Menopause Whisperer 6 Week Weight Loss Program · The Menopause Whisperer 6-Week Weight Loss Program is designed to not only help you lose weight but also to help you gain abundant

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Menopause Whisperer 6 Week Weight Loss Program

Disclaimer:

The information presented, PDF’s or other means, are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any

medical condition or disease. They are not intended to replace a relationship with your medical doctor.

They are for educational and informational purposes only, based on information from reputable studies

and experiences from experts in the field. Research and discussion with your doctor is encouraged. The

author is not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from this information. This

course has not been reviewed or approved by the FDA.

www.menopausewhisperer.com © 2018

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http://www.menopausewhisperer.com/


Welcome to the Menopause Whisperer 6-Week Weight Loss Program ! I am

honoured you have chosen to come on board, so thank you once again for joining!

This isn't just another fad diet. Neither is it a quick fix. Fad diets come and go, but this

program is different. It goes beyond making a few changes to your diet for a week or

two. Instead, I will show you step-by-step how to change your lifestyle as well as

understanding on how your hormones could be affecting your weight loss.

You've taken the first step to improving your health and wellness and I'm eager to help

you on this journey so that you can live the healthy, vibrant lifestyle you've always

wanted.

The Menopause Whisperer 6-Week Weight Loss Program is designed to not only

help you lose weight but also to help you gain abundant health, energy and

knowledge. It is filled with tons of practical tips, 60+ healthy weight loss recipes and

easy-to-apply health knowledge that will set you up for success for life.

I delve into how your hormones are sabotaging your weight loss. Once you have a

better understanding on how your hormones function you will find it easier to make

changes in your diet to allow your hormones to function at their best, and work with

your body and not against it.

After years of weight loss research, studying, personal experiments and consultations

with clients, I have identified the 6 Top Hormones that need special attention for you to

achieve your Weight Loss goal.

I'll be covering each of these hormones in the Menopause Whisperer 6-Week Weight

Loss Program.


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There are 6 modules to this program. I recommend to all my clients that they set

aside one week for each module. Take in the advise, make some changes and

then move onto the next module. If you need longer than one week on each

module, that is fine. This is your program, so feel free to move at a pace that suits

you.

I have delved into a lot of research while constructing this program. This program

specifically targets hormonal imbalances and how to overcome them in order to

achieve accelerated weight loss.

In the course of my 20+ years as a Nurse and Naturopath, I have researched many

plans and methods to help women lose weight as they approach menopause and

beyond.

You now have access to the main principles of this research. I have done all the work

for you and I will be sharing with you a proven plan that will give consistent and

effective results in your weight loss journey.

You can be confident if you follow my plan that you will get the results you are looking

for, but only if you follow my plan and are willing to implement the changes necessary

to make it a success.

Many diet plans can leave you despondent and have you obsessing over calories in vs

calories out leaving you not appreciating, or enjoying, what you are eating. This is not

one of those plans.


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In order to be successful in your weight loss journey, you need to be eating foods that

have real flavour and leave you satisfied. Many plans can also lead to nutrient

deficiencies, cravings and bingeing, not this plan . You will feel satisfied and your

cravings will diminish.

The connection between our diet and hormones is significant, yet widely ignored, even

though our hormones directly impact our health. The Menopause Whisperer 6-Week

Weight Loss Program is here to help you understand that connection.

The secret to sustained weight loss for women 45+ is hormone balance. If your

hormones are out of balance you will find it difficult to lose weight. Conversely, if your

hormones are in balance you will find it easier to lose weight.

I am going to show you how to nourish and look after your hormones so you can

achieve the body you are looking for and have more energy and vitality in your day.

I know you are eager to get started, so let's jump straight in!

It's time for you to get started

Let the journey begin,

Much thanks

Julie Dargan Nurse, ND, BHSc


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Module 1 12

Getting In The Mindset For Success 12 Insulin 14

Insulin 15 Insulin’s Role In The Body 17 Trigger Of Events When You Eat Carbohydrates 18 What Happens In Between Meals Or During Times Of Sleep 19 Trigger of Events When There Is Insulin Resistance 20 Changes You Can Start Today To Improve Insulin Levels 22 How To Decrease The Impact Of Insulin Resistance 24 Fasting Blood Sugar Levels: How To Interpret The Results 26

Week 1 Menu Plan & Recipes 27 Morning Ginger & Lemon Shot 30 Eggs To Go 32 Green Smoothie Kickstart 33 Tuna & Egg Salad 35 Zucchini Delish 37 Basic Green Salad 38 Mild Chicken Curry 40 Red Lentil Dahl 41 Lamb Kofta 42 Papaya & Lime 44

Insulin Resistance Quiz 45

FAQs Module 1 47 What is Glycemic Load? 47 Will I be hungry on this program? 47 What can I do if I am hungry? 48

Exercise Goals For Module 1 49

Extra resources for further reading: 50

Module 2 51


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Oestrogen & Progesterone 54 Oestrogen 56 Progesterone 57 Oestrogen and Progesterone Balance 58 Fat Distribution 59 How Changes In Oestrogen & Progesterone Affect Your Metabolism 62 Oestrogen Dominance 64 16 Tips To Help Manage Oestrogen & Prevent Weight Gain During Menopause 65 Oestrogen Removal 68 Foods To Enhance Removal Of Oestrogens 69 Dietary Fibre & Oestrogen Clearance 70 Foods to Fuel Your Liver To Assist In Oestrogen Removal 71 Other Liver Remedies 72

Milk Thistle 72 Seeds 72 Green Tea 72

Week 2 Menu Plan & Recipes 73 Hormonal Harmony Green Smoothie 74 Papaya, Mozzarella & Basil Salad 76 Cooling Green Smoothie 78 Kale Chips 79 Detox Salad & Tahini Dressing 80 Green Strawberry Ice-cream 81 Raw Stir Fry 82 Baked Eggs In Avocado 84 Tuna & Rocket Salad 85 Steamed Chicken In Orange & Balsamic Glaze 86 Spicy Chickpeas 87 Julie’s Vibrant Red Salad 88 Green Smoothie Bowl 89

Are you Oestrogen Dominant Quiz? 90

FAQ Module 2 91 If low levels of oestrogen cause weight gain why is oestrogen dominance a problem? 91 What is the best way to decrease oestrogen dominance? 91


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Module 3 93

Cortisol 95

Stress 96 Benefit of Stress 96 Detrimental Effects of Stress 97 Stress Survival Mechanism 98 The Adrenal Glands 102 Role of the Adrenal Glands 102 Cortisol 103 Normal Cortisol Blood Levels 104 Signs of Adrenal Fatigue 105 Recommendations To Manage Stress & Ease Adrenal Fatigue 108 Herbal Recommendations To Help Manage Stress & Ease Adrenal Fatigue 110 Stress & Menopause Symptoms 111

DHEA 112 Signs Indicating Low Dhea Levels 115 Ways To Naturally Raise Your Dhea Levels 116

Week 3 Menu Plan & Recipes 118 Feta, Cashew & Avocado Salad 119 Banana Passion 120 Smoked Salmon & Carrot Salad 121 Orange Choc Balls 122 Brussel Sprout Smoothie! 123 Sweet Potato Soup 124 Baked Pumpkin & Beetroot 125 Roast Beetroot & Pumpkin Salad 126 Savoury Roasted Cashew 127 Greek Style Tuna Salad 128 Sweet Potato Dhal 129 Stewed Apple & Berry 130

Is Stress The Cause Of Your Weight Gain Quiz? 131


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Could Stress Be The Cause Of Your Weight Gain? 131

FAQ Module 3 132 Why do I crave salty foods when I am stressed? 132 Why do I bloat after eating when I am stressed? 132 Why do I cry all the time when I am stressed? 133



Module 4 135

Leptin 136 Leptin’s Major Regulatory Roles 138 Low Leptin Levels 139 Leptin Resistance 141 Symptoms Commonly Associated With Leptin Resistance 144 Reasons For Developing Leptin Resistance 145

1. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) 145 2. C- Reactive Protein(CRP) 147 3. Hydrogenated (trans fats) foods 147 4. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) 148 5. Aspartame 149 6. Foods With A High Glycemic Load (GL) 149 7. Stress & lack of sleep 150 8. Other sugar substitutes 150

Leptin Resistance: A Survival Mechanism 151 Complications Associated With Leptin Resistance 152 How To Overcome Leptin Resistance 152

Week 4 Menu Plan & Recipes 157 Apples & Spice 158 Egg & Avocado with Cayenne 159 Bananahini 160 Cucumber & Tomato Salad 161 Cod in Cumin & Coriander 162 Eggplant & Lemon Pepper 163 Quinoa With Poached Egg & Spinach 164 Balsamic Chicken with Wilted Baby Spinach 165


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Lemon Bliss Balls 166 Grilled Chicken With Orange & Balsamic Glaze 167 Spicy Orange Delight 168 Sweet Cabbage Salad 169

Leptin Resistant Quiz? 170

FAQ Module 4 171 How do I know if I am leptin resistant? 171 Can leptin resistance be reversed? 171 How long does it take to restore leptin sensitivity? 171 At the end of the 3 or 6 weeks Leptin resistance protocol what comes next? 172



Module 5 174

Liver & Thyroid 174 5 Tips To Reignite Your Liver 175

Thyroid Hormones 176 Thyroid Gland 176 Thyroid & Weight Gain 178 Thyroid disease 179 Hyperthyroidism 180 Hypothyroidism 180 Blood Tests To Assess Low Thyroid Function 182

1. Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) 182 2. Free Thyroxine (T4) 183 3. Free T3 183

Signs Of Low Thyroid Function 185 Causes of hypothyroidism 186 Diet Recommendations For Low Thyroid Function 187

Week 5 Menu Plan & Recipes 192 Tomato & Zucchini Soup 193 Egg Muffins 194 Banana Pancakes 195 Red Berry Delight 196


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Almond Muffins 197 Arame & Ginger Salad 198 Carrot & Pine Nut Roast 199 Roast Pumpkin With Mustard Dressing 200 Roasted Eggplant & Peppers 201 Simple Asparagus Feta & Eggs 202 Quick & Easy Roast Lamb & Carrot 203 Kale & Brussels Sprouts Salad 204

Thyroid Function Quiz 205

Exercise Goals For Week 5 206


Module 6 207 1. Stay Active 207 2. Eat Green, Clean & Lean 208 3. Purchase With Purpose 209 4. Plan ahead 210


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Module 1 Getting In The Mindset For Success

Losing weight means more than simply changing you diet. You also need to change

your mindset, be prepared and research. I have made it easy by doing all the research

for you but only you can change your mindset and be prepared, but I will help give you

a nudge in the right direction.

Below are some housekeeping details that need to be addressed before you proceed

to the next step.

1. Visit your doctor or health care practitioner

Being overweight or obese can cause a variety of diseases and conditions, including

high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. Before you start this

program you may want to visit your doctor and check your blood pressure, blood

cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar levels.

Your doctor will be able to ensure you are ready to start a weight-loss program. If you

have heart problems, a family history of cardiovascular disease, or any joint problems,

be sure to ask your doctor if there is any additional testing you may want to consider

before beginning an exercise program. Also mention any medications you're taking, as

some of them may hinder your ability to lose weight.

2. Set realistic goals


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Focus on small, attainable goals that will lead to long-term healthy changes. If you set

the bar too high, you may fail to achieve them can lead to slipping back into your old

habits.

3. Tips for setting goals

1. Write down your goals. I know this sounds simple but is one that many women

have good intentions in doing but do not make time to sit down and plan. Take

time now to start a food and exercise journal, and be sure to include your list of

goals. As you achieve them, be sure to cross them off. This helps you to gain

momentum as you move along in your weight loss journey. You may come to

realise that you can add new goals when you have achieved goals that you

have written down that you may once thought were unattainable. For example, a

goal may be to walk 2 miles a day. After a couple of weeks you may find that

you have not only achieved your goal to walk 2 miles but now able to walk 4

miles a day.

2. Make your goals specific. Saying you want to "lose weight" will not be enough.

Make a plan to lose two pounds a week or run a mile without stopping by the

end of the month or lose a few pounds for an upcoming wedding.

3. Take things one step at a time. Small, incremental goals are easier to meet.

4. Focus on overall health and how you are feeling. Do not focus on the restrictions

that you may feel in the beginning but focus on how great you are feeling. The

good feel vibes will kick in, trust me on this one.

5. Plan for setbacks. When changing behavior, slip-ups are inevitable. Identify

potential road blocks such as a family gathering and make a plan for staying

motivated when these happen.


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With each module, I will share information on one of the major hormones. In this first module, I am going to delve into Insulin and Glucose Balance. With over 20 years experience in women's health and weight management I have found that glucose intolerance is a major contributor to weight gain, particularly for women 45+

Insulin ● Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas. Its function is to allow other

cells to transform glucose into energy throughout your body.

● When you eat, your pancreas releases insulin to help your body make energy

out of sugars (glucose). It also helps you store energy. Insulin is a vital part of

metabolism. Without it, your body would cease to function.

● When carbohydrate-rich foods are consumed, insulin is secreted by the

pancreas to take glucose from the food to the cells for energy.

● For a number of reasons, over time insulin may fail to work as well as it should,

which can lead to weight gain.

● The highly processed nature of our daily carbohydrate food choices, including

breads, breakfast cereal and snack foods, which require much higher amounts

of insulin than less processed, low-GI carbohydrates, is also thought to be a

significant contributing factor to the increased incidence of insulin resistance.

● Resistance to insulin builds up over time, with the body gradually producing

more and more insulin in an attempt to get it to work better at taking glucose to

the body's cells for energy.

● As insulin is also a fat-storing hormone, the more of it that circulates in the body,

the harder it becomes to burn body fat. High levels of insulin can also make you

feel tired, bloated and crave sugar.

● Women with insulin resistance also tend to have distinct abdominal fat deposits,

and carry much of their weight around their belly.


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Insulin Insulin is a hormone that is produced by your body to break down glucose (sugar) from

the food you eat so it can be used for energy.

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that has a number of important

functions in the human body, particularly in the control of blood glucose levels and

preventing hyperglycemia (high blood sugars). It also has an effect on several other

areas of the body, including the synthesis of fats and regulation of enzymatic activity.

Insulin Resistance (or Impaired Glucose Regulation) can be a major player in hormonal

imbalance which is often ignored. Insulin resistance often contributes to adrenal fatigue

and thyroid imbalance and I have found that if you get your glucose/insulin interaction

under control, adrenal function and thyroid balance usually get resolved without extra

intervention or medication.

Insulin is considered as one of the major hormones women need to pay attention to,

due to the fact that it is impossible for your body to balance oestrogen and

progesterone until your insulin metabolism is balanced first.

Symptoms of insulin resistance include feeling tired, sugar cravings, weight gain,

fatigue, hunger, irritability and poor concentration.

By making the first step in an effort to restore glucose regulation is crucial to change

your body’s metabolism from one of fat storing mode to one of fat burning mode.

Insulin malfunction can lead to weight gain and insulin resistance.


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There is also a clear association between insulin resistance and diabetes, heart

disease and increased blood pressure. Insulin sensitivity also increases with age,

hence you may find that you cannot eat as much processed carbohydrates as you

were able to when you were younger, without some side effects.

I am going to share with you the solutions to overcome this and introduce changes that

you can start making today to help you win the battle of the bulge and to have a

healthier future.


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Insulin’s Role In The Body Insulin is a hormone that is formed in the pancreas.

Its role is to transport glucose into the cell. Insulin production is triggered when there is

glucose in the blood.

The body needs insulin in the blood to bind with circulating glucose. The body cells will

only open up to insulin, and not to glucose. Cells have an outer wall, called a

membrane, that controls what enters and exits the cell.

When the insulin knocks on the cell door, it opens to let it in. It does not answer to

glucose knocking on its door (which is why Type 1 diabetics need insulin injections in

order for the cells to accept glucose).

As a side line note, insulin is also considered an anabolic hormone that triggers growth.

Insulin also plays a role in how proteins and fats are metabolised, how and where

glucose converts to fats and where these fats are laid down.


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Trigger Of Events When You Eat Carbohydrates

1. Consumption of carbohydrates leads to increased blood sugar levels causing

blood glucose levels to rise.

2. The body senses the sugar levels rising in the blood and triggers the pancreas

to release insulin. The amount released is dependent on the amount of sugar in

the blood.

3. The insulin carries the glucose into the cells thus causing the levels of glucose

in the blood to decrease.

4. The insulin is responsible for creating roughly 5-7% fat cells. These fat cells

create another hormone, leptin. As soon as the leptin is created and released

into the bloodstream, this triggers the pancreas to stop producing insulin.

5. Once the glucose is in the cells, it is converted to energy.


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What Happens In Between Meals Or During Times Of Sleep

When there is a decrease in blood glucose due to no food being eaten, there is no

need for insulin.

But when we are sleeping or if we take long periods between meals, the body still

needs fuel to survive, and needs glucose for energy from within the body. This is when

the body uses muscle glucose stores (referred to as glycogen stores). The pancreas

secretes glucagon to release stored glycogen from the liver. This glycogen also

triggers fat cell breakdown (aka fat burning!)

