I wanted to write a post about the not so fun syndrome that I have that seems to affect my life in not the best of ways. I don’t think women are very aware of this, because I wasn’t. I have always suffered with irregular periods and lots and lot of pain when it came to my periods. I have always had trouble with my weight going up and down. And I have lovely acne to go along with it all. I went to see many doctors about my acne and also my irregular periods. As a teenager it was not comfortable bleeding all the time (the longest I bled was for 8 months) and so heavy that it required an ultra tampon and a pad all the time. Finally after several doctors I had one tell me that he thinks I have PCOS. This is the main reason for all of my symptoms. I didn’t know too much about it. It wasn’t until I got married and got talking with my brother in law who is a doctor that had done lots of research on it and was able to inform me a lot about my syndrome and ways that I can help myself. The biggest one that I can say that totally turned my life around was going on a low carb diet. I learned that when I eat carbs I form these cysts on my ovaries. This is because cysts feed off of carbs and sugar. So when I ate it they grew and caused me more pain. This is why I was always in pain… but yet no one could ever tell me why. Once I started this diet my pain was almost cut in half. and the biggest upside was that I lost a lot of weight. Well as everyone knows this is a hard diet to live by because carbs are so yummy and they are everywhere. So I have gone back and forth. and that is why I am doing this blog because I know for my health reasons that I need something that will help me more motivated to eat healthy to help me be healthy. So here is the research that I have done on PCOS. (Thanks to my friend Stephanie Rona for doing some research for me because she was worried about me! So cute! I love you girly!!)
PCOS or polycystic ovarian syndrome is not really classified as a disease because it is not a specific and constant set of symptoms and physical characteristics. It is better described as a syndrome, with a collection of symptoms and physical characteristics. There are two consistent aspects: hyper-androgenism and infrequent ovulation. the most common characteristics of PCOS are obesity, hirsutism and irregular/infrequent/lack of ovulation and thus irregular periods and poor fertility.
Some things that research say can help with the effects of PCOS:
Caffeine containing beverages (coffee, GREEN TEA, black tea, oolong tea, and even some colas) were seen to lower estrogen levels. By lowering the estrogen levels it helps with the acne and the ovulation.
FLAX SEEDS and SOY, are two important foods relevant to the PCOS diet. The flax seeds again, containing lignans, which lower testosterone levels (which cause the acne and infrequent ovulation).
Licorice root extract can also help in lowering testosterone levels.
My brother in law put me on Metphormine. Which is a pill that is used to improve insulin resistance. It helps with acne, weight loss, and hair growth. It is not fun to share but I have very thick corse hair that grows places I don’t like it. And this pill helps it not to grow. I am lucky though I know a girl that had to have her face because of her hair growth or she would have a beard. So I still count my blessing
I hope that this might help any of those women out there that may be experiencing that same yucky stuff as me and now know something that they can do to help their situation. Stay tuned for some research on Low carb diets!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
WEAKNESS
Well I told you all that I was going to be raw and real with you and tell you when I have weak moments. Well yesterday was one of those days. So here is some motivation for you all out there following my blog. Know that I am not perfect and I have weaknesses too
So It was a tough day yesterday, nothing seemed to be going. I got to my last class of the day and was feeling very hungry, so I decided to go to the vending machine to see if there was anything that I could have to wasn’t too bad. Well the snickers bar was starring me in the face. I put my money in and it said make another choice when I pushed the buttons, so I tried again, same thing. I pushed the button to get my money back seeing that it was a signJ. So then I get down to class and a girl brings doughnuts. I was determined not to eat one. Then we had a quiz, I did SO BAD on it so then I was feeling depressed but I was determined not to have one. I literally spent almost the entire class starring at them. When class was over I got up walked right past them and went to my car. I was feeling so proud of myself saying I knew I could do it!!!
Then I got home…dun dun dun! My hubbie wasn’t there and I was feeling tired and crappy, so what do I do? I go to the fridge and can’t find anything that I want that is healthy. But I find something I want that isn’t healthy… pizza! 
What was I thinking? 
I had all that self-control at school and then it is all shot to crap when I get home! And then to make it worse I go for the cookie! The pink frosted cookie!
GRRRR!
