Epigenetics refers to changes in gene expression (not the genes themselves).

MTHFR is a gene (part of the genetic code) and a ‘MTHFR variant’ is a mutated gene, or a changed gene.

Genome is the sum total of your DNA (including all genes and non-coding DNA).

Nutrigenetics is the study of the relationship between genes, diet and health outcomes.

It was once a strong belief that your genes are your future. We once thought that if you have the MTHFR gene mutation, then you are going to experience digestive issues, migraines, nerve pain, depression, chronic fatigue, etc. What we are starting to understand now is that the presence of a gene mutation is not a guaranteed life-sentence. What we have come to understand is that our conscious choices in our day-to-day life have a significant impact on our genetic expression.

The presence of a gene mutation should be viewed with interest. This mutation should be seen as either an indicator of why you are feeling this way, or as an indicator for what may develop, or what you are susceptible to.

Enter the ‘genome’. Some people are interested in identifying their genetic material and being aware of their genetic potential. While this can be a good idea, it can create stress and anxiety for what illnesses could potentially eventuate. Being aware of the MTHFR gene mutation, or the BRACA1 gene mutations are examples of tests people are commonly looking at. For some, the knowledge of their genetic potential is a motivator for a healthier lifestyle. For others, it is a cause of anxiety and stress for what may develop at some point in the future. I suggest you consider your personality and decide how the results of a genetic test may impact your lifestyle – will it give you sleepless nights, or maybe give you permission to be unhealthy, alternatively, will it make you a healthier person, or will you simply decide now to make all those healthy choices you have been avoiding, regardless of a test result? Knowledge is power, but in this case is it healthy or likely to create harm?

Is important to know? Or should you simply ‘be healthy’ in your choices regardless?

Enter nutrigenetics; the study of diet on genes, and the health outcomes.

If you have a MTHFR gene mutation, what should you do? – in short, the answer is to eat more green and leafy vegetables, ensure your bowels are working regularly, consider regular detoxification and maintain a ‘healthy’ life balance (an ideal sleep, stress, relaxation balance). What should you do if you want to live a healthy lifestyle and you don’t know if you have the MTHFR mutation – the same as the above. What is the difference? You are aware of your potential doom and gloom and it may make you lose sleep. Alternatively, you are aware of your genetic potential, and it may help you stay on a healthy pathway.

Yes, there are those who are significantly impacted by their MTHFR genetic mutations and these lifestyle changes are simply not enough. Keep it in perspective.

Perhaps one of the most beautiful things about nutrigenetics, is your epigenetic influence – put simply, just because you have the gene, doesn’t mean you have a ticking time-bomb to ill health. Just because your parents are obese with diabetes, doesn’t mean you are going to become obese with diabetes. You can influence how your genes are expressed. Not all your genes, but a noteworthy amount. You are not destined to the ill health your parents experienced. You have a level of control. It comes down to your choices.

Your environment and your choices can turn gene expression on and off. While we don’t know everything about the genome and epigenetics just yet, we do know that the effect of nutrition on genetic expression is modifiable. Diet plays a huge role. Lifestyle does too. See below for some nutrigenetic and lifestyle tips.

• Diet plays a huge role in healthy epigenetic expression and methylation. Simply put, eat your vegetables. Eat them at every meal, and ensure you have green leafy vegetables in the mix. Aim for a rainbow of colours and aim for vegetables to make up the majority of the meals.
• If you’re not getting ‘it’ (everything) from your diet, get it from a supplement. Speak with our Naturopath and Nutritionist team to see what is right for you.
• Ensure adequate sleep. ‘Adequate’ varies from person to person but aim to get at least 6 hours of quality sleep every night.
• Stress less. Easy to say, not always easy to do. Sit down and consider what is important in life. Think logically about how you can prioritise the important things, and work on prioritising these. Prioritise ‘me-time’ and ensure you are getting enough relaxation (daily!). Apps like ‘headspace’ and ‘calm’ may help, playing an instrument, colouring, reading, epsom salt baths and socialising are all great options for relaxation.
• Consider a low glycemic load and anti-inflammatory diet – this style of eating is rich in methyl donors – making it great for DNA. Speak with our Naturopath and Nutritionist team to see what this diet involves and if it is suitable for you.
• Consider intermittent fasting or intermittent ketosis – this may favourably influence epigenetic expression. Speak with our Naturopath and Nutritionist team to see what this dietary change involves and if it is suitable for you.
• Exercise, within your limits, and regularly.

Your genes are part of who you are – they are what connects you to your ancestors. You don’t have a choice in what you get. You can influence how your genes are expressed. Choose wisely.

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Thankfully you have a lot of control over your ageing process. See below for my top 10 ways to keep your body, your mind and your spirit young.

1. Use your imagination

   – just because you get older, doesn’t mean you should stop using your imagination. If you have young kids around you (children or grandchildren) take them on a magical journey using your imagination. Encourage them to use their imagination and create a world that is for you and them. This world takes you away from your world and your worries. It places you in complete control (kind of – the child has some say too) of what happens in this world and how you want to feel in this world. Not only is this a great distraction, but it’s a great mind exercise, forcing you to use it (or lose it).

