is knowing what products to buy.

Let's face it. Some wheat- and gluten-free products flat out stink. They are either gummy, gritty, or have no flavor. Fortunately, I have been primarily wheat-free for going on five years. And, let me tell you, I’ve done the research, tasted the products, and come up with my Best of the Best list. Here you go!

Wheat-Free Breads and Baking Alternatives

• Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix
• Pamela’s Chocolate Cake Mix (for very special occasions)
• Pamela’s Gluten-Free Bread Mix
• Glutino’s Flaxseed bread (in freezer section)
• Glutino’s Plain or Sesame bagels

Wheat-Free Pizza and Pasta

• Namaste Foods Pizza Crust Mix
• Bionaturae pastas

Wheat-Free Breakfasts

• Barbara’s Cinnamon Puffins cold cereal
• Lifestream Buckwheat or Flax Plus waffles
• Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix

Wheat-Free Snacks

• Larabars (snack bar)
• BioGenesis Ultra-Lean Gluco-Support bars
• Paul Newman’s Wheat-Free/Dairy-Free Fig Newmans
• Mr. Krispers Baked Rice Krisps

Most of these products can be found at Whole Foods or a good organic market. Amazon.com also sells many of them.

Next time, I’ll give you a few of my favorite wheat-free recipes. If you want some inspiration between now and then, pick up a copy of Living Without. More than a magazine, Living Without is a “lifestyle guide for people with allergies and food sensitivities.” In addition to great recipes and food substitutions, it offers great articles on health and well-being.

Going wheat-free takes three to four weeks. First, choose your "must-haves" and your "do withouts," then explore the grocery store shelves for products that rock!

If you’ve taken me up on my challenge, great! If not, why not? If you are like many of the people I’ve counseled, you are likely overwhelmed with the idea of eliminating wheat. I’ll tell you what I tell them. Wheat is an ingredient…not an entire food group.

You can still have pasta, bread, pancakes, etc. You simply have to be smart, read labels, and get the inside scoop on the best products. Luckily, you read this blog, so the inside scoop is a given.

Three Steps to Wheat-Free

The first thing to do is “step down” rather than going cold turkey. What I mean by that is to decide what you eat that has wheat, then find a great substitution for it. Is bread your thing? Maybe its pasta or crackers? Perhaps it’s the Sunday morning pancakes with the family. Whatever it is, name it and write it down.

Next, decide what else has wheat that you can (or SHOULD) do without. I would suggest that baked goods and pastries go in this category. They are completely unnecessary from a nutrition standpoint and the sugar…well, you can do without it.

Finally, I would encourage you to whittle your “must-have” list back even more. After all, even wheat- and gluten-free products are still carbs. And, as we enter the summer, more and more women are looking for natural weightloss advice. So here it is…less starches, wheat or not.

The entire process should take about a month. Spend the first three weeks choosing yoru must-haves and eliminating the “do withouts.” Once your body has adjusted to no wheat and gluten, you can start to pare back your “must haves” to one or two.

Next time, I’ll give you the best of the best wheat-free products on the market and tell you how to get your hands (and mouths!) on them.

It never ceases to amaze me how much wheat affects your health. Whether you are talking about something as serious as celiac disease or slighter conditions like bloating and gas, digestive upset, imbalance in female hormones, or even migraines, wheat and gluten are often at the root cause of many health disturbances.

In honor of National Celiac Disease Awareness Month, I am challenging you to go without wheat and gluten for the rest of May. Why you ask? Good question!

It is common knowledge that wheat is one of the two most common food allergens, but recent research is finding that wheat intolerance is not only on the rise, it is becoming more serious. According to a study from the Archives of Internal Medicine, more than 1.5 million Americans have celiac disease, a digestive condition that is triggered by gluten—a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley.

Contrary to previous belief, you don’t have to have a family history of the disease to be at risk. While the disease was more prevalent in those who had a relative with the disease (one in 22 people), they also found that one out of 133 people with no hereditary claim to the disease was also affected. 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.

While celiac disease can represent the extreme end of a gluten disorder, even those women with a mild to moderate case of wheat or gluten intolerance can be putting their health at risk. Consider this:

• Wheat Contributes to False Fat. When you think of inflammation, you most likely think of swelling around a knee or bruise. The fact is, no matter where an injury occurs, the physical manifestations are the same—pain, stiffness, and swelling. When injury occurs in the intestinal tract, the abdomen and midriff can swell, which in turn can cause puffiness of the upper body, face, and extremities. This is what Dr. Lark refers to as “false fat.”
• Wheat Injures Your Liver. When liver function is impaired and cannot fully detoxify certain compounds of your diet, toxic byproducts will accumulate in your body. When the liver stores too much glucose, it must work harder to produce bile and essential digestive enzymes. Over time, this maltreatment takes its toll on the liver, resulting in damage to the liver cells, which in turns manifests as inflammation.
• Wheat Worsens Chronic Fatigue. Women with chronic fatigue have difficulty digesting wheat, which is highly allergenic and difficult for the body to process. Because allergens stress your adrenals, you end up increasing your susceptibility to stress of all types, which can lead to fatigue and low energy.
• Wheat Worsens Mood Disorders. Mood-related menopause symptoms are worsened by wheat, especially in nutritionally sensitive women. Menopausal women seem to be more 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.
• Wheat and Migraines. Studies indicate 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. This means that removing wheat from your diet may possibly be the single most important steps you can take to eradicate migraines once and for all.