Insulin is a primary fat making hormone.

If there is too much insulin due to eating high glycemic index foods such as pasta or

potato, or due to constantly snacking on foods, the pancreas is forced to constantly

secrete insulin.

The cells can only accept so much glucose and stops opening its doors and thus

becomes deaf to the constant knocking by the insulin. This is commonly referred to

insulin resistance.


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Trigger of Events When There Is Insulin Resistance

1. Blood sugar levels increase at a constant rate.

2. Over time the cells become resistant to insulin and they only partially open the

doors. Thus, less sugar enters the cell leaving more circulating in your blood.

3. Sugar levels in the blood remain high and therefore the pancreas is constantly

being alerted to produce more insulin despite there being enough insulin the

blood.

4. The full amount of glucose in the blood therefore does not enter the cell for

energy and hence you feel tired.

5. The increased blood glucose instead gets stored as fat. Not only that, but having

high blood insulin levels, inhibits your fat cells from giving up their energy stores

to let you lose weight.


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To add fuel to the fire, the lack of glucose to the cell results in lack of energy, mixed

with the body thinking that it is starving and triggers a hunger response, causing more

snacking and more eating of usually the wrong foods.

Belly fat that is difficult to shift can be an indicator of insulin resistance. Other signs and

symptoms include obesity, high ratio of middle fat to hip fat, feeling shaky and weak 3

hours after your last food eaten.

This can be a slow decline of 15-20 years which can be a good thing, because you

have time to stop the decline now.

If your pancreas is secreting insulin regularly, it is not secreting glucagon and therefore

there is no fat burning taking place in your body, which may be why you are finding it

difficult to lose weight. The presence of insulin is inhibiting any fat burning.

Insulin resistance can also lead to systemic inflammation, thyroid deficiencies (which

may be more due to insulin imbalances as opposed to thyroid issues) and an increased

risk of diabetes. The constant flow of insulin being created can wear out the pancreas

thus leading to diabetes.


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Changes You Can Start Today To Improve Insulin Levels

You need to decrease the constant release of insulin and stop it flooding the cells and

have times of no insulin exposure to give the pancreas time to release glucagon, the

fat burning hormone.

Remember, the pancreas will only release glucagon when the blood glucose levels are

low.

● No snacking

● Eat only 3 meals a day

● Allow breaks of 4-5 hours between meals

● Limit fruit to 2 servings a day

● Increase your intake of leafy green vegetables.

● Limit carbohydrates

● Avoid sweetened beverages

● Eat more fibre

● Eat healthy fats

● Get enough protein

● Think about your portion sizes

● Increase exercise

Insulin in the blood is telling the body to store energy. If you want to lose weight,

storing energy is the last thing you want to be doing, you want to be burning it.


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The benefits of having only 3 meals a day include:

● less insulin bathing the cells

● less chance of developing Insulin Resistance

● less chance of pancreas burnout

● you body starts burning fat for fuel

● the decrease in blood glucose levels stimulates glucagon and more fats will be

used for fuel.

● Most importantly you are transforming your body from a fat storage mode to one

of fat burning mode.

Take It Slowly At First

● You should not make this changes straight away.

● Start slowly and train the body.

● Do not rush the process.

● Follow the principles outlined this week slowly. Do not try and rush the process

and slowly increase the time between meals and eat if you are feeling too light

headed or nauseous.


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How To Decrease The Impact Of Insulin Resistance In order for your cells to recover from their sensitivity and allow the pancreas to heal,

and best of all, for you to lose weight read on.

You need to decrease foods that spike insulin, which are the high glycemic index

foods. These foods include fruit juices, sodas, bread, pasta, biscuits etc and replace

them with nutrient dense foods.

Cut out processed carbohydrates.

Vegetables are low in starches and sugars as well as high in fibre, therefore they do

not spike insulin the same way as bread, pasta, sugar, potato, butternut, corn and

aspartame.

Carbohydrates to eat include fruits that are low in sugar like apples and pears, limit to 2

a day initially.

You need to give your body time when there is low levels of insulin circulating in the

blood hence the need for just 3 meals a day and NO SNACKING and definitely no food

to be eaten after 7pm at night.


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Increased cellular sensitivity to insulin

When your cells become deaf to the knocking on the door from the insulin trying to

enter, there is less glucose entering the cell, which leaves you tired and nutrient

depleted.

To improve the cellular sensitivity, your cells need a rest from the constant source of

insulin (by decreasing constant high carbohydrate intake) and making sure your diet

contains adequate amount of chromium and magnesium.

In order for the receptors on the cell membrane to work properly you need sufficient

levels of chromium and magnesium in the blood. In either supplement form or from

your diet.

Chromium

Chromium is a mineral that helps stabilize blood sugar, may improve fat blood profiles,

and may help the body utilize glucose and burn fat.

Chromium is also involved in carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism. It assists

glucose homeostasis.

Metformin (oral diabetes medication)

Improves the uptake of glucose into the cell by stimulating the insulin receptors. These

receptors force the liver cells to take up the insulin carrying the glucose leading to

decreased insulin resistance. But this should only be done short term. Long term,

taking metformin and supplements will soon over-activate the pancreas because it is

still pumping out too much insulin.


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Fasting Blood Sugar Levels: How To Interpret The Results

GLUCOSE LEVEL INDICATION

From 3.0-5.4 mmol/L Normal glucose tolerance

From 6.1 to 6.90 mmol/L Impaired fasting glucose

7.0 mmol/L & above Probable diabetes


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Week 1 Menu Plan & Recipes 6.00am - 7.00am Start the day with a morning Ginger & Lemon Shot (page 30)

Breakfast: Choose one of the following:

● Eggs to Go (page 32)

● Green Smoothie (page 33)

Lunch: Choose one of the following:

● Tuna & Egg Salad (page 35)

● Basic Green Salad (page 40)

● Zucchini Delish (page 37)

Dinner: Choose one of the following:

● Mild Chicken Curry (page 40)

● Red Lentil Dahl (page 41)

● Lamb Kofta (page 42)

Snacks allowed

Papaya & Lime (page 44) to help with sugar cravings. Papaya is also an excellent

digestive.


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Benefits Of Ginger & Lemon Juice Each Morning

Adding a squeeze of lemon to your water in the morning can help jumpstart your

metabolism and boost your immune system. Adding ginger helps to stimulate a healthy

appetite, balance glucose levels, and so much more.

Ginger boosts your immune system and it can help remove any harmful bacteria from your gut that could compromise your immune system, allowing the good bacteria to thrive. It also contains anti-inflammatory agents, which means that your immune system does not need to work in overdrive to combat internal inflammation in the cells.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) symptoms include cramping, intense pain, nausea,

vomiting, diarrhea, and other uncomfortable digestive issues, usually after a meal.

Ginger can help relax the intestines when they become aggravated and therefore this

makes it a great addition to your morning routine.

As you age you need to pay attention to ways to increase lean muscle as well as

boosting your metabolism first thing in the morning and this is where ginger, with lemon

in the morning, work wonders on the body. Ginger kicks the metabolism into gear by

causing the stomach to produce more acid. This is beneficial for people looking to lose

weight, as the extra acid in the stomach turns on the metabolism, causing your body to

burn more calories and fat. It’s also a great pre-workout boost to help your body burn

even more calories during a cardio workout.

Spikes and dips in blood sugar levels are what lead to anxiety or dizzy spells or even

nausea. Ginger can help regulate blood sugar to combat symptoms of both high and

low blood sugar.

Lemon juice also stimulates your metabolism in the morning helping you feel more

energised in the morning.


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Antioxidants found in lemons can help cleanse the digestive system and liver, which

can, in turn, help your body release toxins and shed extra pounds.

Although lemon is an acidic fruit, helps to balance pH levels in the body. When your

body’s pH levels are in balance, you have more energy, clearer skin, and can maintain

a healthy weight.

There are so many health benefits to both lemon and ginger juices. When combined,

these superfoods are the perfect addition to practically any diet and can lead to

increased energy, better digestion, increased immunity and so much more.

By starting your day with a shot of ginger juice with lemon you’re kicking your

metabolism into high gear and setting yourself up to burn calories and energize your

body for the entire day.


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Morning Ginger & Lemon Shot Ready in 5 minutes, longer if freezing. Serves 12 servings


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Ingredients ● 3 lemons, 2 peeled, 1 with peel intact

● 2” sized chunk of ginger

● 1 glass water

Preparation 1. Juice the lemon and ginger in a juicer.

2. Add water.

3. Pour into an ice cube tray and freeze.

4. Once frozen remove the cubes from the ice-cube trays and make sure to store

your cubes in an airtight container suited for freezing.

5. Every morning, one remove a cube and add hot water, stir for 30 seconds and it

is ready to drink.

Alternatively, remove an ice cube the evening before and place it in your bathroom.

That way, you can have your shot just before your shower and 10-20 minutes

before breakfast.


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Eggs To Go

Ready in 10 minutes. Serves 1 person

Ingredients ● 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

● 1 small carrot, peeled and grated

● ¼ cup green peas

● 2 eggs

● Pinch salt and pepper

Preparation ● Crack eggs into a small bowl.

● Add salt and pepper and whisk with a fork until mixed.

● Add oil to a hot pan.

● Add vegetables to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes.

● Turn down the heat to low.

● Add eggs and scramble all ingredients together until cooked.

Tips The secret to soft and creamy scrambled eggs is to cook the eggs on a low heat.

Cooking in a hot pan creates a rubbery texture.


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Green Smoothie Kickstart

Ready in 5 minutes. Serves 1-2 people.

Ingredients ● 1 cup spinach

● 1-2 cups water

● 1 tomato

● 1 pear

● ¼ lemon wedge with peel

● 2 teaspoons flaxseeds (linseeds)


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Preparation 1. Put spinach and water into blender first and blend until smooth.

2. Add rest of ingredients and blend again until smooth.

Tips To make this Green Smoothie with extra detox power you can add 1/4 bunch parsley

without stems.

For a protein boost you can also add 1-2 handful cashews nuts, according to your taste

buds. Go slow at first and keep the recipe basic. Once you are happy with the mix then

you can be more adventurous and add something different to the mix.

Can be for 2 people or drink one cup in the morning and save the rest for a mid

afternoon pick me up.

This mixture will keep for 48 hours if stored in the fridge in an airtight container.


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Tuna & Egg Salad

Ready in 10 minutes. Serves 2 people


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Ingredients ● 1 (185g/7 oz) tin tuna, drained

● 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped

● 1 cup chopped celery

● 1 tablespoon mayonnaise

● 1 cup mixed salad leaves

● 2 tomatoes, sliced

● Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation 1. In a medium bowl, stir together the tuna, eggs, celery and mayonnaise.

2. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Place salad leaves and tomato onto plate.

4. Add tuna and egg mix. Serve and enjoy.


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Zucchini Delish Ready in 20 minutes. Serves 2 people

Ingredients ● 2-3 small zucchini (courgette)

● Parsley or coriander, small handful

● ½ avocado

● ½ lemon, juiced

● Feta cheese, 50 gm (1.75oz)

● 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

● Cashew nuts, 8-10

● Garlic clove, 1 (peel, chop and blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes)

● Water, 1 tbsp

Preparation 1. Spiralize or peel zucchini into ribbons.

2. Lightly saute zucchini in olive oil and salt. Set aside.

3. Blend parsley, avocado, lemon juice, feta cheese, cashew nuts, garlic and water

in a good quality blender and blend until smooth.

4. Add blend to zucchini and mix well then serve.


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Basic Green Salad

Ready in 5 minutes. Serves 2 people.

Ingredients ● 1 cucumber, chopped

● 1 cup baby spinach

● 2 tomatoes chopped

● 6 green olives

● 1/4 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

● 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil


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Preparation 1. Mix cucumber, baby spinach, chopped tomatoes, and olives in a bowl.

2. In a cup mix the apple cider vinegar and olive oil and pour over mix just before

eating.

Tips Never skip the dressing. This is required as it assists the body to absorb the

nutrients in the greens.

The oil helps the body absorb valuable nutrients found in vegetables, such as

lycopene and beta-carotene while the vinegar helps to digest the oil.


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Mild Chicken Curry Ready in 60 minutes. Serves 2-4 people

Ingredients ● 2 tablespoons coconut oil

● 1 large onion, finely chopped

● 2 garlic cloves, crushed

● 1-2 cm fresh ginger, grated

● 1 teaspoon coriander seeds

● 1 teaspoon yellow mustard

seeds

● 1 teaspoon garam masala

● ½ teaspoon ground cumin

● 500gm (18 oz) chicken pieces

● 300ml (10 fl oz) boiling water

● 1 cinnamon stick

● 250gm (9oz) greek yoghurt

Preparation 1. Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan. Fry the onions gently for 5 – 10 mins until

soft.

2. Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, mustard seeds, garam masala and cumin and

cook for 1 - 2 min allowing the aromas to release.

3. Add the chicken and cook for 10 mins over a gentle heat.

4. Pour in around 300 ml water until almost covering.

5. Add cinnamon stick.

6. Simmer for around 45 mins - 1 hour with the lid off so there is a small amount of

thickened sauce at the bottom of the pan.

7. Remove the cinnamon stick.

8. Stir in the yogurt.

9. Heat through gently and serve.


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Red Lentil Dahl Ready in 60 minutes. Serves 4 people.

Ingredients ● 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

● 1 medium brown onion, finely chopped


● 1 tablespoon mild curry powder

● 1 cup dried red lentils, well rinsed, drained

● 1 cm piece fresh ginger, grated

● 1/2 cup coconut milk

● 3 1/2 cups water

● 1-2 cups rocket (arugula) leaves

Preparation 1. Heat oil in a saucepan over a medium heat.

2. Cook onion for 5-7 minutes or until tender.

3. Add garlic and curry powder. Cook for 2 minutes or until fragrant.

4. Add lentils, ginger, coconut milk and water.

5. Bring to the boil then reduce heat to low.

6. Simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes or until lentils have softened.

7. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 30 minutes or until thickened.

8. Remove from heat.

9. Serve warm over rocket (arugula) leaves.


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Lamb Kofta Ready in 30-40 minutes. Serves 4 people

Ingredients ● 1kg (2lb) lamb pieces

● 2 x 2 tablespoons olive oil

● 2 tablespoons cornflour

● 1 teaspoon garam masala

● 2 medium onions, chopped

● 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger (or 1 teaspoon fresh ginger)

● 1 teaspoon ground cumin

● ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

● ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

● 1 teaspoon cardamom seeds

● ⅓ cup cornflour (extra)

● 2 cups plain yoghurt

● 400 ml Coconut cream

● ¼ cup slivered almonds


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Preparation 1. Mix the cornflour with garam masala and add to the lamb and mix well to coat.

Leave to marinate for 1 hour.

2. Heat first 2 tablespoons olive oil and add lamb. Cover and cook the lamb for

three to four minutes. Stir the lamb cubes using a slotted spoon. Cover again

and continue cooking. Stir the lamb cubes every two to three minutes until all

are golden brown and no longer pink. Remove the lamb cubes from the skillet

using a slotted spoon and set aside.

3. Heat remaining olive oil in medium saucepan, add onions, ginger, cumin,

cinnamon, cloves and cardamom seeds.

4. Stir over medium heat for about 3 minutes or until onions are soft and

translucent.

5. Stir in extra corn flour, stir over medium heat for a further 30 seconds.

6. Remove from heat, gradually stir in combined water and yoghurt, stir over high

heat until mixture boils and thickens.

7. Add prepared lamb to saucepan, stir in coconut cream. Reduce the heat and

simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour, or until the meat is very

tender. Add a little water if the mixture becomes too dry.

8. Sprinkle with almond slivers.

9. Serve over steamed rice or with basic green salad (page 37). Tips Recipe can be cooked a day ahead; keep, covered, in refrigerator. Not suitable to

freeze.


43



Papaya & Lime

Ready in 5 minutes. Serves 4 people

Ingredients ● 1/2 papaya

● Juice of 1 lime

Preparation 1. Scoop out the seeds of a papaya with a spoon.

2. Remove the skin and cut into chunks.

3. Squeeze lime over the papaya.

Tips Adding lime juice to the papaya brings out the sweetness of the fruit.

Papaya contains the enzyme papain. It can help with the breakdown of proteins, such

as the gluten in wheat and the casein in milk, that are often implicated in digestive

problems, as well as digesting meat products.


44



Insulin Resistance Quiz Circle Yes or NO

1) Is your waist diameter larger than your hip diameter? Y/N

2) Do you experience “brain fog” or difficulty concentrating? Y/N

3) Do you feel tired in the evenings? Y/N

4) Do you have trouble falling asleep or trouble waking and then tired all day long? Y/N

5) Do you constantly turn to coffee, chocolate or other "pick-me-ups" to keep you

motivated throughout the day? Y/N

7) Do you crave foods like bread, crackers or chocolate? Y/N

8) Do you find it difficult to lose weight? Y/N

9) Do you feel shaky, light headed or irritable if you skip a meal? Y/N

10) Do you experience irrational anger, irritability, anxiety and are quick to cry? Y/N


45



11) Does your stomach touch the wall before your chest? Y/N

12) Do you crave bread, potato or rice? Y/N

Now add up how many times you circled yes.