If you don’t have a child around to imagine with, do it yourself, or choose a nice book to read – books are a great way for you to picture locations, characters and events described in the pages.

Your mindset impacts your mood, which impacts your energy, which impacts your activities, which significantly impacts your ageing.

2. Give yourself a break

   – if you are anything like most of us, we get too involved in the now to think too far into the future. Being completely in the now is not always a good thing. We need things to look forward to. The start of each year is a great time to sit down and work out what your holidays will be, when they will be, and how many days until you get that break. The destination, or the amount of money spent is not important, it’s the pleasure, and down time that is what is important. Everyone needs time to recharge. Weekends are a great time to get away from ‘work’, but often we don’t get time to recharge. Set some time aside, plan your break, and get excited.

In a much more immediate approach, set aside 5, 10, 30 minutes for yourself each day. Take a deep breath, smell some flowers, have a bath, listen to some music – do whatever floats your boat when it comes to relaxation and me-time.

It’s very important. It needs to be a higher priority for many of us.

Stress (what occurs when you do not give yourself a break) ages us dramatically.

3. Feel the love

   – make love. Sex releases hormones that leave you on a high and far from feeling old. If sex isn’t on your radar, try to get regular hugs from those you love. Make them long hugs and aim to get them often – it releases a hormone called oxytocin (the feel-good hormone). Also, when I say ‘feel the love’ I don’t just mean with sex and hugs. Look at what activities you love, the things that get you excited to get out of bed in the morning. The activities that strike a passion in you. If it’s a social hobby, bonus! Re-ignite any passions that may have been abandoned.

4. Eat a plant rich diet and drink plenty of water

   – you are what you eat, and if what you eat is rubbish, you will feel like rubbish. If what you eat is full of nutrients, you should feel the energy and reap the benefits. Surprisingly most Australians don’t eat enough vegetables. Aim to get 3-5 different vegetables at both lunch and dinner. If you want bonus points, aim to get 3-5 veggies at breakfast too! More, more, more!

5. Get off the couch and exercise

   – stretch and strengthen your body. Daily stretches in front of the tv, or regular yoga or Pilates classes with a group of friends – whichever works for you, works for you. Staying limber significantly helps you with your mobility and your feeling of ‘old’. Strengthening exercises are also strongly recommended so that your bones stay nice and strong. Aches and pains are considered right up there in the ‘things that make you feel old’ list.

6. Mental aerobics

   – learn something new to challenge your brain and keep those brain cells working! Sudoku, crosswords, knitting patterns, a new language, an instrument – choose to use your brain in order to keep the brain cells working and all the pistons firing.

7. Adopt a good skin care regimen

   – Explore and identify a great facial skin care regime. Don’t forget to moisturise your neck, chest and back of hands, use sunscreen on your face (or protect your face from sun damage), and remove any make-up each night. You can also help your skin via antioxidant and vitamin supplement.

8. Stay positive

   – The power of positive thinking is real. You have so much choice over your reactions and your environment. Do the things that make you happy more often and try to let go of negative emotions like anger, guilt, resentment, grief and shame. Nothing ages you more or faster than worry.

9. Don’t act your age

   – that’s just silly. Act younger. But, don’t forget to be responsible.

10. Take a tech detox

    – get off social media and the doom-and-gloom news websites. These places can be a place of so much anxiety, jealousy, sadness and doom. All pictures on social media have been chosen to be posted – generally they are great photos! Don’t compare your entire life (lows and highs) to someone else highs. Smell the fresh air, explore outside, forget about what you should be doing/what others are doing, look around you and enjoy life.

Ageing is inevitable. Getting ‘old’ is not.

The post The 10 Best Things You Can Do to Stay Young appeared first on Australian Menopause Centre.

If you are concerned about your heart, your weight, your cholesterol, your glucose, your insulin, or your good fat levels, you may want to find a good avocado supplier, and shop there often. These creamy beauties may need to be added to your daily diet.

Avocados are one of the rare foods that have been scientifically studied and rigorously tested for various health benefits. We all know avocados are full of fats, and this can scare many, but don’t worry! Across 7 human studies[1], avocado was tested and consistently found to significantly improve your HDL cholesterol levels (‘good’ cholesterol). Across a further 10 human studies[2], avocado was tested and consistently found to reduce your LDL, triglycerides and total cholesterol levels (‘bad’ cholesterol). Further to this, a 2015 study[3] found that adding avocado to your meal favourably increased self-reported satisfaction, and a reduction to eat over the subsequent 3- and 5-hour period in overweight adults. This suggests that adding avocado to your lunch time meal can positively influence your afternoon snacking (or 3pm cravings) – a tricky time for many and a positive for the weight conscious.

Just don’t go overboard. Too much of a good thing can be bad. Limit your daily avocado intake to approximately ¼ – ½ of an avocado.

A simple study from 2017[4] looked at the benefits of replacing butter with avocado oil (not avocado flesh) in overweight people. These people ate identical breakfasts 6 days apart (except for the butter/avocado oil) and tested several markers after the meal. Beautifully, there was a statistically significant reduction in the insulin and the glucose markers, along with a statistically significant reduction in triglycerides (bad cholesterol) and total cholesterol. Whilst this is only a small and short study, it highlights the metabolic benefits, and the immediate response of eating avocado oil (or eating any food really).