While I have changed my diet and added near-daily exercise to my estrogen dominance treatment plan, certain supplements have really helped to tip the scales (pun intended!) in my favor.

While Dr. Lark suggests a range of great supplements to offset elevated estrogen levels, three in particular have been life savers for me:

• Maca: This Peruvian herb helps regulate and normalize female hormones. I take about 4 grams, but you may need to take as little as 2 grams or as much as 10 grams, depending on your particular hormone profile.
• Flaxseed: Flaxseed contains high levels of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, which are necessary to support healthy ovulation. I use 4–6 tablespoons of ground flaxseed every day, either in my morning shake or in my coconut yogurt.
• B vitamins: Vitamin B complex supports your liver’s ability to metabolize estrogen levels. I take at least 50 mg of vitamin B complex every day.

As I’ve written several times in this blog, I have polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS. This condition is exactly as it sounds: I have multiple cysts on my ovaries. In past newsletter issues, Dr. Lark has explained that most ovarian cysts are a result of a follicle malfunction within the ovaries.

You see, during normal ovulation, a follicle grows to a certain size and then ruptures, releasing the egg. In the case of an ovarian cyst, the follicle continues to grow, rather than releasing the egg and dissolving, as it’s supposed to. The result is the cyst either inside or outside of the ovary.

Because the follicle continues to grow rather than releasing the egg, ovulation (the release of the egg), never occurs. As a result is a lack of progesterone (which is produced during ovulation) to offset the estrogen. As a result, you have increased estrogen levels, or estrogen dominance.

Once I understood how my ovaries became polycystic, Dr. Lark explained why they many have become that way and what I could do to overcome it.

She told me that excess weight is one of the main reasons many women’s female hormones are out of balance—causing greater incidence of ovarian cysts. Body fat is a well-known producer of estrogen, so a woman with excess body fat is already hormonally skewed towards excess estrogen levels. This sets a woman up for estrogen/progesterone imbalance—and ovarian cysts.

Fortunately, a largely vegetarian diet that’s high in fiber and low in fat can get you on the road to a healthier body. Along with a wide variety of organic fruits and vegetables, Dr. Lark suggested that I eat at least one four-ounce serving of cold-water fish each week for protein and essential fatty acids. She also advised me to avoid red and processed meats—such as beef, bacon, hot dogs, and cold cuts—which can create metabolic upset, making it harder to lose weight.

Next, she said I should increase my intake of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, including cold-pressed olive oil, flax oil, raw seeds and nuts, and fish oil. She also had me add more whole grains to my diet, especially brown rice and quinoa, which have abundant levels of vitamins B and E to help regulate hormone balance.

Lastly, exercise became key. Dr. Lark told me to exercise at least 30 minutes a day, 5–7 days a week. Exercise raises your whole-body metabolism, melts off fat, and improves circulation for a more normal hormonal profile.

After following her dietary and exercise suggestions, not only did my estrogen levels come into balance, but I began to ovulate regularly. As a result, I gained control over my estrogen dominance and my PCOS.

I was stunned to see the May 3rd issue of Time magazine. Their cover story was the 50th anniversary of the birth control pill. The subtitle read “So small, so powerful, and so misunderstood.” The misunderstood really grabbed my attention, as I expected to read a great discussion on the medical implications of taking “the pill.”

Instead, the article covered the social and feminist changes the pill brought about. As fascinating as this perspective was, I was shocked that they barely touched on the medical issues surrounding this form of birth control. In fact, the only real reference to the medical side of the pill was to a March 2010 study from the British Medical Journal, which found that “women on the Pill live longer and are less likely to die prematurely of all causes, including cancer and heart disease.” It goes on to read “yet many women still question whether the health risks outweigh the benefits.” However, the article never discusses those risks.

I found this particularly surprising, given that one of the March 2010 issues of the same publication discussed the study in detail, which explained that the study was on women who at taken the Pill “at some point in their lives.” Interestingly, the March Time article goes on to read “Women who take birth control pills do need to consider potential risks, including an increased risk for blood clots, and should discuss their medical histories with their doctors prior to taking the pill.”

Additionally, the author included advice from gynecologist and obstetrician Dr. Katharine O'Connell White, who told the magazine in an earlier article that “women who have high blood pressure, migraines with aura, are smokers over age 35 and women with a personal or family history of blood clots should not take the pill.” Where was all this discussion in the May article that was supposed to be discussion the “misunderstanding” of the Pill?