If you answered yes to 1- 4 questions you may have a lifestyle that puts you at risk of

Insulin Resistance and it is time to make changes.

If you answered yes to 5-8 questions it is time to take a good, hard look at your diet

before it gets worse.

If you answered yes to 8+ questions I would suggest you consult with your doctor and

get a Fasting Insulin test done to assess your risk of Insulin Resistance or

Pre-Diabetes.


46



FAQs Module 1 1. What is Glycemic Load?

Glycemic Load (GL) reflects the impact that a particular food has on the amount of

sugar in the blood. Foods with a low GL encourage the body to burn fat, which is what

is ideal.

Keeping your blood sugar balanced leads to sustainable weight loss.

The more fat or acid a carbohydrate food contains, (or, the more fat or acid in the

stomach, during digestion) the slower the carbohydrate food will be converted to

glucose and absorbed into the bloodstream. The presence of fat and/or acid delays the

emptying of the stomach. For example, vinegar, lemon juice, pickles, sourdough bread,

etc., all contribute to lowering the GL of a meal.

2. Will I be hungry on this program? Initially yes, The reason for this is due to the fact that your body is transitioning from

an action of fat storing to fat burning mode.

Another reason is that you are no longer reaching for snacks or the high

sugar/processed foods that the body is used to receiving on a regular basis and hence

is interpreting to be in starvation mode.

This will dissipate after 3-5 days as you get used to the change, so be patient and

know that your body is simply adjusting a new metabolism mode.


47



3. What can I do if I am hungry? Drink plenty of water and herbal teas.

Keep yourself occupied, go for a walk, do something to distract your mind from what

you would normally do, which would be eat a snack!

Choose high fibre foods and be sure to include proteins with each meal.

Chew your food slowly.

Be sure to ascertain if you are truly hungry or perhaps you “think” you are hungry.


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Exercise Goals For Module 1 For the first week, I recommend that you start your fitness regime with some fast paced

walking. This should be 20 minutes a day. If you cannot do 20 minutes then start with

10 or even 5 minutes. You may have not exercised in years so make sure you start

with something that will not have you fall in a heap in the first couple of days causing

you to feel despondent and give up too quickly.

Some of you may want to totally disregard this regime. You are welcome to do any

exercise you wish. Keep in mind the target is to increase your heart rate. You may

choose to join a gym and enter into their programmes, take up a sport with training a

couple of times a week, buy a bike and ride to work. Swimming is an excellent toning

exercise for the body.

Do what works for you and will give you that buzz when finished, you will enjoy it more

and not be so inclined to give it up.

Walk at a brisk pace up to 5-20 minutes a day.

● Target: 20 minutes brisk walk 5 days a week.


49



Extra resources for further reading:

1. Ways to improve insulin sensitivity 2. Metformin article


50

http://main.poliquingroup.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/1269/25_Simple_Ways_to_Improve_Insulin_Sensitivity_PREV.aspx

https://www.healthline.com/health/metformin-oral-tablet#important-warnings2



Module 2

This week I am going to help you get sorted and be prepared with very little effort on

your part. Once you have a system in place, know what you are going to eat and what

you need to buy, you will find it easier to adhere to the changes you want to implement.

Sorting availability of food in your home is paramount for a successful weight loss plan.

It is important to sort your food into accessible and non accessible sections.

The accessible foods should be those that you should be eating 60-80% of the time,

while the difficult to access foods that are up on high shelves and not easy to reach,

should be the foods that you should be avoiding.

Better still, try removing the foods that you know you should not be eating from your

home altogether. Bin them, share them with guests or neighbours, but just get them out

of easy reach.

1. Your workplace

Do you have an emergency chocolate supply in your desk drawer? Is there donuts

in the conference room every day? Find other foods to have nearby to curb your

cravings. Say no to the donuts and feel good about it and not feel deprived when

you say no.


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Be organised and bring your own lunch to work. Leftover dinners from the night before,

green smoothies from breakfast, tinned tuna tucked away for emergencies are some

easy options.

2. Keys to Success

Be prepared and decide before a meal or work function, or party function, what you are

going to eat. The commitment to do well is a lifetime of choices that you make daily.

● Make the choice every day to live as well as you possible can. Challenge

yourself every day. Do not be hard on yourself though if you do make a

deviation. There is nothing wrong if you get if you indulge every now and again,

there is always tomorrow to make better food choices.

● Update your recipes. Each week for the next 5 weeks, you have a new list of

recipes to add to your meal plans. Find the ones that you love the best and you

will learn how to make them in a super fast time frame.

● You may not like all the recipes I share. Everyone is different. The main point is

that you should aim to have three nutritious meals a day (yes a green smoothie

is full of nutritious ingredients) and limit the snacks in between meals.

● Conquer one meal a day. Breakfast is always a good start. If you focus on

having a healthy breakfast this week, if that is all you have time for, then you are

already 1/3 of the way there in your weight loss journey. You will see results, but

perhaps not as good as if you made changes to all your meals, but at least you

made a start and that deserves a bonus tick!

● Having a good start to the day means less cravings, more energy and weight

loss starting.


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● Breakfast cereals are not allowed at all on this program. This includes quinoa

flakes, millet flakes, gluten free cereal, I mean all of them. Breakfast needs to be

high in protein and low in trans fats, sugar and process carbohydrates, hence no

more breakfast cereals.

In this module I am going to delve into Oestrogen and Progesterone Balance. With

over 20 years experience in women's health and weight management I have found that

oestrogen and progesterone is often out of balance and is a major contributor to weight

gain, particularly for women 45+.


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Oestrogen & Progesterone

From your mid-30′s, progesterone levels are the first sex hormones to decline. The

result is a disequilibrium of estrogen to progesterone commonly referred to as

“oestrogen dominance.” Too much oestrogen with too little progesterone is responsible

for the symptoms of hormone imbalance such as sleep disturbances, foggy thinking

and abdominal weight gain.

A decrease in oestrogen can cause your body to tolerate starches less effectively

which leads to blood sugar imbalances, increased fat storage and difficulty in losing

weight.

Cruciferous vegetables, citrus fruits, insoluble fibre and lignans all function in your body

towards reducing the unhealthy oestrogen load. They have a very beneficial effect on

how your body processes oestrogen.

Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and boc choy. Citrus

fruits include oranges, lemons and limes. Insoluble fibre includes spinach, lettuce, kale,

mesclun (see next paragraph), collards, rocket (arugula), watercress, celery, eggplant

and green beans. Lignans are a type of plant oestrogen and a fat soluble antioxidant

that is found in high concentrations in flaxseeds (linseeds) and sesame seeds and in

smaller amounts in fruits, vegetables such as kale and broccoli.


54



Mesclun is a mix of assorted small young salad greens that originated in Provence,

France. The traditional mix includes chervil, arugula, leafy lettuces and endive, while

the term mesclun may also refer to a blend that might include some or all of these four

and baby spinach, Swiss chard (silverbeet), mustard greens, dandelion, radicchio,

sorrel, or other fresh leaf vegetables.

Fat cells bring about oestrogen production. Elevated oestrogen levels slow down

metabolism, such that oestrogen plays a role in convincing a body to store more

weight.

Your body’s hormones are like a seesaw. When they’re perfectly balanced, your body

works as it should. But when they’re unbalanced, your body may begin experiencing

problems.


55



Oestrogen Oestrogen is the most important female sex hormone. It is mainly produced by the

ovaries, and is involved in regulating the female reproductive system.

You should not make the mistake of assuming oestrogen is all bad. Too high is not

good, but neither is too low. Oestrogen helps the body be more sensitive to insulin and

has fat-loss and muscle building benefits. As long as it is in balance with progesterone

and other hormones it aids your fat loss capabilities.

Having very high and low levels of oestrogen can lead to weight gain. This depends on

age, action of other hormones, and your overall state of health. Obese women tend to

have higher oestrogen levels than normal weight women.

During menopause, when oestrogen levels drop because less is produced in the

ovaries, the site for fat storage shifts from the hips and thighs to visceral fat in the

abdomen. This promotes insulin resistance and increases disease risk.

Cortisol increases the production of oestrogen and with prolonged stressed this can

contribute to oestrogen dominance. This is where it is important that your liver is able

to detoxify and eliminate the oestrogen which is reflected in the recipes I will be sharing

with you in this module.


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Progesterone Progesterone helps the body to burn fat and stimulates bone-building cells.

When you have low levels of progesterone circulating, your liver produces excess

amounts of a protein called Thyroid Binding Globulin (TBG). This TBG binds to your

thyroid hormone. This basically means it blocks, or ties up the hormone so that it is not

able to be utilized properly by your body. The net effect of this is decreased thyroid

function which will be discussed more in Module 5.

Insulin is affected by hormone imbalance, and oestrogen dominance can lead to the

release of excess insulin. Increases in insulin can lead to sugar cravings that can be

hard to control.

Progesterone is a natural anti-Inflammatory. Reducing inflammation also helps your

brain to receive leptin (more on this in Module 4), which helps to regulate your appetite.

Progesterone is a natural sleep aid. Progesterone has a calming effect on the brain.

(Oestrogen has an excitatory effect on the brain). Sleep deprivation is also associated

with disrupting the leptin hormone that regulates your appetite.

Progesterone reduces fluid retention. If your oestrogen levels are not balanced out by

adequate levels of progesterone, you may find you tend to retain more fluid than usual.

Progesterone is a natural diuretic and can greatly reduce bloating and swelling.


57



Oestrogen and Progesterone Balance A key fat loss measure in women is the oestrogen and progesterone balance and how

those hormones interact with other hormones like cortisol or insulin.

Bigger hips and thighs suggest greater oestrogen levels relative to progesterone. The

reverse of that, larger breasts and smaller hips and thighs, may indicate the opposite

balance of these hormones.

Your menstrual cycle history is a key indicator of your own hormone balance. Since the

time just before menses is usually a progesterone dominant time, PMS is a strong

indication of progesterone deficiency relative to oestrogen. So if you suffered with PMS

in your reproductive years you may have been progesterone deficient well before now.

Note: A relative deficiency is not the same as an absolute deficiency.

You can have higher than normal progesterone levels but still have a

relative deficiency, if oestrogen levels are much higher in

comparison.


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Fat Distribution Progesterone & oestrogen both play a role in keeping you slim. This is because

oestrogen works against the action of insulin while both oestrogen and progesterone

oppose the action of cortisol, which I will be discussing in the next module.

Insulin and cortisol, together with testosterone and low oestrogen, are implicated in

belly fat deposition.

Oestrogen is the biggest factor in increasing fat storage at the hips and thighs

providing the classic hourglass shape.

Progesterone with oestrogen halts the storage of fat around the waist, but stress can

have more of a negative impact on progesterone’s action.

High stress has been shown to negatively impact progesterone, so if you see fat

accumulation around your waist, your aim is to reduce stress and help raise

progesterone levels.

Progesterone can be used to make cortisol in the adrenal glands. Progesterone,

derived from the ovaries, can be used to increase cortisol production when needed.

This is called “progesterone steal” and describes the situation where the adrenal

glands “steal” or “use up” progesterone to make the stress hormone cortisol. This likely

only becomes an issue at menopause when your progesterone levels are lowered and

not as readily available.

Oestrogen, on the other hand, works to increase fat storage by up-regulating what is

known as alpha-adrenergic receptors in your fat depots around your hips and thighs.


59



These adrenergic receptors are like the accelerator and brake pedals on your car and

work to increase or decrease fat usage.

Beta-adrenergic receptors increase your fat burning mode while alpha adrenergic

receptors block it. Your hips and thighs have higher amounts of alpha adrenergic

receptors compared to your male counterparts. This is also the major reason you may

find it difficult to lose fat from the hips and thighs.

One of the best ways to decrease the action of these alpha receptors is by eating a low

processed carbohydrate diet. This is why many women find fantastic results when they

switch from the standard high carb diets and adopt more low carb eating patterns. Not

too low though, since very low carb diets can exaggerate cortisol responses and

negatively impact your thyroid. Keep in mind that fruits and vegetables are mostly

carbohydrates, it is the processed carbohydrates such as pasta, crisps, crackers and

breads that increase the action of the fat blocking alpha receptors.

Oestrogen increases alpha-adrenergic receptors while progesterone decreases it.

Progesterone may increase beta-adrenergic receptors. In this way, estrogen and

progesterone work to influence your ability to burn fat and determine from which areas

it will be taken from, or added to!

Thus trying to lose weight may be more of an issue of hormone balance and not

calories in versus calories out. This comes as a relief to many women. You have to get

your hormones under control before any weight loss program has long lasting effects,

and this is where this program stands out from other programs. Every recipe, every

recommendation, and every tip shared is included to help you achieve hormonal

harmony with the result of weight loss success.

As you enter your middle years, your ovaries decrease their production of oestrogen

and progesterone. This exacerbates oestrogen and progesterone imbalance, further

pushing your body more towards oestrogen dominance.


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Fat cells continue to produce oestrogen through an enzyme called aromatase present

in fat cells. This also adds to the oestrogen/progesterone balance shift towards more

oestrogen.

At the same time your slimming and muscle building hormones, such as human growth

hormone (HGH) and DHEA, decline. Together this creates the perfect storm for fat gain

in your middle years, particularly belly fat.

DHEA, HGH and progesterone are all hormones that act to keep you lean and block

the storage of fat in the middle of your body.

The low calorie diet and aerobic exercise approach to weight loss rarely works and

often creates damage to their body as a result. This combination does nothing to

restore your hormones and may actually worsen the oestrogen progesterone

imbalance in the long run.


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How Changes In Oestrogen & Progesterone Affect Your Metabolism

During perimenopause, progesterone levels start to decline slowly and steadily, while

oestrogen levels fluctuate greatly from one day to the next.

In the early stages of perimenopause, the ovaries often produce extremely high

amounts of oestrogen. One reason for this is due to impaired feedback signals

between the ovaries, hypothalamus and pituitary gland.

Later, when menstrual cycles become more irregular, the ovaries produce very little

oestrogen and produce even less after you reach menopause. Instead, oestrogen is

made from androgens, like testosterone. This happens in other tissues, such as breast

and brain tissues. However, the amount of oestrogen circulating in the blood is very

low.

From puberty until perimenopause, women tend to store fat in their hips and thighs as

subcutaneous fat. Once you reach menopause, having low oestrogen levels promote

fat storage in the belly area as visceral fat, which is linked to insulin resistance, type 2

diabetes, and heart disease.

Another factor contributing to weight gain around this time may be the increased

appetite and calorie intake that occurs in response to hormonal changes, particularly

the hormone ghrelin.

In one study, levels of the "hunger hormone" ghrelin were found to be significantly

higher among perimenopausal women, compared to premenopausal and

postmenopausal women. Hence another reason to get your hormone levels in balance.

(More on ghrelin can be found in Module 4: Leptin)


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The low oestrogen levels in the late stages of menopause may also impair the function

of leptin a hormone that control fullness and appetite. (More will be discussed about

leptin in Module 4.)

Progesterone effect on weight during the menopausal transition stem from the fact that

it is a calming hormone and with its decline, or relative lesser amount to oestrogen, its

calming effectiveness decreases. This can leave you unusually moody and snappy.


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Oestrogen Dominance High oestrogen or oestrogen dominance can happen if oestrogen levels are too great.

These higher levels can occur naturally. Too much oestrogen can also be the result of

medication or too much “old” oestrogen is being retained in the body and not removed.

For example, oestrogen replacement therapy, a form of HRT, may cause the hormone

to reach problematic levels. The body may also develop too little progesterone, which

can upset the balance.

When your body’s oestrogen and progesterone levels aren’t in harmony, you may

begin developing certain symptoms.

Symptoms of high oestrogen

● bloating

● swelling and tenderness in the breasts

● decreased sex drive

● headaches

● mood swings

● fibrocystic developments in the breast

● weight gain

● hair loss

● cold hands or feet

● feeling tired or lacking energy

● difficulty with memory

● trouble sleeping due to progesterone sedative effects being blocked

● thyroid dysfunction


64



16 Tips To Help Manage Oestrogen & Prevent Weight Gain During Menopause

1. Eat plenty of fibre if you want to balance oestrogen and progesterone levels.

Include flax seeds (linseeds) which can help with insulin sensitivity. Although the

phytoestrogens in them are controversial, flax seeds appear to have beneficial

effects on oestrogen in most women.

2. Eating cruciferous vegetables can have beneficial effects on oestrogen.

3. Physical activity can help normalize oestrogen levels.

4. Reduce processed carbohydrates in order to reduce the increase in belly fat,

which can drive metabolic problems.

5. Engage in strength training to improve body composition, increase strength and

build and maintain lean muscle. This may not be what you had in mind in your

later years but is very important.

6. Try to relax before bed and get enough sleep, in order to keep your hormones

and appetite under control.