Yes, avocados are particularly high in fat. But if we look closer at this, we have found that the avocados contain an oil rich in monounsaturated fatty acids in a water-based matrix that appears to enhance nutrient and phytochemical bioavailability and absorption. This charitable benefit suggests that avocado is not only great for its own reasons, but it has the potential to increase the health benefits of any foods you eat with it, particularly the fat-soluble vitamins and minerals.

Avocados are rich in fats and fibre, and low in carbohydrates. They are a great source of vitamin K, folate, vitamin C, potassium, vitamin E, magnesium and about 20 other vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. The health benefits of avocado are numerous and include eye health (from lutein), skin health (from vitamin E, C and fats), heart health (from good fats and potassium), weight loss (from fats), pain relief (from saponins), constipation (from fibre) and depression (from folate), to name a few.

A ripe and ready-to-eat avocado is slightly soft and should have no dark sunken spots or cracks. If the avocado has a slight neck, rather than being rounded on top, it may have been ripened for a bit longer on the tree, and it may have a richer flavour. A firmer avocado can be ripened at home within a couple of days, in a paper bag or at room temperature. Once they are ripe (and not before), store the avocado in the fridge and it should keep for up to a week. Once you have opened the avocado, store the rest of it in an airtight container in the fridge.

When you are ready to eat an avocado, run a blade lengthways through the avocado and around the pit, gently twist the halves in opposite directions, remove the pit, slice the halves in half again (creating quarters) then peel the avocado as you would a banana, starting from the neck. Enjoy a ¼ a day on toast, with eggs, in soup, in salad, instead of butter, or as dip (to name a few options)!

[1] Mahmassani, H. A., et al. (2018). “Avocado consumption and risk factors for heart disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Am J Clin Nutr 107(4): 523-536.

[2] Peou, S., et al. (2016). “Impact of avocado-enriched diets on plasma lipoproteins: A meta-analysis.” J Clin Lipidol 10(1): 161-171.

[3] Sabaté J, Wien M, Haddad E. 2015. Post-ingestive effects of avocados in meals on satiety and gastric hormone blood levels. Human Health Nut 459–461

[4] Cibele Priscila Busch Furlan, S. C. V., Elin Östman, Mário Roberto Maróstica, Juscelino Tovar, (2017,). “Inclusion of Hass avocado-oil improves postprandial metabolic responses to a hypercaloric-hyperlipidic meal in overweight subjects,.” Journal of Functional Foods Volume 38, Part A,: 349-354,.

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Need something more specific, see this tasty garlic-capsicum sauce recipe below.

Garlic-Capsicum Sauce

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 large onions, coarsely chopped

2 green capsicums, ribs and seeds removed, coarsely chopped

2 red capsicums, ribs and seeds removed, coarsely chopped

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 large tomato, coarsely chopped

3 cups of mixed coriander leaves and tender stems

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, cook, stirring often, until they start to soften (about 5mins).
2. Add capsicum, garlic, oregano and cumin, cook, stirring often, until capsicum is crisp-tender (about 10mins). Add tomato, cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes more.
3. Transfer to a food processor. Add coriander and puree until slightly chunky. Season with salt and pepper.

Add to meats as a sauce, use as a salsa replacement for chips and dip, use as a seasoning base in pasta or stir fry dishes. Whichever way you decide to eat it, enjoy it.

If not using immediately, transfer sauce in 1 cup quantities, to airtight containers. Freeze until ready to use – can freeze for up to 3 months.

The post Garlic-Capsicum Sauce appeared first on Australian Menopause Centre.

Capsicums are an exceptional source of vitamin C. One medium red capsicum contains well over 150% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) of vitamin C (some sources list it as containing 253%!). Vitamin C is an amazing antioxidant that aids in skin health, cell health, DNA health and ageing in general (just to list a few functions). Vitamin A is also quite abundant in capsicum. A medium red capsicum contains between 16-75% of the RDI, providing yet another amazing antioxidant, supporting skin health, eye health, bone health and immunity in general (to name a few functions).

In addition to this, it is also quite a good source of vitamin B6, folate, vitamin E and vitamin K.

Not only is capsicum rich in certain vitamins, but it is also rich in specific antioxidants, particularly carotenoids. Capsanthin, violaxanthin, lutein, quercitin and luteolin are well-known antioxidants with well-known health benefits, including eye health, joint health, heart disease, cholesterol health and anti-inflammatory benefits.

If you are worried about ageing, skin health or chronic health conditions, consider capsicum; it contains a punch full of protective compounds.

Capsicum is extremely versatile – you can enjoy it grilled, sautéed, stir fried, in soups, in sauces and even raw!

It’s currently in season and should be eaten!

(Unless you have issues with the nightshade family… you should know who you are)

The post Capsicum – They Contain a Punch Full of Protective Compounds! appeared first on Australian Menopause Centre.