I was so mad after it was all said and done. So there you go now you see that I am human. I am not letting this get me back off track though I am determined to get back on the horse today, and so far so good!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Superfoods
I wanted to write a post about some of the super foods that I like I to take everyday that really help me feel better. So here are some of them and their health benefits:
Flax seeds
Some call it one of the most powerful plant foods on the planet. There’s some evidence it can help reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer particularly breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer, stroke, and diabetes. That’s quite a tall order for a tiny seed!
Although flaxseed contains all sorts of healthy components, it owes its healthy reputation primarily to three ingredients:
Omega-3 essential fatty acids, "good" fats that have been shown to have heart-healthy effects. Each tablespoon of ground flaxseed contains about 1.8 grams of plant omega-3s.
Lignans, which have both plant estrogen and antioxidant qualities. Flaxseed contains 75- 800 times more lignans than other plant foods
Fiber. Flaxseed contains both the soluble and insoluble types. Some other nuts and seeds to think about: Walnuts, Cashews, Filberts, Pumpkin seed, and Hemp seed.
(webMD)
I take 5 tablespoons of flaxseeds every morning mixed with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. Getting a little personal here:)... it really helps in the poop department. I have never been very regular but eating these flax seeds really helps me be regular. When I was telling my friend about it she was worried that it would be more like the feel of diarrhea and you can't control the need to go. But it is not like this at all. You can control the urge. It really attaches to the wall of the intestine and sucks out the toxens, cholestrol, and other harmful things that like to hang out in there. When I keep up on it I really feel less bloated and lighter through out the day.
Green Tea
More than a decade's worth of research about green tea's health benefits -- particularly its potential to fight cancer and heart disease -- has been more than intriguing, as have limited studies about green tea's role in lowering cholesterol, burning fat, preventing diabetes and stroke, and staving off dementia.
Green tea has important antioxidants and compounds that help in maintaining good health. Green tea and its extract have been shown to fight obesity and lower LDL "bad" cholesterol -- two risk factors for heart disease and diabetes. The best way to get the most out of green tea -- even if your main goal is losing weight -- is to drink it.
I drink 4 1/2 cups of green tea every morning. I have a problem with Acne on my face and when I drink green tea I really notice a difference in my skin. When I get really bad under ground brake outs I heat up a green tea bag in some water and put it on my face and it really clams my skin. I also feel that I have more energy throughout the day. (I take the decaf green tea)
Red Clover Extract
Red clover is considered to be one of the richest sources of isoflavones (water-soluble chemicals that act like estrogens and are found in many plants). It is used for hot flashes/flushes, PMS, lowering cholesterol, breast health, improving urine production and improving circulation of the blood. It is also used to help prevent osteoporosis, reduce the possibility of blood clots and arterial plaques and limiting the development of benign prostate hyperplasia.
Red clover is a source of many valuable nutrients including calcium, chromium, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, thiamine, and vitamin C.
I of course do not use this to help with menopause because I am not there in my life yet. But I have a friend that was receiving some hormonal therapy that was sweet enough to get some information for me about my acne. The doctor told her to tell me to try Red Clover Extract. I have been using every day for a week straight. And I have seen a big difference in my skin. I also bought some red clover tea bags to mix in with my green tea to get as much help as I can. The Extract calls for you to take 30-40 drops a day. I mix it in with my green tea every day. It also adds a little sweetness to the tea:)
Eggs
Dig into eggs, yolks and all: They won't harm your heart, but they can help you trim inches. Women on a low-calorie diet who ate an egg lost twice as many pounds as those who had a bagel breakfast with the same number of calories but no eggs. Egg protein is filling, so you eat less later in the day.
(AOLhealth)
I try to have 3 boiled eggs every day. I really try to eat them in the morning because when I do I have noticed that I am less likely to be hungry and eat more later on in the day. I boil an entire container of eggs, then it is easy to just grab and go for those mornings that you don't have time to cook
Avacado
Don't let the fat content of an avocado (29 grams) scare you -- that's what makes it a top weight-loss food. (AOLhealth)
I like to make soup with 2 avacados, 1 cucumber, some garlic, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Mix it up in a food processor or blender. Eat it cold or warm. It really gives me an energy boost and tastes great:)
As i continue getting healthier I am sure that this list will grow. But here is a start of how we can all add things in our every day diets that can give us a boost!