65



7. Decrease exposure to all oestrogen related factors in the diet and environment.

Including avoiding plastic bottles, unfermented soy, pesticides,non-organic

meats, sodas, etc.

8. Help your body deal with excess oestrogen through natural detoxification

processes. This can be done through increased intake of green tea, cruciferous

vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, etc.), increased fibre, and decreased

dairy and foods that can cause excess release of insulin.

9. Decrease insulin and cortisol effects by decreasing intake of grains and

starches, and replace with fruits and vegetables (more non-starchy vegetables

than fruits).

10.Drink adequate amounts of water to help flush out excess oestrogen.

11.Decrease your reliance on coffee and substitute with teas such as green tea,

camomile, sage or dandelion tea that have added therapeutic benefits.

12.Train with weights 3 to 5 times per week.If you want to burn fat, decrease belly

fat, build bone, improve mood, and enhance strength then weight lifting exercise

is important.


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13.Walk at least 10,000 steps a day.

14.Oestrogen increases the amount of fat burned during exercise, but makes sugar

burning less efficient. Progesterone opposes the action of oestrogen. Since

lower intensity exercise burns more relative amounts of fat and higher intensity

is fueled more by sugar burning, you can cycle your training modalities to

alternate your programs accordingly.

15. It is important to understand oestrogen and progesterone action on fat burning

can be blocked by the influence of insulin. So, in order for you to reap any

benefits, the insulin exposure will need to be low, which comes with a low

carbohydrate diet.

16.Weight training has benefits across the board in opposing the action of stress

hormones.


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Oestrogen Removal Your liver is the powerhouse for your hormone metabolism and ultimate removal of

used and no longer needed hormones from the body.

If you have a sluggish liver, your hormones won't break down, particularly oestrogen. If

you have a fatty liver, your insulin levels will continue to be thrown off. A deficient liver

process can leave your hormone levels out of harmony leading to weight gain and

other issues.

Excessive refined carbohydrates, low levels of dietary fibre and high levels of saturated

fats all contribute negatively to oestrogen excess, generally by decreasing clearance of

oestrogens from the bowel (via your stools or bowel motions).

An overburdened liver is a major player in oestrogen dominance, when its ability to

metabolise and clear out excess of oestrogen is thwarted. The liver metabolises

oestrogens in its second phase of detoxification via processes called glucuronidation

and conjunction with sulphur.


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Foods To Enhance Removal Of Oestrogens

1. The cabbage family, or cruciferous vegetables, provide compounds, which help

to increase the rate at which the liver changes oestrogen into a water soluble,

excretable form. Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and especially broccoli

contain a substance called indole-3-carbinol (I3C), which supports one of the

detoxification pathways to clear oestrogen.

2. Foods rich in methionine, such as beans, legumes, onion and garlic, assist in

the breakdown of oestrogen.

3. A good protein diet supports liver metabolization of oestrogen.

4. Drink plenty of water to help the liver to flush out the toxins along with used

oestrogen that is no longer of benefit to your body.


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Dietary Fibre & Oestrogen Clearance Dietary fibre reduces oestrogen levels, by decreasing enzymes produced by intestinal

bacteria (beta glucuronidase).

Having a diet high in saturated fat diets can increase beta glucuronidase levels, which

can cause oestrogen to be reabsorbed from the bowel back into your body and cause

oestrogen dominance.

Reducing saturated fat in your diet and choosing monounsaturated fats can help

decrease beta glucuronidase levels.

Probiotics, like lactobacillus acidophilus found in yoghurt, also reduces the beta

glucuronidase activity.


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Foods to Fuel Your Liver To Assist In Oestrogen Removal

● Kale, as a member of the cruciferous family of vegetables, also contains

indole-3-carbinol. It also contains calcium-d-glucarate, which metabolizes

oestrogen and helps to remove it from the body.

● Spinach is high in magnesium and iron, which are essential micronutrients for

healthy hormones.

● Mustard greens are excellent to aid metabolism and detoxification of

oestrogen.

● Swiss chard (also known by many common names, such as chard, silverbeet,

perpetual spinach, beet spinach, seakale beet, and leaf beet) contains a high

amount of antioxidants, especially lutein, xeanthine, and beta-carotene — all of

which support the liver in glutathione production, a potent liver detoxifier.

● Parsley contains chlorophyll, folic acid,and beta-carotene to support the liver

and aid in hormone production.

● Dandelion greens serve as a diuretic, helping the liver eliminate toxins that

might be affecting your hormone balance.


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Other Liver Remedies

Milk Thistle

The herbs St Mary’s thistle, also known as Milk thistle, can support a balanced liver

clearance of hormones and bitter gentian can enhance bile production and increase

clearance.

Seeds

Certain types of seeds — such as flax (linseeds) and sesame — contain polyphenols.

Polyphenols are found in plants and reduce estrogen levels in the bloodstream.

Flaxseeds are also one of the richest sources of lignans, which act as phytoestrogens.

Health effects of phytoestrogens are determined by many factors, including how

efficiently an individual absorbs and metabolizes phytoestrogens.

Note, because of their complex nutritional composition, for some people, flax seeds

may help to lower oestrogen, while for others, they may not help or may even mimic

oestrogen-dominant symptoms. If you find flax seeds cause hot flushes or night sweats

you may be in this minority group and should avoid flax seeds.

Green Tea

Green tea is also a great source for phytochemicals as well as reducing oestrogen.

There are many varieties of green tea available and it can be combined with flavorings

such as mint, lemon, ginseng, and ginger for added taste and nutrients. It’s refreshing

both hot and cold.


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Week 2 Menu Plan & Recipes 0600-0700

6.00am - 7.00am Start the day with a morning Ginger & Lemon Shot (page 30)


● Hormonal Harmony Green Smoothie (Page 74)

● Cooling Green Smoothie (Page 78)

● Baked Eggs In Avocado (Page 85)

● Green Smoothie Bowl (Page 89)


● Papaya, Mozzarella & Basil Salad(Page 74)

● Detox Salad With Tahini Dressing (Page 78)

● Raw Stir Fry (Page 80)


● Tuna & Rocket Salad (Page 83)

● Steamed Chicken In Orange & Balsamic Glaze (Page 84)

● Julie’s Vibrant Red Salad (Page 86)

Snacks allowed

Kale Chips(Page 77) , Green Strawberry Ice-cream (Page 79) & Spicy Chickpeas

(Page 85)


73



Hormonal Harmony Green Smoothie ● 1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries

● ¼ lemon with peel

● 1 cup spinach (or swiss chard)

● 3 figs (fresh, or dried. If dried, soak for 5-8 minutes in warm water)

● 1/2 cup green tea

● 1-2 tablespoons flax seeds (linseeds)

● 2 parsley sprigs

● 1 cup water

Blend all ingredients together in a good quality blender.

This blends makes a double batch so you’ll have one for now and one for tomorrow.

Store your leftover mixture in a container with an airtight lid. Fill the container to the

very top to prevent air from being trapped in the container as air will oxidize the

nutrients in your smoothie (oxidizing degrades the nutrients in your smoothie, making it

less nutritious.)

Seal your container tightly and store in the refrigerator.

The lemon included in this smoothie adds vitamin C will also help prevent oxidation

while in storage.

This smoothie is a great start to the day or you may choose to keep some at hand for a

mid afternoon tea “pick me up”.


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Swiss Chard, spinach, pumpkin seeds, cashews, and almonds all contain high levels of

magnesium, which can boost dopamine production in the brain and help your body to

process oestrogen. Women experiencing post menopausal mood swings are often

found to be magnesium deficient, so eating a diet rich in these foods helps balance

moods and relieves cramping and bloating.

Blueberries and figs have the perfect fibre blend to bind to oestrogen and excrete it.

Citrus peel, particularly lemon peel, contain concentrated levels of d-limonene which

helps detoxify estrogen. D-limonene has been shown to activate enzymes in the liver

that are part of the Phase 1 and Phase 2 detoxification processes. These processes

take compounds present in the liver that are toxic to cells and convert them to

non-harmful or less harmful versions.

D-limonene has also been shown to alleviate fat buildup in the liver induced by diet.

Green tea has been shown in research to lower estrogen levels in women.

Tips

Once you have mastered this recipe you can dabble a little to make some changes.

To make your smoothie sweeter, add more naturally sweet fruits, such as pineapple,

mango, or orange. To balance out too much sweet, add more bitter greens, such as

kale or Swiss chard. Don’t be afraid to adjust your ingredients for your taste.

Long-term, you are more likely to stick with green smoothies if you enjoy drinking them

every day.


75



Papaya, Mozzarella & Basil Salad Ready in 10 minutes . Serves 2 people.

Ingredients Salad

● 1 papaya peeled and sliced into wedges

● 1 cup baby spinach organic

● 3 balls fresh mozzarella bocconcini in bite size pieces

● 2 radishes grated

● 50 gm (1.75oz) pistachio nuts

Basil & Mint Dressing

Combine the following ingredients in a small jar and shake with tight lid.

● 1 tablespoon basil chopped

● 1 tablespoon mint chopped

● 1 tablespoon lemon juice

● 2 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin

● 1 tablespoon mustard


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Preparation 1. Arrange the papaya and spinach leaves and mozzarella on a plate.

2. Place radishes and pistachio nuts over the salad.

3. Mix basil and mint dressing ingredients.

4. Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving.


77



Cooling Green Smoothie Ready in 5 minutes. Serves 1-2 people

Ingredients ● Handful rocket leaves

● 1⁄4 cucumber

● 1 pear

● 1⁄2 lemon with peel

● 1⁄2 banana

● 2-3 tablespoons flaxseed (linseed)

● 1-2 cups water

● 3 sprigs parsley

Preparation 1. Blend all ingredients until smooth.

2. Keep in an airtight jar and sip throughout the day.

Tips You can add the lemon with our without the peel intact. If you have never tried to blend

lemon with the peel, use a small amount at first and add according to your taste buds.


78



Kale Chips Ready in 20 minutes Serves 2-4 people

Ingredients ● 1 bunch kale leaves

● 2-3 tablespoons virgin olive oil


Preparation 1. Tear leaves of kale, removing stem.

2. Massage leaves with hands in olive oil.

3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

4. Lay out on baking tray.

5. Cook for 8-10 minutes in oven at 1800C (3500F) until crunchy but not burnt.

Tips You can add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper at step 3 for an extra kick.


79



Detox Salad & Tahini Dressing Ready in 20 minutes. Serves 4 people.

Ingredients ● 1 large carrot, grated

● 1 Granny Smith Apple, grated

● 2 cups rocket


● 1 red capsicum cut into strips

● 1 avocado, cubed

● 3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

● 3 tablespoons almonds

● 1 cup coriander leaves,

chopped

● 2 tablespoons tahini paste

● Juice 1 lemon

● 2 tablespoons extra virgin

olive oil


Preparation 1. Combine carrot, apple, rocket, spinach, capsicum, avocado, pumpkin

seeds, almonds and coriander in a large bowl and mix well.

2. Place tahini, lemon juice and olive oil in a small jar. Season with salt and

pepper close lid and shake to combine well.

3. Pour dressing over salad and toss.

Tips This dressing is meant to be thick, but if you prefer it to be runnier, add juice of 1

more lemon and 1-2 more tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.


80



Green Strawberry Ice-cream Ready in 5 minutes. Serves 2 people

Ingredients ● 1-2 cups bananas

● 1 cup frozen berries


Preparation Blend all ingredients and enjoy!

Freeze for 1 hour if necessary.


81



Raw Stir Fry Ready in 20 minutes. Serves 8 people

Ingredients For Stir Fry

● 6 baby sweetcorn

● 6 sugar snap peas

● 1⁄2 red capsicum, finely sliced

● 3 mushrooms, finely sliced

● 1⁄2 purple cabbage, finely sliced

● 2 heads broccoli with stem, finely sliced

● 1 small red onion, finely sliced

● 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Ingredients For Marinade

● 1 cup sesame oil

● 3 tbsp tamari sauce

● 2 tbsp honey

● 1 garlic clove, crushed

● 1⁄2 lemon juiced

● 3 limes juiced

● 1 knob ginger finely sliced


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Preparation 1. Prepare the marinade first. Place all the marinade ingredients into a lidded jar

and shake well for 20 seconds.

2. Place all stir fry ingredients in a large bowl (excluding sesame seeds).

3. Pour the marinade and mix well with your hands.

4. Leave to settle for 30 minutes.

5. When ready to serve, sprinkle with sesame seeds.


83



Baked Eggs In Avocado Ready in 20 minutes. Serves 2 people.

Ingredients ● 1 ripe avocado

● 2 medium eggs

● Salt and pepper for seasoning

Preparation 1. Preheat oven to 2200C (4300F)

2. Slice the avocados in half, and take out the pit.

3. Scoop out about two tablespoons of flesh from the centre of the avocado, just

enough for the egg to fit snugly in the centre.

4. Place the avocado in a small baking dish and crack an egg into each avocado

half.

5. Place in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Cooking time will depend on

the size of your eggs and avocados. Make sure the egg whites have enough

time to set.

6. Remove from oven, then season with salt and pepper.


84



Tuna & Rocket Salad Ready in 5 minutes. Serves 2 people

Ingredients ● 1x185g (7 oz) tin of tuna

● 2 tsp balsamic vinegar

● 3 handfuls of rocket

● 1 tbsp pomegranate seeds

Preparation 1. In a bowl mix the tuna, balsamic vinegar.

2. Mix with rocket and pomegranate seeds.


85



Steamed Chicken In Orange & Balsamic Glaze Ready in 30 minutes. Serves 2 people.

Ingredients ● 2 skinless chicken breast

● 1 cup mushrooms, sliced

● Juice of 1 lime

● Pinch salt

● 1 small broccoli, sliced

● Knob ginger, peeled and thinly

sliced

● 2 tbsp tamari sauce

● 1 tbsp rice or white wine vinegar

● ½ bunch of fresh coriander

● ½ cucumber, peeled into ribbons

using spiralizer or vegetable

peeler

● 2 tbsp sesame seeds

Preparation 1. Cut the chicken into strips and toss in a bowl with mushrooms, juice of 1⁄2 a lime

and a pinch of salt. Mix well until chicken is coated.

2. Place into a steamer basket with broccoli.

3. Steam for 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked.

4. Toss ginger slices in a bowl with tamari sauce, vinegar and a few torn coriander

leaves, mix and squeeze to make a pickle.

5. Place cucumber ribbons in a serving bowl and add chicken.

6. Serve with toasted sesame seeds, remainder of the lime, pickled ginger,

remaining coriander.


86



Spicy Chickpeas Ready in 70 (or longer if preparing dried chickpeas ) minutes. Serves 2 people.

Ingredients ● 1 cup dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

● 2 tablespoons coconut oil

● 1 pinch ground cumin, or to taste

● 1 pinch paprika, or to taste

● 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste


Preparation 1. Place chickpeas in a large container and cover with cool water; let stand for 24

hours. Drain and dry on paper towels.

2. Preheat oven to 2000C (4000F)

3. Place chickpeas into a baking dish.

4. Drizzle coconut oil over the top and season with cumin, paprika, cayenne

pepper, salt, and black pepper. Stir to coat chickpeas.

5. Bake in the preheated oven, stirring every 20 minutes, until crispy and fragrant,

about 1 hour.

Tips You can substitute with a can of chickpeas but they always taste better if you prepare

from dried chickpeas.


87



Julie’s Vibrant Red Salad Ready in 10 minutes. Serves 2 people.

Ingredients Salad

● 1 carrot grated

● 1 cup shredded purple cabbage

● 2 kale leaves, tear leaves only

● 1 cup baby spinach organic

● 1 red apple, sliced

Dressing

1. ½ tbsp Dijon mustard

2. 1 garlic clove, minced

3. 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

4. 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Preparation 1. Mix carrot, purple cabbage, kale, baby spinach and red apple in a large serving

bowl.

2. Mix dijon mustard, garlic, extra virgin olive oil and apple cider vinegar in a jar

with a tight fitting lid. Shake for 20 seconds to mix well.

3. Pour dressing over the salad ingredients and mix well 10 minutes before

serving.


88



Green Smoothie Bowl Ready in 15 minutes. Serves 2 people.

Ingredients ● 1 cup baby spinach

● 1 pear

● ¼ avocado flesh

● 1/2 cup water

● ¼ lemon wedge (with peel)

● 1 banana

● Handful red berries

● 2 tbsp shredded coconut

Preparation 1. Blend spinach, pear, avocado, water and lemon in a quality blender.

2. Pour into a bowl.

3. Decorate top with sliced bananas, red berries, and shredded coconut.

Tips This is a slight variation on the green smoothie them. Smoothie bowls are generally

thicker in nature and require a spoon to be eaten.


89



Are you Oestrogen Dominant

Quiz? Click on the link below to access the quiz and get instant results.

Are You Oestrogen Dominant Quiz


90

https://www.menopausereliefsummit.com/oestrogen-progesterone-quiz/



FAQ Module 2 1. If low levels of oestrogen cause

weight gain why is oestrogen dominance a problem?