1. Blueberries, or other berries

Berries, particularly blueberries, are rich in antioxidants. A 2018 study has found that the higher the dietary intake of antioxidants, the greater the reduction in hot flushes, sweating, sleep problems, anxiety, exhaustion, and difficulty concentrating[1].

2. Flaxseed

Try eating 5g of flaxseed daily for 3 months. A 2015 study found that 5mg of flaxseed daily for 3 months resulted in a statistically significant improvement in the total menopausal symptom scores[2]. Physical and mental health scores significantly improved, as did the quality of life scores (when compared against a control group – who did not receive any treatment or flaxseed).

3. Vegetables – all of them

Sorry to be vague, but eat ALL the vegetables. A 2018 study looking at vegans vs omnivores found that those who ate a diet abundant in vegetables reported an easier adaptation to the menopause transition[3]. Interestingly, more vegetables and berries resulted in less vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes and sweats), while more vegetables and leafy greens correlated with less bothersome physical symptoms. Replacing some of your meat with vegetables (especially if you are having a slab of meat with each meal) may be quite beneficial to your transition.

4. Soy

Soy consumption improved painful intercourse[4], improved sweats and flushes by 78%[5], improved bone mineral density after menopause[6] and helped with a slight decrease in body weight in healthy postmenopausal women[7]. However, soy consumption may benefit only some – the impact of soy for you is strongly dependant on your gut microbiome[8]. The benefits of soy require a certain presence of a gut bacterium, without this bacterium, the benefits are not felt.

[1] Abshirini, M., et al. (2018). “Dietary total antioxidant capacity is inversely related to menopausal symptoms: a cross-sectional study among Iranian postmenopausal women.” Nutrition 55-56: 161-167.

[2] Cetisli, N. E., et al. (2015). “The effects of flaxseed on menopausal symptoms and quality of life.” Holist Nurs Pract 29(3): 151-157.

[3] Beezhold, B., et al. (2018). “Vegans report less bothersome vasomotor and physical menopausal symptoms than omnivores.” Maturitas 112: 12-17.

[4] Najaf Najafi, M. and M. Ghazanfarpour (2018). “Effect of phytoestrogens on sexual function in menopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Climacteric 21(5): 437-445.

[5] Imhof, M., et al. (2018). “Soy germ extract alleviates menopausal hot flushes: placebo-controlled double-blind trial.” Eur J Clin Nutr 72(7): 961-970.

[6] Abdi, F., et al. (2016). “Effects of phytoestrogens on bone mineral density during the menopause transition: a systematic review of randomized, controlled trials.” Climacteric 19(6): 535-545.

[7] Glisic, M., et al. (2018). “Phytoestrogen supplementation and body composition in postmenopausal women: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.” Maturitas 115: 74-83.

[8] Kolatorova, L., et al. (2018). “Phytoestrogens and the intestinal microbiome.” Physiol Res 67(Suppl 3): S401-s408

The post The 4 Best Foods for Menopause appeared first on Australian Menopause Centre.

Statistics from 2015 show that 1 in 2 Australians (yes, half of us!) suffer with 1 of the 8 most common chronic health conditions[1]. While this is terrible, it’s even more shocking to hear that according to the health policy experts, a third of these are preventable. A third!

The 8 most common chronic health conditions in Australia are:

1. Arthritis
2. Asthma
3. Back pain
4. Cancer
5. Cardiovascular disease
6. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
7. Diabetes
8. Mental health conditions

Interestingly, these conditions¹:

• Were involved in 37% of hospitalisations (based on principal or additional diagnosis) in 2015–16
• Contributed to 87% of deaths (based on underlying or associated causes of death) in 2015
• Accounted for 61% of the total burden of disease in Australia in 2011

If you are lucky enough to not experience any of these conditions, there is a great chance that you know someone who does.

It’s painful. It’s life changing. It can be debilitating. It’s almost always on your mind (by choice or not by choice). It’s something you wouldn’t wish on anyone.

By definition, a chronic illness is long term and persistent. They often have complex and multiple causes, and often lead to a gradual deterioration of health and an eventual deterioration of quality of life.

Genetics, environmental exposure, accidents, physical activity level and nutritional choices are all factors involved in both the development and the severity of chronic illnesses[2].

Some of these factors are set in stone – like age, gender and race. Other factors are up to you. These factors can be started or stopped by choice.

Let’s focus on the factors that you have control over. Let’s focus on preventing the 1 in 2 odds of developing a chronic illness.

You can choose if you want to smoke tobacco.

You can choose if you want to drink alcohol.

You can choose if you have a sedentary life or an active one.

You choose what time you go to bed, the cosmetics you use, the cleaning products you use, the water you drink, the toothpaste you use, the protein you eat and the stress you take on.

And maybe most importantly, you can choose if you want to eat ‘food’ or food.

Food is life, and the life you want to live is heavily influenced by the food you eat.

Below I have outlined some tips to reduce your chances of suffering a chronic illness. If it’s too late and you already have a chronic illness, speak with our nutritionist and naturopathic team to see how you can help reduce the severity or progression of your particular condition.

Click here to fill in a contact form and we will be in touch as soon as possible.