Flax seeds
Some call it one of the most powerful plant foods on the planet. There’s some evidence it can help reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer particularly breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer, stroke, and diabetes. That’s quite a tall order for a tiny seed!Although flaxseed contains all sorts of healthy components, it owes its healthy reputation primarily to three ingredients:
Omega-3 essential fatty acids, "good" fats that have been shown to have heart-healthy effects. Each tablespoon of ground flaxseed contains about 1.8 grams of plant omega-3s.
Lignans, which have both plant estrogen and antioxidant qualities. Flaxseed contains 75- 800 times more lignans than other plant foods
Fiber. Flaxseed contains both the soluble and insoluble types. Some other nuts and seeds to think about: Walnuts, Cashews, Filberts, Pumpkin seed, and Hemp seed.
(webMD)
I take 5 tablespoons of flaxseeds every morning mixed with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. Getting a little personal here:)... it really helps in the poop department. I have never been very regular but eating these flax seeds really helps me be regular. When I was telling my friend about it she was worried that it would be more like the feel of diarrhea and you can't control the need to go. But it is not like this at all. You can control the urge. It really attaches to the wall of the intestine and sucks out the toxens, cholestrol, and other harmful things that like to hang out in there. When I keep up on it I really feel less bloated and lighter through out the day.
Green Tea
More than a decade's worth of research about green tea's health benefits -- particularly its potential to fight cancer and heart disease -- has been more than intriguing, as have limited studies about green tea's role in lowering cholesterol, burning fat, preventing diabetes and stroke, and staving off dementia.Green tea has important antioxidants and compounds that help in maintaining good health. Green tea and its extract have been shown to fight obesity and lower LDL "bad" cholesterol -- two risk factors for heart disease and diabetes. The best way to get the most out of green tea -- even if your main goal is losing weight -- is to drink it.
I drink 4 1/2 cups of green tea every morning. I have a problem with Acne on my face and when I drink green tea I really notice a difference in my skin. When I get really bad under ground brake outs I heat up a green tea bag in some water and put it on my face and it really clams my skin. I also feel that I have more energy throughout the day. (I take the decaf green tea)
Red Clover Extract
Red clover is considered to be one of the richest sources of isoflavones (water-soluble chemicals that act like estrogens and are found in many plants). It is used for hot flashes/flushes, PMS, lowering cholesterol, breast health, improving urine production and improving circulation of the blood. It is also used to help prevent osteoporosis, reduce the possibility of blood clots and arterial plaques and limiting the development of benign prostate hyperplasia.Red clover is a source of many valuable nutrients including calcium, chromium, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, thiamine, and vitamin C.
I of course do not use this to help with menopause because I am not there in my life yet. But I have a friend that was receiving some hormonal therapy that was sweet enough to get some information for me about my acne. The doctor told her to tell me to try Red Clover Extract. I have been using every day for a week straight. And I have seen a big difference in my skin. I also bought some red clover tea bags to mix in with my green tea to get as much help as I can. The Extract calls for you to take 30-40 drops a day. I mix it in with my green tea every day. It also adds a little sweetness to the tea:)
Eggs
Dig into eggs, yolks and all: They won't harm your heart, but they can help you trim inches. Women on a low-calorie diet who ate an egg lost twice as many pounds as those who had a bagel breakfast with the same number of calories but no eggs. Egg protein is filling, so you eat less later in the day.(AOLhealth)
I try to have 3 boiled eggs every day. I really try to eat them in the morning because when I do I have noticed that I am less likely to be hungry and eat more later on in the day. I boil an entire container of eggs, then it is easy to just grab and go for those mornings that you don't have time to cook
Avacado
Don't let the fat content of an avocado (29 grams) scare you -- that's what makes it a top weight-loss food. (AOLhealth)
I like to make soup with 2 avacados, 1 cucumber, some garlic, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Mix it up in a food processor or blender. Eat it cold or warm. It really gives me an energy boost and tastes great:)
As i continue getting healthier I am sure that this list will grow. But here is a start of how we can all add things in our every day diets that can give us a boost!
Friday, February 19, 2010
Some of my Yummy Treats
Here are some of my yummy treats that I have found that are low carb. My body does not do good on carbs. But I love carbs, so I have done a lot of research on trying to find yummy treats that can trick my mind into thinking that I am eating naughty stuff. So here are my tricks:)
Instead of making things with flour (which is a big contributer to carbs) I have found this stuff called SOY FLOUR. It has 3 grams of carbs per serving. A serving is about 1/4 of a cup. It has a different taste but it really is not that bad. So here are some things that you can try using soy flour.