If you are oestrogen dominant you are most likely storing the used oestrogen which is

detrimental to your body. This used oestrogen is of no benefit to the body. The best

oestrogen is that which is produced by the ovaries and this is what is deficient as you

enter menopause.

Having too much oestrogen (both from the ovaries and old/used oestrogen) negates

the positive benefits of progesterone, causing fluid retention and anger outbursts.

2. What is the best way to decrease oestrogen dominance?

Greens, greens and more greens.

Increasing the amount of green leafy vegetables such as arugula, swiss chard and boc choy, in your diet helps to remove the used oestrogen due to their high fibre content, stimulating digestive juices, increasing bile flow and liver tonic properties.


91



Exercise Goals For Module 2 Run for 30 seconds, walk fast for 2 minutes. Repeat 4 times

Do only every second day, or 3-4 times a week.

● Target: Run for 30 seconds, walk fast for 2 minutes, repeating 4 times.

Extra resources for further reading: Effects of exercise amount and intensity on abdominal obesity and glucose tolerance in

obese adults

Physical activity and weight gain and fat distribution changes with menopause: current

evidence and research issues.


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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25732273


http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/10593529

http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/10593529



Module 3

Now that we are into our third week of the Menopause Whisperer 6-Week Weight Loss Program I am sure you are becoming more aware of how your hormones are

influencing your weight gain and how you can overcome this.

Have you identified any causes for your weight gain? Do you need to combat food

cravings? When you crave sugar or carbohydrates do not think of this as cravings but

is a sign of hormonal imbalance. If you blame yourself for your food cravings you will

only worsen your resolve to succeed and you will be depriving yourself the chance to

achieve success by not addressing any hormonal issues.

To achieve hormonal harmony your body needs support in the form of real foods,

exercise and supplements if needed. Your metabolism will heal itself when provided

with the necessary nutritional support it needs. For some women, this process may

take longer, for some it may not take as long, but it will happen, believe me and trust in

this program.

The recipes given in the Menopause Whisperer 6-Week Weight Loss Program

include foods that have the best influence on your hormones and will form an integral

part of your weight loss success.

In this module, I am going to delve into cortisol and stress.


93



Tips for this week

#1 Shop the outside aisles of the supermarket and avoid the inner aisles of processed

foods. Visit "Farmers Markets" or local markets for the freshest produce, often at the

best prices.

# 2 Feelings of depression, tension, anxiety, irritability, tearfulness and mood swings

are not uncommon in women 45+. But you do not have to accept this as part of your

life. You can make changes to feel better about yourself and be free of tension and

ill-ease. Eating a diet suited to your body is one of the best ways to overcome these

feelings and following the recipes suggested puts you on the right path in this journey.

# 3 Take a warm bath with drops of lavender essential oil and epsom salts about one

hour before bedtime. Lavender is an amazing essential oil that helps to calm your

body. Epsom salts are a great source of magnesium. Deficiency of magnesium can be

directly related to the symptoms of stress, chronic fatigue and insomnia.

# 4 Yoga is a wonderful way to relax and destress.

# 5 Tryptophan is an amino acid that converts into serotonin, which helps to calm the

brain. Foods rich in tryptophan include turkey, bananas, nuts and dried apricots.

# 6 When choosing dried apricots do not buy orange dried apricots. These have been

sulphated to retain the orange colour of a fresh apricot. Always purchase

non-sulphated dark dried apricots.


94



Cortisol

Cortisol is a major stress hormone which is released from the adrenal glands. It

functions by increasing your blood-sugar levels, allowing your body cells to have

enough fuel available to perform their energy-requiring functions. Having a chronically

high blood-sugar level can lead to cortisol resistance and adrenal fatigue as your

bodies cells are unable to keep up with the demand of using the fuel sources, leading

again to fat storage of the fuels.

When you have too much stress in your life such as toxic relationships, food

sensitivities, work issues and poor sleep, your cortisol can be out of balance. Cortisol is

released from your adrenal glands to help you deal with stress or ‘perceived danger’

and is an essential survival mechanism.

Cortisol's role is to pump sugar into your blood and muscles for extra energy to ‘fight or

flight’. But modern life is so full of stressors that your cortisol can be too high for too

long and you don’t give yourself a chance to rest. The extra sugar in your blood gets

stored as fat, especially around our middle. And the resulting blood sugar dips makes

you crave more sugar and carbs creating a vicious cycle.

When your adrenals are in overdrive you may feel tired, sluggish and exhausted with

fluctuating blood sugar levels and digestive issues. When you reach menopause, the

ovaries are no longer producing progesterone, and this becomes the job for the

adrenals. If the adrenals are too busy producing cortisol, it is unable to produce

progesterone, the calming hormone.


95



Stress Feeling stressed can feel perfectly normal. You might notice that sometimes being

stressed helps to motivate you to focus on your work, yet at other times, you feel

overwhelmed and can’t concentrate on anything.

While stress affects everyone in different ways, there are two major types of stress.

1. Stress that’s beneficial and motivating.

2. Stress that leads to anxiety and even health problems.

Benefit of Stress Stress is a burst of energy that is beneficial in getting things done. In small doses,

stress has many advantages. For instance, stress can help you achieve daily goals

and motivate you to new challenges. Stress can help you accomplish tasks more

efficiently. It can even boost memory.

Stress is also a vital warning system, producing the fight-or-flight response. When the

brain perceives some kind of stress, it starts flooding the body with chemicals like

cortisol.

There are also some health benefits with small amounts of stress. Some stress can

help to fortify your immune system. One study showed that individuals who

experienced moderate levels of stress before surgery were able to recover faster than

individuals who had low or high levels of stress.


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Detrimental Effects of Stress Stress is key for survival, but too much stress can be detrimental. Ongoing emotional

stress can weaken the immune system and cause blood pressure problems, fatigue,

depression, anxiety and even heart disease.

Not everyone reacts to stress in the same way. How you react to stress needs to be

assessed and how your body reacts and copes with stress plays a major role here.

Stress is an inevitable part of life, but you can improve the way you respond to stress

and avoid or change some of the situations that create negative stress.


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Stress Survival Mechanism This mechanism plays a major role in survival and can be traced back to the stone age.

As people were faced with stressful situations in the form of an attacking predator,

adrenaline and cortisol was released from the adrenal glands and thus engaging the

first stage in the stress cascade. If stress continues without relief there are another

two stages of stress as explained here.

1. Alarm

Initial emergency reaction to stress

2. Resistance

A degree of adaptation to stress

3. Exhaustion

Adrenal fatigue


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#1 Alarm: Initial reaction to stress

● Heart rate and blood pressure increases.

● Clotting of the blood increases (in case an injury occurs).

● Digestion decreases (due to blood supply being diverted away and shunted to

more pressing areas of the body)

● The liver releases glucose stores for energy needed in the challenge.

● Immune system is stimulated with an increase in white blood cells (in case an

injury occurs).

● Adrenaline and cortisol are activated and circulate in your bloodstream.

This is the body’s way of coping with stress, its purpose was survival. This survival

mode is what may be harming your body in the stressful lifestyle you may now be living

in.

This does not include the small stresses in our lives, or the good stresses. The stress

that’s beneficial and motivating. A motivating stress may be a small presentation you

have to give. You are nervous before you give the presentation, with signs like

increased heart rate and “butterflies” which all help you with energy and impetus to do

the presentation. Then, once the presentation is over, you relax, your heart rate slows

and you feel the accomplishment of succeeding.

The negative effects of the stress cascade occur when you do not relax. When you are

constantly stressed you remain in a state of hyper-stimulation, with abnormal levels of

adrenaline and cortisol circulating in your bloodstream. If hyperstimulation continues to

persist, your body has difficulty inducing a relaxation response, not allowing it to return

to a normal state.


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Over a period of time, if this continual stress continues, your body adapts to adrenal

hyperstimulation and the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol build up in your body

leading to weight gain.

Modern stress factors include money worries, marital woes, having to make deadlines,

traffic jams, late meetings at work; all cause your bodies to move into the second stage

of stress.

# 2 Adaptation

In stage two of your stress response, repeated triggering of your adrenal glands can

lead to high cortisol release at certain times of the day while low levels are released on

other times. This can lead to mid-afternoon energy slumps or feeling wired and unable

to sleep at 1am.

Excessive cortisol production also causes increased calcium mobilization from the

bones, leading to osteoporosis, or loss of bone density. In a person with a healthy

stress response, excessive levels of cortisol are automatically buffered. Constant

stress destroys this feedback loop.

It is inevitable that this second stage will progress into the final stage where exhaustion

occurs if you do not limit the stress in your life, or change the way you respond to the

stress in your life.

# 3 Exhaustion & Adrenal Fatigue

Cortisol levels decrease due to the adrenals reaching a state of exhaustion. The body

is also exhausted with low blood sugar levels which your body can incorrectly give

signals of requiring quick energy food such as chocolate, simple carbs and stimulants

such as coffee, thus adding to more fat stores. Studies have demonstrated a direct

association between cortisol levels and increased calorie intake, particularly in women.


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Over a period of time, if this now chronic stress continues, the body adapts to the

adrenal hyper stimulation. This is called mal-adaptation, a process in which endocrine

system organs begin to function not as well as they should.

This process eventually reaches the point where the adrenals become exhausted and

cortisol levels drop. One example of what can result from adrenal exhaustion is

fibromyalgia, a condition that can arise when the protective benefits of normal cortisol

levels are lost.

The adrenals are usually first in the order of endocrine function breakdown, followed by

the insulin-producing portion of the pancreas, thyroid, ovaries, parathyroid, pineal,

pituitary and finally, the link to the autonomic nervous system, the hypothalamus.

The thymus gland, which produces immune defence cells, is also affected in the

endocrine breakdown process. Each of these glands controls specific functions, and as

each breaks down new symptoms appear. Symptoms are subtle at first. Then over the

years, as the body goes further into deficit, the symptoms will increase and worsen.


101



The Adrenal Glands The adrenal glands are small, triangular glands located on top of both kidneys. Each

gland is made up of an outer region called the adrenal cortex and an inner region

called the adrenal medulla.

Role of the Adrenal Glands The adrenal glands are involved in glucose regulation and thyroid function. They

influence your reproductive hormones and your body’s metabolism. Together with the

hypothalamus and pituitary gland, the adrenal glands work in synergy thus helping to

regulate the stress response.

When the body is under stress, the pituitary gland releases ACTH (adrenocorticotropic

hormone), which then triggers the adrenals. The adrenal medulla produces adrenaline

while pregnenolone, DHEA, cortisol and aldosterone are released from the adrenal

cortex (outer section).

All hormones from the adrenal cortex are made from cholesterol. The liver is important

here in managing free flow of all the hormones.

The adrenal gland supplies the body with cortisol throughout the day in order for you to

work through the trials and tribulations of the day. A constant elevated level of cortisol

takes its toll on your body and creates disharmony.

In the early stages of adrenal fatigue, cortisol levels are too high during the day with a

subsequent rise in the evening. If stress levels remain high, cortisol levels fluctuate

throughout the day.


102



Cortisol Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands.

It's known as a "stress hormone" because it's released when your body senses stress.

Like other hormones, it's vital to survival. However, chronically elevated levels of

cortisol can lead to overeating and weight gain.

A principal function of cortisol is to thwart the effect of insulin, causing the cells to be

insulin resistant. Your body may remain in an insulin-resistant state when your cortisol

levels are chronically elevated. Over time, the pancreas struggles to keep up with the

high demand for insulin, glucose levels in the blood remain high, the cells cannot get

the sugar they need, and the cycle continues.

Women who carry excess weight around the middle appear to respond to stress with a

greater increase in cortisol. Repeated elevation of cortisol can lead to weight gain. One

way is via visceral fat storage. Cortisol can mobilize fats stores in your body and

relocate them to visceral fat cells.

Cortisol also aids adipocytes’ development into mature fat cells which converts

cortisone to cortisol in adipose tissue.

Another connection to weight gain is cortisol’s effect on appetite and cravings for

high-calorie foods. Cortisol may directly influence appetite and cravings by binding to

hypothalamic receptors in the brain. Cortisol also indirectly influences appetite by

modulating other hormones and stress responsive factors known to stimulate appetite.


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Normal Cortisol Blood Levels Morning 5-23 micrograms per deciliter (mcg/dL) or 138-635 nanomoles per liter

(nmol/L)

Afternoon 3-16 mcg/dL or 83-441 nmol/L

If your morning cortisol levels are low, then by 3pm there may be little cortisol left to

fuel the afternoon causing the 3pm slumps.

You may then find yourself reaching for stimulants such as coffee, chocolates, high

carbohydrate foods or energy drinks to boost your energy. This leads to further

increasing cortisol levels and upsetting the balance of cortisol, making it difficult to

sleep in the evening.

The adrenal gland supplies the body with cortisol throughout the day in order for you to

work through the trials and tribulations of the day. A constant elevated level of cortisol

takes its toll on your body.

In the early stages of adrenal fatigue, cortisol levels are too high during the day with a

subsequent rise in the evening. As adrenal fatigue progresses, cortisol levels fluctuate

throughout the day.


104



Signs of Adrenal Fatigue There are important ways that your body lets you know that you’re struggling with too

much stress. Here are some signs of a heightened state of constant stress and adrenal

fatigue.

Cognitive Symptoms

● Memory problems

● Inability to concentrate or complete tasks

● Poor judgment

● Seeing only the negative

● Anxious or racing thoughts

● Constant worrying

Emotional Symptoms

● Moodiness

● Irritability or short temper

● Agitation, inability to relax

● Feeling overwhelmed

● Sense of loneliness and isolation

● Depression or general unhappiness


105



Physical Symptoms

● Fatigue not relieved by rest or sleep

● Aches and pains

● Headaches

● Get sick more often with cold and flu

● Diarrhoea or constipation

● Nausea, dizziness

● Chest pain, rapid heartbeat

● Loss of sex drive


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Behavioural Symptoms

● Eating more or less

● Sleeping too much or too little

● Trouble falling asleep or waking at 1am and unable to fall back to sleep

● Isolating yourself from others

● Procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities

● Using alcohol or cigarettes to relax

● Nervous habits e.g. nail biting

● Crave sweet foods

Stress also affects the thyroid and adrenal glands. Adrenal fatigue can lead to

fibromyalgia, hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue syndrome and inflammation of the joints.

You may find that the simplest of things trigger an inflammatory response. Getting a

major deadline accomplished may somehow leave you in bed for days unable to move.

When you are under constant stress, your immune system is already activated, leaving

your body unable to cope with any extra stress placed on your body.

Where you may have once been able to fight a cold quickly, now may leave you unable

to shake it for weeks.


107



Recommendations To Manage Stress & Ease Adrenal Fatigue

● Avoid living a fast paced, high stressed, fear based lifestyle.

● Pay attention to lifestyle improvements that allow you to take time out and look

after yourself.

● Adopt attitudes of forgiveness, letting to, positive attitudes and feeling of

gratitude.

● Step away from toxic family and friends that may be causing undue stress in

your life.

● Follow a balanced, real food-based diet as recommended in this programme.

● Do not eat on the run, at your desk, standing up or when you are feeling high

levels of stress. This interferes with the absorption of the nutrients.

● Don't cut calories to extremely low levels. When you are under stress the need

for nutrients is greater.

● Practicing meditation can significantly reduce cortisol production. Most things

that are in your control when it comes to healing with stress include relaxation

techniques, yoga, exercise and meditation. When the source of stress is

ongoing marital or sexual problems, specific counselling may be required.

● Research has shown that when soothing music is played during medical

procedures, cortisol doesn't rise as much so aim for soothing music in your

workspace or at home.

● Try and get a good night’s sleep. One study of nurses found those who worked

night shift, their cortisol levels increased by 50-80% as opposed to those that

worked day shifts.

● Get a pet, even if it is a goldfish!


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● Avoid stimulants such as tea and coffee, mineral drinks, chocolate; try and keep

these things to a minimum. Keep in mind it is important not to feel deprived, so

keep everything in moderation.

● Avoid other stimulants such as hatred, anger and rage.

● If you feel aches/pains and difficult to get to sleep, try chamomile tea, or

lavender teas 1 hour before bedtime.

Stress will always be a part of your life. Learn to manage your stress, take on challenges only if you feel able to. Learn to say NO to other people and

YES to yourself.


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Herbal Recommendations To Help Manage Stress & Ease Adrenal Fatigue

Disclaimer: The statements made about these herbs have not been evaluated by the

United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are not intended to diagnose,

treat, cure or prevent disease. All information provided is for informational purposes

only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health

care professional. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any

new vitamins or supplements.

● Rhodiola, astragalus, Cordyceps and Rehmannia are herbs that support

adrenal hormone production.

● Vitamin C is essential for adrenal hormone production so need to increase

when under stress from foods such as oranges and pineapples.

● Vitamin B complex may be of benefit short term to help with stress.

● Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an Ayurvedic herb renowned for its tonic

and strengthening properties, particularly for its ability to restore vitality in those

suffering from overwork or nervous exhaustion. It assists in reducing

over-activity and encourages rest and relaxation. Please note Ashwagandha

has a high iron content so do not take if have high iron blood levels.

● Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) is the herb I prescribe for long

term stress. Do not use the Panax or Korean ginseng for long term stress; this

should only be used in times of short term stress (two weeks maximum).

Siberian ginseng helps to increase stamina in the face of undue demands and

stress. It is excellent in the situation of exhaustion and depression.


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Stress & Menopause Symptoms 1. Studies have shown that there is a strong relationship between stress and hot

flushes. It is interesting to note that stress potentiates a hot flush by decreasing

the threshold for the triggering of hot flushes at the hypothalamic level. Stress

does not cause the hot flushes, but does increase its power.

2. Women experiencing high stress levels are more likely to notice menopause

symptoms or their symptoms may be heightened. This may be due to hormonal

changes occurring at the menopause can make women more vulnerable to

stress factors. If you are already stressed, the troublesome symptoms of

menopause are enough to tip any woman over the edge.

3. Cortisol competes with progesterone for the same receptor with cortisol usually

winning. This means that when you are permanently stressed your body has

less active progesterone. Remember, progesterone is the calming hormone.


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DHEA Before I discuss DHEA I need to add a little background here.

The hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) is the epicentre of your stress

response. The HPA axis intertwines with your nervous system and your hormone

system to help restore your body back to balance in times of stress. The HPA axis is

triggered by everyday stresses.

When you encounter stress , your sympathetic nervous system kicks in and this results

in the secretion of adrenaline and noradrenaline (also known as norepinephrine and

epinephrine) causing stress symptoms such as heart palpitations, butterflies in your

stomach and perspiration. Almost concurrently the HPA axis kicks in – the

hypothalamus responds to the elevated levels of adrenaline by secreting

corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH/CRF). This is the message that the pituitary

gland needs to play its part which is to secrete a substance called adrenocorticotropic

hormone (ACTH). ACTH then triggers the release of cortisol.

As previously discussed, cortisol increases blood pressure and cardiac output. It

increases circulating levels of glucose (blood sugar) which provides your body’s cells

with fuel to keep going. In addition to increasing body responses that are beneficial to

us during times of stress, it also decreases body responses that are not so beneficial to

us such as your digestive system.

Your HPA axis is vital to your stress response system but in times of long term stress

HPA axis dysregulation can occur.


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DHEA is also produced by the adrenal glands and is respondent to ACTH from the

pituitary gland, just like cortisol. DHEA antagonises cortisol, meaning it inhibits or stops

cortisol from doing its job. It also is a precursor for some of our sex hormones-like

testosterone and the oestrogens and it requires cholesterol and pregnenolone (the

progesterone precursor) for production, as does cortisol.

Think of cortisol and DHEA like two opposing people riding on a seesaw. When one

goes up, the other goes down and vice-versa. They have opposing effects.

When under constant stress, the ACTH releases constant elevated levels of cortisol,

which can begin to deplete DHEA. This high cortisol phase may last years, and leads

to an adaptation within the HPA axis which can ultimately lead to reduced, or

‘depleted’, cortisol and DHEA levels.

The immune system is one of the primary systems affected by too much cortisol and

that’s because our immune system remains suppressed while cortisol is elevated. HPA

axis dysfunction and elevated cortisol can lead to the development of any type of

autoimmune disease such as eczema or chronic fatigue syndrome.

DHEA is also needed to make some of your important sex hormones like oestrogen

and progesterone. Pregnenolone is also used to make cortisol, DHEA and

progesterone.

Growth and reproduction are also influenced by thyroid hormone function which is

adversely affected too in the cortisol HPA axis cascade.. Not only is your thyroid

hormone inhibited, the conversion of our T4 to T3 is impaired also.

DHEA function is also to help prevent systemic inflammation and protect parts of the

brain (particularly the hippocampus) from cortisol. A reduction in DHEA and damage to

other metabolic processes can lead to chronically inflammatory states such as

fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, IBS, chronic fatigue as well as mood disorders.


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In short, increased cortisol during stress correlates to a decreased secretion of DHEA

(dehydroepiandrosterone).

DHEA is produced in the adrenal glands and is converted on command to specific

hormones the body needs to maintain bodily functions, such as the sex hormones

oestrogen and testosterone.

It is responsible for producing hormones that control fat and mineral metabolism as

well as stress. It stimulates the production of serotonin, cortisol and sex hormones,

particularly oestrogen and testosterone, in women.

DHEA is supposed to reverse the effects of high cortisol levels but, in the case of

chronic stress with increased cortisol levels, natural levels of DHEA are decreased.

When the situation occurs of increased cortisol with decreased DHEA the body stores

fat, body muscle is lost and metabolic rate decreases, all leading to fat storage.

High cortisol and low DHEA levels combined, trick the body into holding onto its fat

stores decreasing the body’s ability to use fat stores for energy.

Unfortunately, natural levels of DHEA hit peak levels around the age of twenty and

then decrease as we age. In fact, levels of DHEA when we are 80 are only 10-20% that

of levels at age 20. Some of the major hormones which DHEA is a precursor are

cortisol and adrenaline in other words DHEA is needed to produce cortisol and

adrenaline.


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Signs Indicating Low Dhea Levels 1. Difficulty in dreaming or sleeping deeply

2. Tendency to catch colds and the flu

3. Suffer aches and pains

4. Prone to bone loss

5. Weight gain

6. Tendency to develop a flabby belly and cellulite

7. Pubic hair and underarm hair may be scant

8. Skin has a tendency to be dry, pale and lustreless

9. May complain of being intolerant to loud noises


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Ways To Naturally Raise Your Dhea Levels

1. Eat good fats with plenty of omega 3 fatty acids. DHEA is made from

cholesterol, and your body makes cholesterol from healthy fats. You can get

essential fatty acids from a variety of oils like coconut oil, flaxseed oil, evening

primrose oil, and olive oils as well as nuts, seeds avocado, olives, wild-caught

fish, eggs and oily fish such as salmon, and grass fed meat.

2. Vitamin D plays a very important role in healthy DHEA levels. I recommend

getting regular sun exposure at least 30 minutes a day.

3. Try to get a good night's sleep. Your adrenal glands not only create energy, they

also manufacture DHEA. If you suffer from adrenal fatigue, you may have

trouble sleeping and your adrenals will not be able to produce adequate levels

of DHEA to support your daily activities.The aromatherapy of essential oils can

help to reduce stress and improve sleep patterns. Some of the best for this

include lavender, ylang-ylang, sandalwood and peppermint.

4. Add exercise to your daily routine. Any form of exercise increases DHEA levels,

particularly strength training.

5. An anti-inflammatory diet is a critical part to de-stressing the body and boosting

DHEA levels. This diet should be very low in sugar and processed

carbohydrates while being very rich in phytonutrients and trace minerals from

fresh, raw or lightly steamed vegetables all of which is shared in this program.

6. Powerful anti-inflammatory herbs such as turmeric, ginger, rosemary, thyme,

oregano, & cinnamon should be incorporated in your daily diet and this is why

they are included in so many recipes in this programme.

7. Be aware of medications that lower DHEA such as corticosteroids, insulin,

opiates and danazol. Cholesterol (statin) lowering medications also reduce

DHEA.


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8. De-stress your life. Stress increases insulin and cortisol levels. When blood

levels of cortisol and insulin are high, they suppress DHEA. Stress also depletes

the vitality of your adrenal glands that produce DHEA. So take time to breathe

deeply, meditate, and spend time with positive friends and family.

9. One of the most effective ways to immediately boost your DHEA levels is to be

touched (such as a foot, body or head massage.) Research has shown that the

act of touch does wonders for stress release. A massage will also help to loosen

out any tension in the muscles.

10. In the largest study on humans using ashwagandha, the herb was shown to

raise DHEA levels and reduce the stress hormone cortisol by up to 26%.

Chronically elevated cortisol lowers DHEA levels, so stabilizing cortisol is critical

for DHEA production.

11.Beware of any DHEA supplements, which can affect any hormones, not just

DHEA.

12.When the body is presented with adequate levels of magnesium at a cellular

level, it will begin to naturally produce DHEA. An adequate amount of

magnesium will also increase the secretion of DHEA. Animal proteins, especially

halibut, and leafy green vegetables are good sources of magnesium. A good

source of magnesium used to come from our drinking water but the proliferation

of city water being heavily treated and increased usage of bottled water has

resulted in a loss of magnesium from the water supply hence the need for

increased awareness of our magnesium food choices.


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6.00am - 7.00am Start the day with a morning Ginger & Lemon Shot (page 30)


● Brussel Sprout Smoothie (Page 123)

● Banana Passion (Page 120)


● Feta, Cashew & Avocado Salad (Page 119)

● Smoked Salmon & Carrot Salad (Page 121)

● Sweet Potato Soup (Page 124)

● Baked Pumpkin & Beetroot (Page 125)


● Roast Beetroot & Pumpkin Salad (Page 126)

● Greek Style Tuna Salad (Page 128)

● Sweet Potato Dhal (Page 129)

Snacks allowed

Orange Choc Balls (Page 122), Savoury Roasted Cashews (Page 127) & Stewed

Apple & Berry (Page 130)


118



Feta, Cashew & Avocado Salad Ready in 5 minutes. Serves 1-2 people

Ingredients Salad

● 2 bunches salad leaves

● ¼ cup cashew nuts, lightly roasted

● 50gm (1.75oz) feta, crumbled

● ½ avocado, cubed

Balsamic Dressing

● 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

● ½ tablespoon olive oil

Preparation 1. Arrange the salad leaves on a plate.

2. Place cashew nuts, feta and avocado over salad leaves.

3. Mix balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

4. Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving.


119



Banana Passion Ready in 5 minutes. Serves 1-2 people

Ingredients ● 2 bananas, sliced

● 1 cup berries

● ½ cup full fat greek yoghurt

● 1 passionfruit pulp only

● ¼ cup raw cashews

Preparation 1. Mix together bananas and berries in a bowl.

2. Pour yoghurt over top.

3. Sprinkle cashew nuts and passionfruit pulp over top.

Tips I love this combination for breakfast, lunch, post dinner indulgence or afternoon snack!


120



Smoked Salmon & Carrot Salad Ready in 10 minutes. Serves 2-4 people

Ingredients ● 2 cups rocket leaves

● 200gm smoked salmon, cut into strips

● 2 medium carrots, grated

● 1⁄4 small cucumber, grated

● 1⁄2 bunch parsley, stalks removed and chopped

● 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

● 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Preparation 1. Place rocket in a bowl.

2. Add smoked salmon.

3. Decorate with carrot and cucumber.

4. Garnish with chopped parsley leaves.

5. Pour over mixed apple cider vinegar and extra virgin olive oil

Tips Sprinkle with Arame seaweed for extra crunch.


121



Orange Choc Balls Ready in 10 minutes. Serves 20 balls.

Ingredients ● 20 pitted dates

● 1 cup cashew nuts

● 2-3 tablespoons cacao powder

● 1⁄4 teaspoon orange essence

● Dessicated coconut for rolling

Preparation 1. Using a high quality blender or food processor blend dates.

2. Add cashew nuts and blend according to personal preference (smooth paste

or keep cashew nuts in bits)

3. Add cacao powder and orange essence and blitz for another 30 seconds.

4. Prepare approximately 1 tablespoon paste into a ball and then roll in

dessicated coconut.

Tips If you are using dried dates you may need to soak the dates in a small amount of water

(or my favourite, orange juice) for half an hour and then blend.

You do not need to soak medjool dates.


122



Brussel Sprout Smoothie! Ready in 5 minutes. Serves 2 people.

Ingredients ● 2 iceberg lettuce leaves

● 2 Brussel sprouts

● 2 carrots

● ½ avocado

● 2 cups water

Preparation Blend all ingredients and enjoy!


123



Sweet Potato Soup Ready in 60 minutes. Serves 6-8 people

Ingredients ● 2 tablespoons extra virgin

olive oil

● 1 large onion, chopped


● 1 teaspoon ground coriander

● 2 teaspoons ground cumin

● 600gm (21oz) orange sweet

potato, washed, diced

● 500g (18 oz) carrots, washed,

diced

● 6 cups chicken stock or water

● 300g (10 oz) can chickpeas,

drained, rinsed

● ½ small lemon, juiced

● Fresh coriander or parsley for

garnish

● Salt and pepper

Preparation 1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.

2. Add onion and garlic. Heat, stirring often, for 3 minutes.

3. Stir in ground coriander and cumin. Stir for another 1 minute.

4. Add sweet potato and carrot. Heat, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

5. Add stock/water then cover.

6. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper.

7. Add chickpeas to soup and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until chickpeas

are tender. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice

8. Blend soup, in batches, until smooth.

9. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh coriander or parsley.


124



Baked Pumpkin & Beetroot Ready in 60 minutes. Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients ● 2kg (70 oz) butternut pumpkin, peeled, cut into 3cm pieces

● 1 beetroot, peeled, cut into 3cm (1”) pieces

● 1 tablespoon turmeric powder

● 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

● 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled

● Salt and pepper to season

Preparation 1. Preheat oven to 1800C (3500F). Line two large baking trays with baking paper.

2. Place pumpkin and beetroot in a bowl.

3. Blend turmeric, oil, salt and pepper in a glass jar. Shake and toss over

vegetables and garlic to coat.

4. Arrange pumpkin and beetroot mixture, in a single layer, on prepared tray. Bake

for 20 minutes.

5. Turn the vegetables and add the garlic cloves and bake for another 20 minutes

or until pumpkin is golden and tender.

6. Add to your favourite roast chicken, beef or lamb dinner.

I try to keep extras to add to my salad for lunch the following day (see recipe page 126)


125



Roast Beetroot & Pumpkin Salad Ready in 5 minutes. Serves 2 people.

Ingredients ● 1 handful rocket

● 30g feta

● 1 tbsp unsalted walnuts, chopped

● Baked pumpkin and beetroot (page 125)

● 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

● 1⁄2 tbsp olive oil

Preparation 1. Place the rocket, feta and walnuts into a bowl.

2. Add the roast vegetables, olive oil and balsamic vinegar and toss through. Serve

immediately.


126



Savoury Roasted Cashew Ready in 30 minutes. Serves 2 people.

Ingredients ● 1 cup cashews

● 1 cup pumpkin seeds

● ½ tsp paprika

● 2 tsp honey

● 1 tbsp lime juice

● 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

● 1 tsp salt

Ingredients 1. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F).

2. Place the cashews, pumpkin seeds, paprika, honey, lime juice, extra virgin olive

oil, and salt in a bowl and toss to combine.

3. Spread the cashews on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake, turning

halfway, for 20 minutes or until golden.

4. Let the nuts cool completely before serving.


127



Greek Style Tuna Salad Ready in 10 minutes, Serves 2 people.

Ingredients ● 300gm (10 oz) can of tuna

● ¼ cup full fat greek yogurt

● 1 small apple, diced

● 2 boiled eggs, chopped

● 1 green bell pepper, sliced

● 1 spring onion, chopped

● 1 tbsp mustard

● salt & pepper to taste

● Juice of ½ lemon

Preparation 1. Drain tuna and add it to the bowl.

2. Add greek yogurt, apple, eggs, bell pepper and spring onion and mix.

3. Add mustard, salt & pepper, and lemon juice.

4. Mix thoroughly and enjoy over a bed of green salad.

Tips I love this over a bed of mixed greens.


128



Sweet Potato Dhal Ready in 10 minutes. Serves 2 people.

Ingredients ● 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

● 2 carrots, peeled and chopped

● 2 x 400 gm (14 oz) sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

● 2 cloves garlic, crushed

● 1 tablespoon curry powder

● 400 gm (14 oz) can chopped tomatoes

● 2 cups red lentils, well washed and rinsed

● 750ml (3 cups) boiled water

Preparation 1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat.

2. Add carrots and sweet potato and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or

until softened.

3. Add garlic and curry powder and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant.

4. Add tomatoes, lentils and boiling water.

5. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

6. If mixture is too thick, feel free to add a little more water.


129



Stewed Apple & Berry Ready in 40 minutes. Serves 6 people.

Ingredients ● 6 apples, peeled and chopped

● 2 cups berries, washed

● 2 tsp ground cinnamon

● 1 cup full fat greek yoghurt

● Pumpkin seeds for garnish

Preparation 1. Place apples and berries into a saucepan, add enough water to cover.

2. Add cinnamon and bring to the boil.

3. Turn heat down and simmer for 30 minutes.

4. Add a serve to bowl, add a dollop of greek yoghurt, sprinkle with a dash

of cinnamon and pumpkin seeds.

Tips In the summer months I stock up on fresh berries and make up this recipe in batches

and freeze so I have a supply on hand in the winter months. Great as a warming

breakfast or evening dessert.


130



Is Stress The Cause Of Your

Weight Gain Quiz?

Could Stress Be The Cause Of Your Weight Gain?

Find out with this quick 5 minute quiz to see if stress is making you fat!

Click on the link below to access the quiz and get instant results.

