Did you have any “yes” answers to yesterday’s quiz ?
(See Part I if you missed it.) Perimenopause symptoms can be associated with inflammation. Any yes answers indicate inflammation. Inflammation can be temporary or can be chronic and can often be improved with diet and lifestyle changes.
One way to look at this “silent” inflammation is that it is like oil build-up inside your car engine. Your engine needs oil to lubricate your gears. However, if the oil is dirty, build-up occurs, your gears are stressed, and things may grind to a halt. You might drive around for a long time before your car acts up; but ultimately there is an impact to your vehicle. Your body is like this with respect to inner inflammation. In the beginning you may not be aware it is mounting until joint or vascular changes occur. Atherosclerosis (fatty build up inside blood vessels) is one common example of a vascular issue connected to chronic inflammation.
7 Steps you can take right now to reduce inflammation and reduce perimenopause symptoms:
1.)Avoid environmental and nutritional things to which you are sensitive.
Photo courtesy of David Castilla Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
It sounds simple, right? Most of us know we don’t tolerate specific foods or beverages. Yet we still “try them” now and again. It’s like poking a bear with a stick. It’s not worth it. If curry always does a number on your digestive tract: it’s not worth the stress to your system. If you have suddenly become reactive to a wine or a spice or a fruit, it’s really better to avoid it as opposed to mourning that it was once in your diet.
2.)Give up gluten in your diet… ALL gluten.
Even if you are not formally allergic to gluten, there are multiple reasons to avoid it.
Firstly, gluten is highly inflammatory. It is like tossing gasoline onto any inflammation fire inside your body. Professional athletes will avoid gluten after injuries in order to speed wound healing and not burden their systems while trying to heal. If this method works for people in the greatest shape of their lives, it will benefit you too.
Firstly, gluten is highly inflammatory. It is like tossing gasoline onto any inflammation fire inside your body. Professional athletes will avoid gluten after injuries in order to speed wound healing and not burden their systems while trying to heal. If this method works for people in the greatest shape of their lives, it will benefit you too.
Secondly, gluten found in the typical American diet is a hybridized and genetically modified (GMO). It is a foreign substance to our bodies kind of like margarine.
Lastly, gluten is consumed in too much and too often. Gluten will substantially ramp up any inflammatory process happening in your system. A wealth of availability currently exists on gluten-free foods; so do some research.
Specifically avoid:
Wheat, Spelt, Semolina, Barley, Bulgur, and Rye.
Some women can substitute these complex carbohydrates into their diet:
Rice, Potatoes, Quinoa, Wheat-free oats.
Corn is a wild card. It is a possibility but keep in mind that most corn products in the U.S. are also GMO like wheat (so a foreign substance to our bodies). Corn is also highly inflammatory though, not to the degree of wheat.
The newest research is finding that ALL grains contain gluten-like substances, which can trigger reactions. Many women, myself included are finding that with hormone changes the ability to digest grains becomes problematic.
3.)Weigh yourself each day.
This photo courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
If you notice an appreciable increase (for example 2 pounds overnight) after eating a certain food you are witnessing inflammation first hand. It is an indicator of intolerance which may be temporary or may not depending upon your unique system. Sometimes cutting an offending food or beverage out for 3-6 months will desensitize your system and you may be able to reintroduce it later.
4.)Increase in your muscle mass and decrease in your body fat.
This does not mean hours and hours in the gym. Even modest shifts in body fat and muscle greatly reduce your tendency to make inflammatory substances. Incorporating weight bearing exercise like free weights will build muscle mass, burn fat and will also strengthen your bones.
5.)Give your body antioxidant rich foods and supplements like:
Berries,
Broccoli,
Carrots,
Tomatoes,
Red grapes,
Garlic,
Spinach,
Green tea.
Vitamin C,
Vitamin E,
Selenium,
Beta Carotene.
Broccoli,
Carrots,
Tomatoes,
Red grapes,
Garlic,
Spinach,
Green tea.
Vitamin C,
Vitamin E,
Selenium,
Beta Carotene.
6.)Increase your intake of Omega-3 Fatty Acids like:
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA). You can also supplement with Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) but this Omega-3 is sometimes harder to absorb if you have multiple inflammatory signs.
Dietary sources of Omega-3’s:
Salmon,
Mackerel,
Tuna,
Flaxseed oil,
Algal oil,
Krill oil.
Salmon,
Mackerel,
Tuna,
Flaxseed oil,
Algal oil,
Krill oil.
7.)Get acupuncture!
Research consistently shows that acupuncture reduces inflammation, speeds healing, and reduces things like cortisol levels which ramp up with stress. For scheduling information and appointment availability, do please visit my website at: KReynoldsAcupuncture.com.
Thank you for reading!
- Please leave any questions you may have here and I am happy to answer them.
- If you found this article helpful, I would appreciate your like for my Facebook page at: Karen Reynolds, LAc, RN Acupuncture for Optimal Health
- All content here is written personally by me in with the goal that it is be helpful to you. As long as you include the link for this blog entry to credit me as the author, it is fine to repost or share if you wish. Be well! Karen Reynolds, RN, MS, LAc
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