Basic preventative measures:

• Ask yourself; ‘did what you’re eating come out of the ground this way?’ Or has it been heavily processed, refined, mashed up and mixed with a lot of other things to create that perfect… corn chip/cracker/cake/sauce? Where possible, choose foods that are the least processed and refined as possible. If you must eat cake, sauce, biscuits or crackers, try to make them – ideally from ingredients that are the least refined as possible (baking a cake from a box isn’t better than buying a premade cake).
• Don’t skimp on the good fats. Emphasis on ‘good’. Seafood, nuts, avocado and olive oil are great examples of good fats. These items are believed to be anti-inflammatory, dampening down any raging fires that chronic conditions can typically cause.
• Eat vegetables until you think you are eating too many (hint: make sure you’re eating a rainbow of colours, and as long as you are not force-feeding yourself, you can’t eat too many vegetables). Aim for a minimum of 5 serves of vegetables a day, but if you can, push that. Gob-smackingly, only 7% of adults within Australia are actually eating 5 serves of vegetables per day[3]. Seven percent! Increase your vegetables.
• Look after your gut health. Your gut and your microbiome are important for food digestion, nutrient absorption and waste elimination. What good is the food you choose to eat, if you can’t actually digest or absorb it? Ensure you have plenty of prebiotic foods (garlic, onion, asparagus, banana, tomato, etc.), probiotic foods (probiotic enhanced yoghurt, miso, sauerkraut, tempeh etc.) and fibre (lentils, legumes, sweet potato, whole grains, fruit with edible skin, etc.) each and every day.
• Drink water. This is such a simple preventative measure, but unfortunately so many people need to read this. Water helps your bowels function. Your bowels are basically a garbage removal system, and if your bowels aren’t moving, your garbage gets reabsorbed and creates havoc, dampening your energy and creating extra pressure for your body and exacerbating your chronic illness (or potential to get a chronic illness). Aim for 2L daily, increasing your intake if you’re sweating, vomiting or have diarrhoea.

Advanced preventative measures:

• Buy a water filter system and drink clean water. If you have a tank, test it and treat it regularly. Water should be a hugely prevalent component in your routine; make sure its good quality.
• Eat a rainbow of vegetables, aiming for at least 20 different types of vegetables each week, enjoying them in a variety or raw and cooked preparations, eating only organic, where possible.

If we look outside of the nutritional influence, we can see that there is so much more to ‘health’ than simply eating well. Spiritual, emotional, physical and social health are key factors that can influence your health and your potential for a chronic illness.

Spiritual health:

Does the buck stop at you? Is there no greater being than a human? Spiritual health does not mean religion, however for a lot of people religion is their spiritual health. Spiritual health is about being connected to something much bigger than yourself. For some, this is God, for others this is nature, universal love, justice or something else. The sense of being connected to something larger gives many people a purpose or meaning in life.

Go on a spiritual journey, ask questions, think hard and see how your spiritual health is.

Mental health:

The power of positive thinking is real. The idea that your mental health can set your mood for the day, or that a snide comment can ruin your afternoon are often factors that many of us have personally experienced. Your mental health and your self-talk are so powerful that if you are constantly in a negative mental health state, you can often find your physical health suffering too. Then comes the chronic illness.

Experiment and find your mental health relaxant – music, dancing, reading, walks, meditation, social situations etc. Identify what gets you out of a mental funk and practise it as often as you need to. If you have time, read ‘The Biology of Belief’.

Social health:

Some people absolutely thrive on social situations, others shy away and can only handle small doses of socialising. Whichever you are, make sure you are still being social. Social relationships are extremely important as being connected to people who care for you and whom you care for, promotes happiness and calm.

Recognise and remove yourself from any toxic relationships. Know who your friends are, check in on them, and be involved. Team sports are good for social health, however if you aren’t into sport, have a look at volunteering (https://www.volunteer.com.au/)

Physical health:

Physical health encompasses exercise, nutrition, sleep and everything else that can affect your physical body. The old saying ‘you only have one body, look after it’ is so very true. For too many it can take getting a chronic illness to really appreciate your body. Often this can be too late.

Eat well. Be physically active. The latest recommendation is 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate intensity activity each week, aiming to do muscle strengthening activities at least twice a week. Plan your days so that you are allowing enough time for sleep, aiming for 7-9 hours of sleep every single night.

With 1 in 2 Australian adults developing a chronic illness within their lifetime, it is so important to take preventative measures. Look after your body.

Give it the best chance to be healthy.

If you need more specific direction, because each body is unique, please call to book a naturopath or nutritionist appointment.

[1] Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, (2017). “Chronic disease.” Retrieved 09/12/2019, from https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports-data/health-conditions-disability-deaths/chronic-disease/overview.

[2] Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2016). Evidence for chronic disease risk factors. Retrieved from https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/chronic-disease/evidence-for-chronic-disease-risk-factors

[3] Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Health Survey 2014/15.

The post Nutrition and Chronic Illness appeared first on Australian Menopause Centre.

This green powerhouse is perfect for gut health and your microbiome.

As a magnificent domino effect, this makes asparagus great for everything.