Stress & Weight Gain Quiz


131

https://www.menopausereliefsummit.com/stress-quiz/



FAQ Module 3 Why do I crave salty foods when I am stressed? When you are under stress, aldosterone is also released. This hormone is responsible for water and electrolyte regulation.

Often aldosterone is compromised in those with adrenal fatigue, and the craving for salt is a direct result of that. Imbalanced aldosterone, namely low, will cause excess sodium and chloride to be be lost.

Why do I bloat after eating when I am stressed? This is due to low stomach acid and a decreased blood flow to your digestive organs. With less stomach acid and less blood flow to your digestive organs thus your body is not able to break down the food nutrients properly, leading to bloating and constipation.


132



Why do I cry all the time when I am stressed? This is the body's way of helping you find relief from the stress.

Also, (and I am going out on a limb here) there is some limited evidence that stress hormones may be secreted by the tears when crying in response to stress or negative emotions!


133



Exercise Goals For Module 3

Run for 1 minute, walk fast for 2 minutes, repeat 5 times.

Do only every second day, 3-4 times a week.

● Target: Run for 1 minute, walk fast for 2 minutes, repeating 5 times.

Extra resources for further reading: Stress-induced cortisol response and fat distribution in women

Why We Gain Weight When We’re Stressed—And How Not To


134


https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/the-mindful-self-express/201308/why-we-gain-weight-when-we-re-stressed-and-how-not



Module 4

Checking in here...Have you been starting your day with a lemon shot?

It is such a simple start to your day. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 a lemon in a small glass

of water, stir and sip slowly, upon rising.

Contrary to popular belief, lemon juice does not stimulate the liver to produce bile. Bile

is made by the liver, but then is stored in the gallbladder and is released when you eat

high fatty foods.

Lemons enhance digestive secretions (HCl, mucus, saliva, bile) so that toxins,

especially acidic wastes, are eliminated from the body more efficiently.

To give your day an extra boost try this recipe and drink throughout the day.

● 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

● 300 mls water

● 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

● pinch cayenne pepper

Remember to increase your leafy greens. Leafy greens such as kale, spinach and beet

are high in fibre and vitamins and minerals. The best way to increase your daily intake

of leafy greens is with a Green Smoothie.


135



In this module I am going to delve into leptin. Leptin is relatively new to the weight loss

world so you may be surprised with what you discover in this module.

Leptin

Since the discovery of leptin in 1994, scientists discovered that fat tissue is not just a

storage place but is also an endocrine organ in itself.

Fat receives signals from hormones and is actively involved in how much fat gets

stored within its own reserves and sends out potent signals of its own. These signals

are crucial. They tell the brain how much energy is currently being stored in the form of

fat.

Leptin, also known as the “satiety hormone”, is a hormone made by fat cells and helps

keep you from overeating by decreasing your appetite and inhibiting hunger.

Once leptin is released by the fat cells it then enters the bloodstream where it is

delivered to the brain. After crossing the blood/brain barrier, it travels to the

hypothalamus where the hypothalamus registers how much fat is being stored in your

body according to the amount of leptin that crossed the blood/brain barrier. Its main job

is to report back to the hypothalamus gland in the brain on the situation of fat content in

your body.

When the hypothalamus receives the signal from leptin that there is sufficient fat being

stored in the body, metabolic rate increases and your brain now knows that it is safe for

you to burn excess fat. In other words, leptin is communicating with your brain telling

you when you should be hungry, when to eat and when to increase your fat cells and

store energy or release energy, aka “fat burning”.


136



Leptin is highly regarded as being the principal modulator of bodyweight and

metabolism by reducing body fat while enhancing lean muscle mass.

Leptin plays a role in your body by how fat is used once it is in the body from the intake

of food as well as regulating hunger. It helps the process of breaking down stored

triglycerides in your fat cells in to free fatty acids allowing them to be used for energy

and leaving you with less fat stores on your body.

If leptin is working correctly in your body, it would be breaking down fat and not storing

fat in between meals and in times of dietary restriction, such as when you embark on a

weightloss plan.

Leptin has often been referred to as the obese gene because as fat cells increase in

your body there is a parallel increase in leptin levels.

Low levels of leptin in your brain signals your body to eat more while high leptin levels tell your body to stop eating because you have enough fat cells. Low levels also

affect your emotions, your food cravings, weight loss and weight gain.

Leptin also plays a major role in any swelling and redness in your body (inflammation)

and is the body’s master hormone for weight regulation and basic survival. It also

regulates other hormones including thyroid, sex, adrenal and pancreatic hormones.

Without leptin, these hormones cannot function properly.


137



Leptin’s Major Regulatory Roles ● Stimulates hunger when levels are low in the brain

● Suppresses appetite when levels are high in the brain

● Stress response

● Fat burning and storage

● Body temperature

● Heart rate

● Blood pressure

● Reproductive behaviour

● Bone growth

● Regulate immunity

● Blood sugar levels

● Supports cognitive function


138



Low Leptin Levels When there are decreased levels of leptin in circulation, as in the case of being

underweight, this gives a signal to your body that there is a deficiency in calorie intake

and that it is not safe to break down fat stores but a need to store more fat in your

body.

This informs your body that it has to slow down your metabolism, over-stimulate your

appetite (causing you to eat more) and increase fat deposits in your body.

Conversely, if you are overweight, you will have more levels of leptin circulating hence

you should not feel hungry.

With the discovery of decreased leptin levels (which occurs only in a very small

percentage of obese people) being the blame on decreased metabolism and increased

storage of fat stores, scientists and pharmaceutical companies presumed the answer

here would be to administer leptin to overweight people and their weight loss would

miraculously occur.

Now, before you race out to buy leptin, do read on....Results were not quite as

expected when given leptin supplementation.

Leptin is enormously complex in the way it interacts with the body’s systems and

glands. Put more leptin into your body and instead of fostering weight loss, it only

causes “leptin resistance” making your body less able to shed excess fat and keep it

off.

Women and men did not lose weight when given leptin, rather they gained weight.

Further research showed that it is not a deficiency in leptin that obese or overweight

people have, but rather, an over abundance of leptin, leading to leptin resistance.


139



When you are leptin resistant, your brain is unable to detect proper leptin levels

circulating in the body, with the result of not knowing exactly how much fat is actually in

storage.

Your brain deludes itself into thinking that you are the perfect weight resulting in telling

your body to stop burning fat. What is even worse is that it could send incorrect signals

that you are SHORT on calories causing you to eat more food.


140



Leptin Resistance A weight loss nightmare

Leptin resistance, in conjunction with insulin resistance, are often at the root of blood

sugar imbalances leaving you with an overwhelming urge to eat more food. It

desensitizes your taste buds to sugar and makes you crave more sweet food and high

carbohydrate foods such as bread and cakes.

In a normal situation, where leptin decreases hunger, ghrelin is a hormone that works

in tandem with leptin and increases hunger. It is secreted primarily in the lining of the

stomach. When working properly, leptin and ghrelin act together in regulating your

appetite to make sure you do not overeat.

When leptin resistance occurs, ghrelin also becomes less responsive to food intake.

Elevated ghrelin triggers strong feelings of hunger, slows your metabolism and reduces

your ability to burn fat.

When there is a constant overproduction of leptin, which occurs when you are

overweight, leptin resistance can develop. The brain does not properly register how

much fat stores there are in the body with more fat cells being perceived as being

needed in order to produce more leptin. This is due to the fact that it is registering low

levels of leptin, despite the fact that there is actually an overabundance of leptin in

circulation.

Overweight and obese people almost invariably have developed a resistance to leptin.

If you are leptin resistant, an increased amount of leptin will be needed in order for you

to feel satisfied after a meal, resulting in more food being eaten, while at the same

time, the body is burning LESS fat for fuel.


141



Your brain mis-believes that the body is starving and creates a vicious cycle of telling

your body it needs to store fat!

Are you storing fat in a body that has

more than enough fat stores?

Restoring healthy leptin function is the most important step in establishing a healthy

endocrine balance, eliminating food cravings, eliminating constant hunger and

ultimately achieving success in your weightloss journey.

Once you realise that your food cravings and increased eating patterns are due to

incorrect leptin functioning and not due to any incompetence on your part, and have an

understanding of why you may have found it difficult to lose weight, your journey

becomes easier.

The best diet and exercise program in the world will not work, nor will the best

stress-reduction protocol, unless leptin resistance is addressed along with other

important hormones that regulate appetite. Some women are more susceptible to

problems with leptin levels than others. Women who are trying to lose weight can find it

a difficult process, even if they are eating small meal portions and exercising regularly.

This is where overcoming leptin resistance comes into play and why this program

works.


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The science if you want to delve deeper

When there is higher than normal leptin levels in circulation, your body tries to adjust its

basal leptin levels.

The set point for leptin is raised thus allowing for increased levels of leptin to be in

circulation. With the increased levels of leptin in circulation the hypothalamus loses its

sensitivity to leptin and does not respond to high leptin levels correctly.

When your body has too much leptin circulating in the body, the leptin receptors in the

hypothalamus become desensitized. It appears that the hypothalamus is oblivious to

the amount of leptin in circulation.

Another mechanism could be in play if you are leptin resistant, is that some leptin is not

able to cross the blood brain barrier successfully, thus the hypothalamus registers low

levels of leptin, despite there being high levels in circulation.

The blood is saturated with leptin but very little may be crossing the blood/brain barrier.

When the brain receives small amounts of leptin, it assumes that the body has

correlating small amounts of fat cells.

Thus a vicious cycle further perpetuates. You sense hunger due to the fact that your

hypothalamus is sending signals that you are not storing enough fat. When your body

has more fat cells, this creates more leptin.

The increased levels of leptin circulating in your body can overwhelm the

hypothalamus causing it to no longer respond to leptin in the proper way, instead it

starts telling your body to store fat.


143



If you are overweight, have trouble shedding fat and keeping it off, you are most likely leptin resistant.

Restoring healthy leptin function is the most important step towards establishing a

healthy endocrine balance, especially as you reach the age of 45 and beyond.

Symptoms Commonly Associated With Leptin Resistance

● Stress eating

● Feel need to eat every 2-3 hours

● Difficulty in losing weight

● Hypothyroid symptoms

● Low energy

● Excess abdominal fat

● Insomnia or other sleep disorders

● Late night eating

● Feeling tired during the day

● Cravings for sweet foods, breads, cereals, pasta, crackers, chips, potatoes,

soda drinks, beer and wine.


144



Reasons For Developing Leptin Resistance

Food without nutritional value (such as refined carbohydrates), foods containing

high-fructose corn syrup and trans-fats, and other fake foods, send incorrect signals to

your brain.

Your body interprets those signals as starvation, which makes you burn fewer calories

and store fat even in the presence of high leptin levels.

When leptin is high, your satiety switch (where you feel satisfied after eating) is broken.

As a result, you gain weight, because you will be forever hungry and won't have control

over your appetite.

Chronic overeating and frequent snacking may be one of the reasons, but not

everyone who is leptin resistant are chronic overeaters. Being leptin resistant can

cause you to overeat as you are never truly satisfied after a meal.

Here are my top 8 reasons for developing leptin resistance.

1. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS)

You may have easily been misled in believing that the fructose in high fructose corn

syrup is a healthier alternative to sugar.

HFCS is made from corn syrup using enzymes to increase the fructose content. The

fructose in HFCS is free, unbound fructose whereas fructose in fruit (more correctly to

be referred to as levulose) is bound to other sugars.


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Fructose in fruit is surrounded by fibre, phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals and fatty

acids. When fructose is extracted from its natural source and concentrated as a

sweetener, it creates havoc on your body’s metabolism.

The fructose in HFCS is not able to be accessed for energy, but is converted into body

fat.

All HFCS is immediately converted to triglycerides and body fat.

Glucose provides “satiety” (feeling of being satisfied after a meal) signals whereas

fructose does not due to the fact that it is unable to cross the blood-brain barrier. Also,

fructose does not suppress ghrelin (the hunger hormone). So, when foods are

sweetened with HFCS you will not feel satisfied due to signals not reaching the brain

telling you that you have eaten enough, especially enough sugars.

You should always try to avoid high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) which can also be

written as corn syrup, sucrose, dextrose, maltodextrin and many other names.

Studies have also shown that giving people yogurt sweetened with sugar did not eat as

much as those who were fed artificially sweetened yogurt. The premise is that eating

real sugar sets off a response that lets your body know that real calories are being

consumed. In turn, you feel satisfied after eating.

Those that ate the artificially sweetened yogurt did not have that response of being

satisfied with the amount of food being consumed. They ate more, which caused them

to gain weight and body fat.


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2. C- Reactive Protein(CRP)

C-reactive protein is not normally found in the blood of healthy people. It appears after

an injury ,infection, or inflammation.

Higher CRP levels tend to be found in those who are overweight and do not exercise,

as well as in those who smoke, and have high blood pressure.

Inflammation in fat tissue and blood vessels stimulates the production of CRP that

disable leptin's ability to suppress appetite and speed metabolism. Individuals who are

lean and athletic tend to have lower CRP levels.

3. Hydrogenated (trans fats) foods

Hydrogenated fats are man-made processed fats, which are made from liquid oil.

When you add hydrogen to liquid vegetable oil and then add pressure, a hydrogenated

fat is the result. Hydrogenated fats are also called trans fats. Hydrogenated fats pose a

high risk of heart disease. Not only do they raise total cholesterol levels, but they also

deplete good cholesterol (HDL), which helps protect against heart disease.

Hydrogenated fats do the same thing in our bodies that bacon grease does to kitchen

sinks. Overtime, they can clog the blood vessels that feed the heart and brain, which

can lead to heart attack or stroke. High amounts of triglycerides in the body bind with

leptin making it harder for leptin to cross the blood/brain barrier causing less leptin to

enter the brain. Hydrogenated fats compete with good fats, so it's important to minimize

the intake of hydrogenated fats as well as consuming enough good fats.

Good fats raise your HDL or "good cholesterol" which is responsible for delivering your

bad cholesterol (LDL) to the liver where it is broken down and excreted from the body.


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Good fats also help the body to respond better to leptin and thus increase your fat

burning metabolism.

4. Monosodium glutamate (MSG)

Monosodium glutamate (MSG), in its many forms, along with aspartic acid, has been

shown to cause lesions in the hypothalamus, which in turn leads to obesity. This

damage to the hypothalamus caused by MSG is a major reason why some people are

leptin resistant.

MSG can be a nightmare for women trying to lose weight. It is found in so many foods,

under many different names in order to disguise its presence in foods, that the only

foolproof way to avoid MSG is to avoid processed foods as much as possible.

Although Chinese restaurants get most of the bad press for food containing MSG, you

would be surprised just how MSG is getting into your diet without you realising it.

Manufacturers can correctly claim that there is no MSG in their products if MSG is a

constituent of an ingredient in the product. Some fancy names for MSG include calcium

caseinate, glutamic acid, textured protein, autolysed yeast extract or simply E621.

Foods with MSG can make us addicted to such foods in much the same way nicotine

makes cigarette smokers hooked. When was the last time you stopped with one potato

chip?


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5. Aspartame Aspartame, the artificial sweetener found in most diet drinks, has also been found to

cause lesions on the hypothalamus. Aspartame is an excitotoxin that energises the

nerves in the brain.

Nerves do need to be stimulated for normal functioning of the brain, but the presence

of excitotoxins will not allow the nerves to shutdown. If nerve cells remain excited they

eventually die causing hypothalamic lesions. This is another reason for a low

functioning hypothalamus with impaired responses to leptin levels in the body.

6. Foods With A High Glycemic Load

(GL)

The major source of food offenders triggering leptin resistance are carbohydrate foods

with high glycaemic load and their subsequent blood sugar surges.

They trigger leptin dysregulation and hormone imbalance, create blood sugar

disorders, produce cravings and interfere with normal insulin behaviour. Examples of

such foods are bread, potatoes, pasta, cereal, rice, and other starchy vegetables, as

well as wine and beer.

Carbohydrate foods, once digested, are broken down to glucose. Insulin is released in

response to the increase of glucose in the blood. The more the blood is flooded with

glucose, the more insulin will be produced.

Excess insulin causes the body to store the excess sugars as fat. With a high

carbohydrate diet (and subsequent high levels of insulin being released), the body is in

a fat storage mode.


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Everybody needs a certain level of carbohydrates for energy, but whatever is not

utilised by the body for energy will be stored as fat in the body. With the increase in fat

cells, more leptin is produced.

7. Stress & lack of sleep

Stress is one of the leading causes of insomnia and sleep deprivation. The less sleep

you get, the more leptin resistant you become.

Sleep deprivation also increases the release of the hormone ghrelin which increases

hunger and appetite. Thus, not getting enough sleep also is a major trigger for weight

gain.

8. Other sugar substitutes

Alternative sugars, include sucralose, Splenda, aspartame, maltose, basically the list is

endless.

No matter how they are disguised, they are a poison to your body and need to be

addressed. These are all man made under ultra high processing that puts pressure on

your hypothalamus.

We are eating far too many sugars in our society simply due to the way manufacturers

find ingenious ways to disguise the names for sugars.