Clearly, the author of the May 3rd article was a proponent of the Pill and wanted to discuss the social impact it has had. I get that. However, I find it irresponsible to refer to the March study and not discuss the risks of taking the Pill.

What the author failed to discuss is the increased risk of breast, cervical, and uterine cancers from the Pill. Or the danger of developing blood clots or increasing your risk of heart attack. I personally cannot take the Pill because of a blood clotting disorder I have, and the increased estrogen levels the Pill provides worsens the condition. Plus, as Dr. Lark has written, the Pill can actually impair reproductive health—particularly in younger women with a poorly established menstrual cycle who use it as a PMS treatment.

Additionally, there is currently not a bioidentical birth control pill, which means that all oral contraception is comprised of synthetic hormones rather than your own natural female hormones. And, as we now know from traditional hormone replacement therapy, synthetic hormones are bad medicine for women.

So, while I appreciate the “freedom” and control the Pill has given to women, for me, the real freedom and control will come when we cease to use women as guinea pigs and start offering safe, natural solutions that women can trust.

If you have estrogen dominance and tend to eat a diet high in saturated fats, such as butter and dairy products (especially cheese and ice cream), you are likely stimulating the growth of unhealthy, anaerobic bacteria in your intestinal tract. These bacteria chemically change the breakdown products of estrogen into forms that can be reabsorbed back into the body, thereby elevating your own estrogen levels.

You see, when these unhealthy, “bad” bacteria take over your intestinal tract, they negatively impact the metabolism of estrogen, causing less estrogen to be detoxed from your body and allow more “free” estrogen to be reabsorbed back into the circulation, thereby increasing free estrogen levels within the blood. This is bad.

To suppress the growth of these unhealthy bacteria, you should not only reduce your intake of saturated fat (which can lead to the problem in the first place), you also need to increase your intake of probiotic-rich, fermented foods, which recolonize your intestinal tract with healthy bacteria. These include yogurt (preferably coconut-based), kim chee, pickles, and sauerkraut, as well as taking probiotic supplements like lactobacillus and acidophilus.

Women with estrogen dominance need to eat a more acidic diet that can help to bring their estrogen levels back into balance. The best foods for job include:

• High fiber foods such as buckwheat and flaxseed
• Citrus fruits (oranges, limes, lemons, grapefruit), berries, pineapple
• All vegetables, especially sauerkraut, spinach, cucumber, tomatoes, asparagus, and broccoli
• Free-range poultry and wild fish
• Vinegar
• Hot, spicy foods
• Nuts like almonds and walnuts

What I’ve learned from Dr. Lark and through additional research and personal experience is that if you are overweight, you are very likely eating the wrong foods for your hormonal and body type. Instead, you need to eat the right foods, in the right ratios and proportions, for your hormonal type if you want to lose weight and keep it off.

I learned this first-hand when I tried to go vegetarian several years ago. I swear I was the only person who managed to GAIN weight as a vegetarian. Plus, I was weak, sluggish, and had brain fog. Turns out, when women with estrogen dominance try to adopt a low-fat, low-protein, and high-complex carbohydrate diet with a more vegetarian emphasis (such as those advocated by Dean Ornish, MD, or the Pritikin Institute), this feeling of “blah” is quite common. Eating this type of diet will cause those of us with estrogen dominance to lose our natural robust energy and stamina.

Instead, I learned that a better diet for women with estrogen dominance includes fish and range-fed poultry, as well as some game meat like venison (which is low in saturated fat) as the chief sources of protein. You can also include virtually any fruit and vegetable, and be sure to use various types of fiber to help reduce estrogen levels and cholesterol from your body.

Like vitamins C and E, there are also certain minerals that have been shown to be especially useful in regulating estrogen levels. These include magnesium and calcium.

Magnesium has been shown to significantly mitigate PMS symptoms, including mood changes, pain, inflammation, and breast cysts. Calcium is also quite successful at alleviating PMS-related symptoms.

If suffer from estrogen dominance or symptoms of excess estrogen, such as PMS or mood swings, Dr. Lark recommends taking 600–750 mg of magnesium with 50–100 of vitamin B6, as well as 1,200–1,500 mg of calcium carbonate each day.

If my estrogen levels feel like they are in need of additional tweaking (think cramps and moodiness), I will add a couple of key vitamins to my estrogen dominance routine. Research has shown that vitamins C and E work to regulate the effects of estrogen on menstrual bleeding and PMS symptoms, as well as promoting healthier menstrual function.

To help lower estrogen levels in your body, Dr. Lark suggests taking 1,000–4,000 mg of mineral-buffered vitamin C per day, in divided doses to prevent diarrhea. As for vitamin E, aim for 400–1,000 IU a day, in an oil-based capsule. If you cannot tolerate oil-based products, there is a dry form of vitamin E available. Dr. Lark suggests starting with the lower dose and increasing by 400 IU every two weeks until the desired effect is achieved.