3 Minute Chocolate Cake
My Fav:)
Ingredients:
1/4 cup of Soy Flour
1 to 2 tbsp of cocoa (dry powder, unsweetened)
2 to 3 tsp of splenda (depends on how sweet you like it... I use more that 3 tsp:))
1 tsp of baking powder
1 small egg or two egg whites
1 tsp of water
1 tbsp melted butter
Directions:
Use a microwave-safe bowl to combine all ingredients. Add all the dry ingredients together. and blend well with a whisk. Add wet ingredients. Melt the butter first, add to your bowl. then add egg, and water. If you batter is not adhering well together, add a little more water. After blending together with a whisk put the bowl in your microwave for a 3 minutes. Afterwards you should have a tasty treat!
you can add things to it like nuts, whip cream, low fat ice cream, etc.
I personally like cream cheese frosting...
whip together 1/4 of an 8 ounce thing of cream cheese and a little cream with some splenda to taste. Once you cake is cooled frost and enjoy.
Soy Pancakes
Ingredients:
1/4 cup of Soy Flour
1/4 cup of water
1/4 tsp. of salt
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
Directions:
Makes 8-9 small pancakes (these are really small, it makes about 2 normal size pancakes I double this to make enough for me and my hubbie for breakfast.)
mix all ingredients in bowl. If the batter is too runny, add a small amount more of soy flour. Put your fry pan on med heat and spray with non stick spray. Cook each pancake until slightly bubbly around the edge. then flip. Cook till golden. Serve with sugar free syrup.
I like to add my flax seeds into the batter. I do about 5 tablespoons. You can also make this into a dinner or lunch thing. I know it sounds weird. But it is good! I like to add cheddar cheese on top with some salsa, or cheese and deli meat on top. This really is good. Because the pancake batter is not a sweet batter (you get the sweetness from the syrup) you really can do anything with them.
Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients:
2 lbs. chicken skinless boneless breasts
1 tbsp. marjoram
10 oz of heavy cream
2 eggs
2 cloves of fresh garlic-crushed
breading:
1/2 cup of soy flour-sifted
1 1/2 cup fine ground pork rinds
white cheddat cheese flavored popcorn seasoning to taste
Directions:
Breading prep- mix sifted soy flour with fine ground pork rinds and put in large casserole for breading.
Chicken prep- puree chicken breasts in food processor until fine. add marjoram, fresh garlic and two eggs. Drizzle in cream until well mixed. Make little balls with 2 large spoons. genlty place nugget into crumb mixture. Fry nuggets 10-12 at a time in 365-degree oil until golden brown. Place in a basket with wax paper and toss with white cheddar popcorn seasoning.
Cheese sauce prep- in a small sauce pan heat 1/4 of an 8 ounce cream cheese and about 1/2 a cup of heavy cream. once the cream cheese is well combined melt in 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese until melted and well combined. Salt and pepper to taste and a big squirt of mustard. (use this cheese sauce in several different ways the cream cheese and heavy cream is just a base...mix it up by putting in different types of cheese and put on lightly steamed veggies)
Dip nuggets and enjoy!
Low Carb Pizza
Ingredients:
4 oz of cream cheese
12 oz of shredded pizza blen cheese
2 eggs
1/4 of a cup of Soy Flour
1/4 tsp of garlic powder
1/2 tsp italian seasoning
Directions:
whip cream cheese and add eggs. Add the soy flour garlic powder and seasoning. Fold in the shredded cheese. Line a 9x12 with parchment paper and spread mixture evenly in pan. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes until lighlty browned. Cool and place uncovered in fridge for a few hours. It needs to go in the fridge to set up otherwise it never comes together as a crust. (I make it in the morning and then leave it in the firdge while I am at school and work then come home and put toppings on it.)
After a few hours take the crust out and put on a pizza pan. Assemble pizza toppings as desired. Bake at 375 degrees again for 15-20nminutes until cheese is bubbly. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. (the first time a made this i was a little surprised because the crust is not like a normal pizza crust where it is easy to handle... it is deff. a for and plate type of pizza:) YUMMY!
I hope this gets your taste buds jumping adn try these yummy yummy fake out treats!!!