First and foremost, asparagus contains both insoluble and soluble fibre. This means that it is great at creating bulk and volume, playing a large role in bowel regularity. But it also means that the vegetable can create a gel like substance within the digestive tract, feeding friendly gut bugs.

This prebiotic effect can impact your microbiome in such a way that your immune system, skin health, detoxification capacity and energy levels all have the potential to significantly benefit. Piggy backing on these gut health benefits, and taking the bulking effect of fibre into account, it is easy to see why many health professionals are encouraging asparagus for weight loss. Its glycaemic index is low, its calorie content is low, its health benefits are high.

Asparagus is packed full of vitamin K, it’s rich in folate and it’s an excellent source of vitamins C, A, E and the Bs. These vitamins play a role in making asparagus great for the heart, great for the skin, great for stress and great for energy. This is why we, health professionals, want you to eat so many vegetables so often and so much; this is the fuel that we want you to get from your food.

Asparagus also contains a unique and vast range of phytonutrients. For example, inulin, another prebiotic, is found in asparagus, anti-inflammatory saponins like asparanin A, sarsasapogein, pronodioscin and diosgenin are found in asparagus, favanoids, including quercetin is found in asparagus and the lignans also make an appearance.

I called asparagus a ‘powerhouse’ earlier – I meant it.

I especially like asparagus for its weight loss and gut health benefits (let me highlight those areas again – asparagus is great for weight loss, and gut health).

Yes, it can make your urine smell funny. So what? The nutrient that causes this is actually an antioxidant – meaning another reason to enjoy asparagus (antioxidants are great for ageing, inflammation, energy, skin – almost everything!). Being too enthusiastic and eating ‘too much’ asparagus (if there is such a thing) may cause uncomfortable gas. If this is you, reduce your intake a little.

Asparagus is best eaten raw, or as least cooked as possible. 90% of Australian asparagus is grown to the south east of Melbourne – eat up!

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Let’s get the obvious out of the way; sex hormones change. It’s part in parcel with menopause. Your sex hormones tend to go up and down and a little crazy to start with (perimenopause), then they settle down, and reduce significantly as the ovaries retire (menopause). When you have a strong level of oestrogen (think of PMS) you can get fluid retention or sweet cravings, leading to weight gain. On the flip side, when you have too little oestrogen (think of menopause) you lose your oestrogen protection against weight gain.

Interestingly, oestrogen has been identified as playing a significant and positive role in the regulation of appetite, energy expenditure, body weight and fat distribution[1]. Yet when most people are people are faced with the decision to start oestrogen, they become concerned about weight gain.

Yet if we really start to think about it – menopause, lack of sex hormones, weight gain – it starts to make sense that oestrogen is involved somehow in keeping weight under control.

And what do you know, the research backs this up. Oestrogens and their receptors have been shown to regulate various aspects of glucose and lipid metabolism[2]. Oestrogen works in the brain by increasing glucose transport into the cells and by aiding ATP (energy) production. It also works in the central nervous system by regulating food intake, energy expenditure, and body fat distribution[3]. If we stop, pause and think about that, we can agree that those actions are complex, important and numerous, and we have only scraped the surface of looking at what oestrogen can do (and yes, too much of a good thing is bad).

Without this oestrogen action, our appetite and satiety levels, as well as our energy levels, as well as our response to certain foods, all change. This is where I have found a lot of people are caught out.

I am often told ‘I haven’t changed my diet, and I am now gaining weight’. Even though you may not have changed your diet for the last 5, 10, 15 years, your body changes the way it responds to certain foods. You may find that the diet you were stable on, now makes you gain weight. Big bummer.

To explain why this occurs, we must recognise that there is an inverse correlation between oestrogen levels and fasting insulin in menopausal women. This means that the lower your oestrogen levels, the higher the fasting insulin – this higher level can lead to an insulin resistance diagnosis and a myriad of metabolic issues from there on. Whether or not this change is directly linked to oestrogen or linked via oestrogen’s role in fat distribution is debatable[4]. Regardless, low oestrogen has been linked to high insulin, and when oestrogen is re-introduced, a reduction of insulin has been noted[5]. (Interesting – reread that sentence!). Unfortunately, this relationship negatively changes the way your body responds to certain foods; namely sugars and carbohydrates (meaning they are not so forgiving anymore!).

The middle-age-spread, menopausal waist or abdominal fat gain is also widely debated in menopausal women. Many suggest this change simply comes with age, others show it as the result of the hormonal changes that come with menopause[6]. Again, oestrogen is the star suspect. Interestingly, and again, if we sit and think about it, at puberty (when sex hormones like oestrogen become key players) your fat distribution and body shape changes – your hips widen, your thighs increase, and your breasts develop. When menopause occurs and your sex hormones (namely oestrogen again) significantly reduce, we lose the shapely waist, hips and thighs curve and gain back that almost prepubescent up and down figure (losing your waistline), and just generally being a little more ‘plump’ or ‘apple’ shaped.

If you haven’t noticed it yet, oestrogen is pretty important in keeping your weight under control. Of course, outside factors like diet, exercise and free-will can overrule your oestrogen effect, but it is still quite impressive and vast to consider the effects oestrogen has over the body. One last function of oestrogen that I want to highlight is fat deposits. Oestrogen is heavily involved in choosing where fat cells are deposited in the body[7]. A lack of oestrogen rearranges fat, leading to the middle-aged spread, or abdominal fat. Unfortunately, this type of fat is significantly unhealthy and can lead to metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular issues, Alzheimer’s, inflammation, obesity and sadly too many other unhealthy outcomes[8]^,[9].

This is partly because fat, especially abdominal fat, functions as an active gland (just like the thyroid and the ovaries function as active glands).

Once your fat cells are present and if you have an increased amount of fat cells, particularly around your abdomen, it’s not so easy to shake it off. Unfortunately, you have few things working against you.

Fat cells secrete multiple hormone-like substances including leptin, resistin and adiponectin. These substances play a large role in appetite and energy levels, and thus they can influence your weight struggles. To simplify, leptin is considered positive for weight control as it reduces appetite, but unfortunately in a study of 634 postmenopausal women[10], it was found that low oestrogen (menopause) is associated with low leptin levels – reducing the hormone-like level of appetite control. Resistin, another hormone-like substance produced in fat cells, is still relatively new and its function hasn’t really been agreed upon. However, it is found to be linked to insulin resistance and increased inflammation. And finally, adiponectin, the other hormone-like substance produced in fat cells has thankfully been found to improve insulin resistance. Unfortunately, adiponectin reduces with menopause[11].

If leptin, resistin and adiponectin are new words to you, you are not alone. Weight loss after menopause is hard. In this instance, preventative measures are best (if you don’t have the abdominal fat cells to begin with, you don’t have the increased barrier to losing weight).

I am sorry to keep going, but there is more.

Another way menopause affects the waistline is indirectly through poor sleep. Hot flushes, night sweats, anxiety and insomnia are classical symptoms of menopause and all of these impact sleep. These symptoms not only create a barrier for weight loss, but they actually encourage weight gain. A study looking at the effects of just one bad nights sleep (and by ‘bad’, I mean only 33% less sleep than normal) found a significant increase in hunger and cravings which resulted in the consumption of larger meals and more sweets[12]. Several other studies have found similar results with the general consensus being that there is an increased risk of obesity in short sleepers[13]. This risk seems to, in part, come from the development of insulin resistance and reduced glucose tolerance (when sleep is limited to 5.5hrs only)[14]. Additional factors include an increase in afternoon and early evening cortisol levels, a decrease in leptin levels and an increase in ghrelin levels[15]^,[16].

Interestingly, melatonin (the hormone that helps you sleep, and may be lacking in those with sleep issues) can contribute to weight loss[17].

Other factors to consider include the thyroid, metabolism, inflammation, cortisol, and of course your microbiome (gut bugs). Weight gain is complex, and weight gain in menopause is even more so complex. (We will cover these factors in another article – this one is getting long!).

But don’t worry, it’s not all doom and gloom. Here are some ways you can help yourself.

• Exercise. Too many studies are suggesting that menopausal weight gain is because women are becoming sedentary with age. If you can exercise, do it. If you have injuries, speak directly to an exercise physiologist or to your doctor to get a referral to an exercise physiologist so that you can learn how to exercise with the injury. This needs to become a priority. The weight that often comes with menopause is difficult to lose and easy to become unmanageable.
  • Also, exercise helps improve insulin sensitivity, decrease leptin and increase ghrelin[18] – all the important factors that menopause negatively affects.
• Limit or eliminate sugars and refined carbohydrates[19]. These are the foods that require insulin function and if we remember, menopause is a time of insulin vulnerability, leading to increased risk of insulin resistance, weight gain and diabetes. Sugar includes your table sugar and sweet items (chocolate, lollies, golden syrup, honey, etc.) and refined carbohydrates includes bread, pasta, pastry, crackers and biscuits.
• Aim for protein at every meal¹⁹. Protein helps with your appetite signals (which can become significantly distorted in menopause). Protein includes meat, tofu, eggs, seafood etc.
• Load up on vegetables. Each meal should be predominantly vegetables. This means that you are getting your nutrients, fibre and bulk, leaving you satisfied, full and ideally healthy. Aim for a rainbow of colours at every meal, and a variety of vegetables throughout the week.
• Bio-identical hormones – namely oestrogen and progesterone. Speak with the medical team at the Australian Menopause Centre to see if bio-identical hormones can help you.
• Be mindful. Mindful eating can help you become aware of internal, rather than external cues to eat. This can be a significantly helpful approach to binge eating or emotional eating.
• Write down your goals. Be accountable, monitor your changes. Weight loss only works if you want to work it.
• Be positive. The power of positive thinking is real.
• Seek help if you are feeling overwhelmed, vulnerable or out of control. Nutritional support, medical support, and mental support is available from the Australian Menopause Centre. Speak with the team to get started.

[1] Roepke, T. A. (2009). “Oestrogen modulates hypothalamic control of energy homeostasis through multiple mechanisms.” J Neuroendocrinol 21(2): 141-150.