ENJOY:)
Instead of making things with flour (which is a big contributer to carbs) I have found this stuff called SOY FLOUR. It has 3 grams of carbs per serving. A serving is about 1/4 of a cup. It has a different taste but it really is not that bad. So here are some things that you can try using soy flour.
3 Minute Chocolate Cake
My Fav:)
Ingredients:
1/4 cup of Soy Flour
1 to 2 tbsp of cocoa (dry powder, unsweetened)
2 to 3 tsp of splenda (depends on how sweet you like it... I use more that 3 tsp:))
1 tsp of baking powder
1 small egg or two egg whites
1 tsp of water
1 tbsp melted butter
Directions:
Use a microwave-safe bowl to combine all ingredients. Add all the dry ingredients together. and blend well with a whisk. Add wet ingredients. Melt the butter first, add to your bowl. then add egg, and water. If you batter is not adhering well together, add a little more water. After blending together with a whisk put the bowl in your microwave for a 3 minutes. Afterwards you should have a tasty treat!
you can add things to it like nuts, whip cream, low fat ice cream, etc.
I personally like cream cheese frosting...
whip together 1/4 of an 8 ounce thing of cream cheese and a little cream with some splenda to taste. Once you cake is cooled frost and enjoy.
Soy Pancakes
Ingredients:
1/4 cup of Soy Flour
1/4 cup of water
1/4 tsp. of salt
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
Directions:
Makes 8-9 small pancakes (these are really small, it makes about 2 normal size pancakes I double this to make enough for me and my hubbie for breakfast.)
mix all ingredients in bowl. If the batter is too runny, add a small amount more of soy flour. Put your fry pan on med heat and spray with non stick spray. Cook each pancake until slightly bubbly around the edge. then flip. Cook till golden. Serve with sugar free syrup.
I like to add my flax seeds into the batter. I do about 5 tablespoons. You can also make this into a dinner or lunch thing. I know it sounds weird. But it is good! I like to add cheddar cheese on top with some salsa, or cheese and deli meat on top. This really is good. Because the pancake batter is not a sweet batter (you get the sweetness from the syrup) you really can do anything with them.
Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients:
2 lbs. chicken skinless boneless breasts
1 tbsp. marjoram
10 oz of heavy cream
2 eggs
2 cloves of fresh garlic-crushed
breading:
1/2 cup of soy flour-sifted
1 1/2 cup fine ground pork rinds
white cheddat cheese flavored popcorn seasoning to taste
Directions:
Breading prep- mix sifted soy flour with fine ground pork rinds and put in large casserole for breading.
Chicken prep- puree chicken breasts in food processor until fine. add marjoram, fresh garlic and two eggs. Drizzle in cream until well mixed. Make little balls with 2 large spoons. genlty place nugget into crumb mixture. Fry nuggets 10-12 at a time in 365-degree oil until golden brown. Place in a basket with wax paper and toss with white cheddar popcorn seasoning.
Cheese sauce prep- in a small sauce pan heat 1/4 of an 8 ounce cream cheese and about 1/2 a cup of heavy cream. once the cream cheese is well combined melt in 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese until melted and well combined. Salt and pepper to taste and a big squirt of mustard. (use this cheese sauce in several different ways the cream cheese and heavy cream is just a base...mix it up by putting in different types of cheese and put on lightly steamed veggies)
Dip nuggets and enjoy!
Low Carb Pizza
Ingredients:
4 oz of cream cheese
12 oz of shredded pizza blen cheese
2 eggs
1/4 of a cup of Soy Flour
1/4 tsp of garlic powder
1/2 tsp italian seasoning
Directions:
whip cream cheese and add eggs. Add the soy flour garlic powder and seasoning. Fold in the shredded cheese. Line a 9x12 with parchment paper and spread mixture evenly in pan. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes until lighlty browned. Cool and place uncovered in fridge for a few hours. It needs to go in the fridge to set up otherwise it never comes together as a crust. (I make it in the morning and then leave it in the firdge while I am at school and work then come home and put toppings on it.)
After a few hours take the crust out and put on a pizza pan. Assemble pizza toppings as desired. Bake at 375 degrees again for 15-20nminutes until cheese is bubbly. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. (the first time a made this i was a little surprised because the crust is not like a normal pizza crust where it is easy to handle... it is deff. a for and plate type of pizza:) YUMMY!
I hope this gets your taste buds jumping adn try these yummy yummy fake out treats!!!
ENJOY:)
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