[2] Coyoy, A., et al. (2016). “Metabolism Regulation by Estrogens and Their Receptors in the Central Nervous System Before and After Menopause.” Horm Metab Res 48(8): 489-496.

[3] Coyoy, A., et al. (2016). “Metabolism Regulation by Estrogens and Their Receptors in the Central Nervous System Before and After Menopause.” Horm Metab Res 48(8): 489-496.

[4] Marchand, G. B., et al. (2018). “Increased body fat mass explains the positive association between circulating estradiol and insulin resistance in postmenopausal women.” Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 314(5): E448-e456.

[5] Munoz, J., et al. (2002). “Fat distribution and insulin sensitivity in postmenopausal women: influence of hormone replacement.” Obes Res 10(6): 424-431.

[6] Ambikairajah, A., et al. (2019). “Fat mass changes during menopause: a metaanalysis.” Am J Obstet Gynecol 221(5): 393-409.e350.

[7] Frank, A. P., et al. (2019). “Determinants of body fat distribution in humans may provide insight about obesity-related health risks.” J Lipid Res 60(10): 1710-1719.

[8] Razmjou, S., et al. (2018). “Body composition, cardiometabolic risk factors, physical activity, and inflammatory markers in premenopausal women after a 10-year follow-up: a MONET study.” Menopause 25(1): 89-97.

[9] Park, J. K., et al. (2013). “Body fat distribution after menopause and cardiovascular disease risk factors: Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010.” J Womens Health (Larchmt) 22(7): 587-594.

[10] Karim, R., et al. (2015). “Association of endogenous sex hormones with adipokines and ghrelin in postmenopausal women.” J Clin Endocrinol Metab 100(2): 508-515.

[11] Sieminska, L., et al. (2006). “The relation of serum adiponectin and leptin levels to metabolic syndrome in women before and after the menopause.” Endokrynol Pol 57(1): 15-22.

[12] Yang, C. L., et al. (2019). “Increased Hunger, Food Cravings, Food Reward, and Portion Size Selection after Sleep Curtailment in Women Without Obesity.” Nutrients 11(3).

[13] Cappuccio, F. P., et al. (2008). “Meta-analysis of short sleep duration and obesity in children and adults.” Sleep 31(5): 619-626.

[14] Nedeltcheva, A. V., et al. (2009). “Exposure to recurrent sleep restriction in the setting of high caloric intake and physical inactivity results in increased insulin resistance and reduced glucose tolerance.” J Clin Endocrinol Metab 94(9): 3242-3250.

[15] Copinschi, G. (2005). “Metabolic and endocrine effects of sleep deprivation.” Essent Psychopharmacol 6(6): 341-347.

[16] Morselli, L., et al. (2010). “Role of sleep duration in the regulation of glucose metabolism and appetite.” Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab 24(5): 687-702.

[17] Walecka-Kapica, E., et al. (2014). “The effect of melatonin supplementation on the quality of sleep and weight status in postmenopausal women.” Prz Menopauzalny 13(6): 334-338.

[18] Kang, S. J., et al. (2018). “Effects of 12-week circuit exercise program on obesity index, appetite regulating hormones, and insulin resistance in middle-aged obese females.” J Phys Ther Sci 30(1): 169-173.

[19] Ford, C., et al. (2017). “Evaluation of diet pattern and weight gain in postmenopausal women enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study.” Br J Nutr 117(8): 1189-1197.

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Spinach is a staple and now is the perfect time to throw it in your garden (quickly!). Everyone should enjoy the texture, taste and health benefits.

If you have ever spoken to a nutritionist, naturopath or another health-nut you would have likely heard them recommend eating more ‘leafy greens’. Guess what, spinach is one of those powerhouse, superfood, leafy greens!

Spinach is high in carotenoids, rich in vitamin C, loaded in vitamin K1, and an excellent source of iron, vitamin B9, vitamin B6, calcium and vitamin E. Plus it is high in insoluble fibre! Not only is spinach rich in vitamins and minerals, but it helps bulk up your bowel motions to help keep you regular. Which is oh-so important on so many levels (detoxification, energy, brain clarity, etc.).

Concerned about your eyesight? Spinach is rich in zeaxanthin and lutein. Human eyes contain high quantities of these compounds, protecting your eyes from sunlight, and helping work to prevent macular degeneration and cataracts.

Worried about inflammation? Quercetin is an antioxidant that can help with infection and inflammation. Spinach is one of the richest dietary sources of quercetin.

Skin getting a bit dry? Spinach is believed to be great for skin health. The vitamin C and vitamin A quantities found in spinach is believed to be enough to help increase collagen production and increase skin moisture.

Need another reason to put spinach in your trolley (or even better, in the garden)? Didn’t think so.

Fresh spinach should be medium to dark green, crisp and fresh looking, and free of any evidence of deterioration. Store spinach in the crisper section of the fridge, being mindful to not let it sweat, or become surrounded in moisture. It is best used fresh, so try to use it within 3-5 days of purchasing or harvesting.

Wash your spinach thoroughly before adding to your cooking. Add it as one of the last ingredients (doesn’t take long to cook) and add it to just about anything.

Enjoy!

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