You should aim to be getting your sugar kicks in the natural form, and that is from fruits

and honey. By all means, we all need sweetness in life, but keep treats to a minimum

and you will enjoy them more and your body will certainly thank you for it.


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Leptin Resistance: A Survival Mechanism

Believe it or not, but your body was actually designed for leptin, as well as, insulin

resistance. In times past, people feasted in the summer and early autumn when food

was plentiful, to store fat for winter when food was scarce. Summer was the time to eat

as much as possible, especially carbohydrates so that enough fat cells would be

created to make it through the lean winter months.

In fact, our survival as a civilization depended on this biochemistry. In modern day

society, winter no longer means hibernating away. There is a constant supply of food

with no shortages during the winter months.

Artificial lights have us awake till late, in both summer and winter. In winter, houses are

heated and we are eating the same amount of endless carbohydrates in both winter

and summer.

We are in a constant “ store fat for winter” scenario which seriously needs to be

addressed. We also need to learn how to cook from basics and rely less on processed

foods.


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Complications Associated With Leptin Resistance

● Obesity

● Hypertension

● Hyperlipidaemia

● Metabolic syndrome

● Psoriasis

● Arthritis

● Inflammatory conditions

● Increased risk of chronic heart disease and cancer

How To Overcome Leptin Resistance The objective is to restore leptin sensitivity and help you burn more fat as fuel. Once

leptin sensitivity is restored, your cells will also become more sensitized to other

hormones, such as insulin.

I will show you how to change your metabolism to burn fat instead of sugar, and thus kick in your weight loss if you follow this guideline of permissible foods for the next 3

weeks (the list of foods allowed can be found on the pages 153-156).

During this time you will have no starchy or sugary carbohydrates and will eat foods

high in good fat and vegetables that are high in fibre.

The reason for a high fibre diet is because it cannot be broken down into sugars. It is

the non-fibre carbohydrates that create many of the problems related to leptin and

insulin resistance.


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For 3 weeks:

1. You need to avoid foods that trigger leptin resistance. These foods include

breads, grains, cereal, pasta and starchy vegetables.

2. Eat more good fats that help lower leptin levels and therefore lower the risk of

developing leptin resistance. Good fats include monounsaturated fats such as

olive oil (always extra virgin) and avocado and nuts. You would benefit from

adding fish oils and eating more fish in your diet. Omega-3 fats help improve

insulin and leptin sensitivity.

3. Only 3 meals a day are allowed.

4. Only 2 small pieces of fruit are allowed in between meals.

Allowed Fat

● Nut Butters (raw,

unroasted,

unsalted)

● Almonds

● Brazil nuts

● Cashews


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Allowed Proteins

● Eggs

● Bass

● Catfish

● Cod

● Crab

● Flounder

● Grouper

● Haddock

● Halibut

● Herring

● Hazelnuts

● Macadamia

● Pecans

● Pinenuts

● Pistachios

● Walnuts

● Avocado

● Lobster

● Mackerel

● Mahimahi

● Orange roughy

● Oysters

● Perch

● Pike

● Pollack

● Rainbow trout

● Salmon

● Olives

● Olive oil

● Halibut

● Herring

● Mackerel

● Orange roughy

● Sardines

● Fresh Tuna

● Sardines

● Scallops

● Shrimp

● Snapper

● Sole

● Tilapia

● Tuna

● Turbot

● Chicken

● Turkey

● Lean meats


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Allowed Carbohydrates

● Apples

● Asparagus

● Artichoke Hearts

● Arugula (rocket)

● Bamboo shoots

● Bell peppers

● Bok choy

● Broccoli

● Brussel sprouts

● Cabbage

● Cauliflower

● Celery

● Chard

● Chives

● Cilantro

● Cucumbers

● Endive

● Eggplant

● Fennel

● Greens

(collard,turnip,

mustard, chard)

● Kale

● Kohlrabi

● Lettuce

● Leeks

● Mushrooms

● Okra

● Onions

● Oranges

● Parsley

● Radicchio

● Radishes

● Rutabaga

● Scallions

● Seaweed (dulse,

nori, kombu)

● Snow peas

● Spinach

● Sprouts(all

varieties)

● Strawberries

● String beans

● Turnip

● Water chestnuts

● Watercress

● Zucchini


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Allowed Condiments

● Basil

● Cardamom

● Blackpepper

● Cayenne pepper

● Capers

● Cinnamon

● Cumin

● Curry powder

● Dill weed

● Fennel

● Garlic

● Ginger

● Lemon

● Lime

● Mustard

● Nutmeg

● Onion

● Oregano

● Paprika

● Rosemary

● Tamari

● Tarragon

● Thyme

● Vanilla

● Vinegar

(balsamic, red

wine, umeboshi,

and apple cider

vinegar)


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6.00am - 7.00am Start the day with a morning Ginger & Lemon Shot (Page 30)


● Egg & Avocado with Cayenne (Page 159)

● Bananahinni (160)


● Cucumber & Tomato Salad (Page 161)

● Eggplant & Lemon Pepper (Page 163)

● Spicy Orange Delight (Page 168)

● Sweet Cabbage Salad (Page 169)


● Cod in Cumin & Coriander (Page 162)

● Quinoa With Poached Egg & Spinach (Page 164)

● Balsamic Chicken with Wilted Baby Spinach (Page 165)

● Grilled Chicken With Orange & Balsamic Glaze (Page 167)

Snacks allowed

Apples & Spice (Page 158) & Lemon Bliss Balls (Page 166)


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Apples & Spice Ready in 20 minutes . Serves 8 people

Ingredients ● 1 apple, sliced

● 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

● Pinch cloves (optional)

● Pinch nutmeg (optional)

Preparation 1. Sprinkle spices over sliced apples and enjoy!

Tips A recent pilot study found that cinnamon reduced leptin resistance. Apples are one of

the best whole food sources of pectin, and pectin helps in the battle of leptin

resistance.

To reap the most benefits, choose sour apples or crab apples which are said to be

particularly rich in pectin. Adding cinnamon, as well as nutmeg and cloves if you wish,

to the apple, gives you a great snack while on the 3 week Leptin Resistance protocol,

you will be a convert forever!


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Egg & Avocado with Cayenne Ready in 30 minutes . Serves 2 people

Ingredients ● 1 avocado

● 2 eggs

● Cayenne pepper


Preparation 1. Heat oven to 1800C (3500F). I

2. Scoop out some of the flesh of the avocado if you feel using large eggs. I added

this flesh back to the egg once it was cooked.

3. Crack egg into scooped area. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper

4. Place in oven and cook for 20-30 minutes. I prefer mine with a softer yolk as this

helps retain more nutrients.

5. Serve with baby spinach

Tips One of the major cayenne pepper benefits is the positive effect it has on the digestive

system. Cayenne pepper helps produce saliva, which is important for excellent

digestion as well as preventing bad breath. Cayenne pepper also stimulates the flow

of enzyme production and stimulates gastric juices to help get your metabolism kick

started if you need a boost.


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Bananahini Ready in 5 minutes. Serves 1-2 people

Ingredients ● 1 cup plain, live yoghurt

● 2 bananas

● 1 tsp tahini paste

● 2 teaspoons flax oil

Preparation Blend all ingredients together.

Enjoy.

Tips Yoghurt is a great source of calcium as well as beneficial bacteria to help halt osteoporosis and to ensure regular bowel motions.

Bananas are rich in phosphorus, potassium and magnesium which are minerals that

can be lacking in your diet.

Tahini is an excellent protein source that is easy to digest as well as rich in calcium and

phosphorous.

Flax oil is an essential oil that is excellent for maintaining flexible joints, clear skin and

boosting your immunity.


160



Cucumber & Tomato Salad Ready in 20 minutes . Serves 2 people

Ingredients ● 2 medium cucumbers, slice

● 1 cup cherry tomatoes

● 1 red onion, thinly sliced

● 4 radishes, thinly sliced

● 1 cup carrots, thinly sliced

● 1 tsp sesame seeds

● 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

● ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar

Preparation 1. In a small bowl mix cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, onion, radishes, carrots and

sesame seeds.

2. In a jar mix olive oil and apple cider vinegar, place on lid and shake vigorously.

3. Pour over salad ingredients and let infuse for 5-10 minutes before eating.

Tips You can replace olive oil with sesame oil and apple cider vinegar with rice wine vinegar

for a change.


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Cod in Cumin & Coriander Ready in 20 minutes , after prep time. Serves 6 people.

Ingredients ● 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

● 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

● 2-3 garlic cloves crushed

● 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

● 2 tsp ground coriander

● 2 tsp ground cumin

● ½ bunch coriander (cilantro)


● 900 gm (2 lb) cod, cut into bite size pieces

Preparation

1. In a jar mix oil, vinegar, garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin and salt and

pepper to taste (I use generous pinches). Place lid on jar and shake

vigorously.

2. Place cod in a shallow baking dish and pour mixture over cod and coat

evenly with a brush. Leave to marinate for 4-8 hours to let flavours infuse.

3. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 180°C/350 0F.

4. Add to the ovenfor 10-12 minutes until cooked through.

5. Serve with Cucumber & Tomato Salad (on page 161).

**Can replace cod with tilapia or halibut or other white fish available.


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Eggplant & Lemon Pepper Ready in 20 minutes. Serves 8 people


● 1 tsp garam masala

● 2 tsp salt

● 1 tsp cumin powder


● 1 knob fresh ginger, grated

● 1 eggplant sliced

● Juice of half a lemon

Preparation 1. Mix olive oil, garam masala, salt, cumin, garlic and ginger into ajar and

mix well.

2. Pour over eggplant and marinate for 4-6 hours to allow to infuse.

3. Heat oven when ready for cooking to 1800C/3500F.

4. Place eggplant on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, drizzle oil

mixture over and bake for 15 minutes.

5. Turn over and cook for another 10-15 minutes.

6. Add lemon juice just before serving.

Tips Eggplant is 90% water, which means this vegetable will steam rather than roast in the

oven. To avoid this, make sure to space the eggplant in a single layer with room

around each cube or slice to avoid steaming. Flipping the eggplant about halfway

through also prevents the desired crisp roasted layer from going limp in the oven.


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Quinoa With Poached Egg & Spinach Ready in 20 minutes. Serves 4 people

Ingredients ● 2 cups water

● 1 cup quinoa, rinsed

thoroughly

● 2 tbsp butter

● 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed

● 6 cups baby spinach

● Pinch salt and pepper

● 4 eggs poached

Preparation 1. Place quinoa and water in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil.

Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until tender and most of the liquid

has been absorbed. Time: 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and put

aside.

2. Heat butter in a large pan over a medium heat. Add garlic, spinach, salt

and pepper.

3. Saute for 2-3 minutes or until spinach wilts to half its size.

4. Mix quinoa and spinach. Add to serving bowls and top with a poached

egg on each bowl.

Tips Quinoa grows with a bitter, protective coating called saponin that needs to be rinsed

off. To rinse: Place quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve and run it under cold water for a few

seconds. Shake off any excess water and you are ready to proceed with cooking. If


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you skip this step you may find your quinoa to be very bitter and not at all pleasant to

eat.

Balsamic Chicken with Wilted Baby Spinach Ready in 20 minutes . Serves 4-6 people.

Ingredients ● 1 red onion, thin sliced

● 1⁄4 cup balsamic vinegar

● 1 tsp dried rosemary

● 1 tsp dried oregano

● 1 tsp salt

● 4 skinless chicken breasts,

sliced in half lengthways



● 1⁄2 cup water

● 6 cups baby spinach

Preparation 1. Blend onion, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, oregano and salt in a food

processor until smooth.

2. Pour over chicken and marinate for 30 minutes.

3. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in large pan. Add chicken and sear for 4-6 minutes or

until cooked through.

4. Once chicken is ready, set aside.

5. Using the same pan without washing, add remaining olive oil to pan and

remaining marinade and cook over a medium heat.

6. Add spinach until it wilts to half its size.

7. Place onto serving plate and serve with chicken over the top.


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Lemon Bliss Balls Ready in 10 minutes. Serves 16-20 balls

Ingredients ● 2 cups shredded coconut

● ½ cup desiccated coconut, for rolling in

● 250 gm ( ½ lb) cream cheese

● 250 gm (½ lb) strawberries or 2 full tbsp honey

● Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Preparation 1. Place shredded coconut, cream cheese, lemon and strawberries (or

honey) into a processor and blend until the mixture is well combined.

2. Using your hands, shape the mixture into balls.

3. Roll the balls through the dessicated coconut to coat.

4. Place the balls in the fridge to set.

Tips These keep well for 3 days in the fridge but can also be frozen for up to a month.

Defrost in the fridge overnight before use.


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Grilled Chicken With Orange & Balsamic Glaze Ready in 20 minutes. Serves 8 people .

Ingredients ● ½ cup honey

● ½ cup balsamic vinegar

● 1 tbsp orange zest

● ½ tsp dried oregano


● 2 tbsp olive oil

● 4 chicken breasts

Preparation 1. In a small saucepan, add honey and balsamic vinegar and over a medium heat

bring to the boil and simmer until slightly thickened, roughly 10 minutes.

2. Turn off heat and stir in orange zest and oregano.Use ¾ of glaze for basting

chicken and reserve ¼ cup for serving.

3. Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add chicken and cook for 6 minutes on each side.

4. Brush glaze on chicken and cook until lightly charred all over, about 4-5

minutes.


167



5. Slice chicken against the grain and serve over Spicy Orange Delight (recipe

page 168) adding a drizzle of balsamic-honey glaze and a sprinkle of salt and

pepper to taste.

Spicy Orange Delight Ready in 20 minutes. Serves 8 people.

Ingredients

● 4 tbsp white wine vinegar


● 1 tsp ground cumin

● ½ tsp salt

● ¼ tsp curry powder

● 1 pinch ground cinnamon

● 6 oranges, peeled and sliced

● 1 mild red onion thinly sliced

● 1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

● ½ cup black olives

● Fresh mint leaves and fresh coriander, leaves,rinsed

Preparation 1. Mix white wine vinegar, olive oil, cumin, salt, curry powder, cinnamon in a jar

and shake well.

2. In a wide, shallow serving bowl, lay orange slices, onions, and coriander.

3. Pour over dressing and mix gently.


168



4. Scatter olives, mint leaves,and coriander over the top.

5. Serve with Grilled Chicken With Orange & Balsamic Glaze (recipe page 167).

Sweet Cabbage Salad Ready in 20 minutes . Serves 8 people

Ingredients ● 6 cups shredded cabbage

● 1 cup grated carrot

● 1 cup sliced red bell pepper (about 1 medium)

● ½ cup finely sliced red onion

● ½ cup white wine vinegar


● 1 teaspoon dry mustard

● ½ teaspoon salt

Preparation 1. Combine cabbage, carrot, red pepper and onion in a large bowl and mix well.

2. Combine white wine vinegar, olive oil, mustard and salt into a jar, placing on lid

and shaking vigorously.

3. Pour vinegar mixture over cabbage mixture, blending gently to combine.

4. Cover and chill for 1 hour to allow flavours to infuse.


169



Leptin Resistant Quiz?

Take this quick 5 minute quiz to see if you are

leptin resistant.

Click here to do the quiz and see if you are leptin resistant


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https://www.menopausereliefsummit.com/leptin-quiz/



FAQ Module 4 How do I know if I am leptin resistant?

● Fill out the quiz above and you will have your results immediately.

Can leptin resistance be reversed? ● The short answer here is yes.

● But you do have to make some serious changes to your diet.

● Go back to pages 153-156 where I share a list of foods that you can eat and

these should be the only foods you eat for the next 3 weeks. You will see

amazing results if you stick to the food guide, drink plenty of water, eat no

sugars or refined carbohydrates, no alcohol and get plenty of rest.

● The protocol might sound strict but you will not be hungry if you have your meals prepared in advance. You may feel some withdrawals at first if you are a heavy bread/carb eater, but this will dissipate.

How long does it take to restore leptin sensitivity?

● This step depends upon how badly damaged your metabolism is. It also depends upon how willing you are to adapt your diet and your exercise routine. For most people you will see results in the first 3 weeks and it may take up to 6 weeks to start becoming a fat burning machine, instead of a fat storing machine.


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At the end of the 3 or 6 weeks Leptin resistance protocol what comes next? You can begin to increase your carbohydrates slowly to see if it affects your cravings, weight, and your moods. If your symptoms start to return, and you find yourself putting on weight you have to limit the amount of processed carbs in your diet.

A second thing you need to look at is increasing strength resistance work out. There is a steep decline in production of female sex hormones, growth hormone secretion and Vitamin D status after the age of 30. The muscle strain from weight lifting is the best way to stimulate the pituitary gland to keep producing the hormones.


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Exercise Goals For Module 4

● Run for 2 minutes, walk for minutes. Repeat 5 times.

● Target: 20 minutes brisk walk 5 days a week.

Extra resources for further reading: The Role of Leptin in Human Physiology

Leptin signaling and leptin resistance


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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2829242/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4069066/



Module 5 This week I am going to discuss not only your thyroid, but also your liver.

Liver & Thyroid If your liver is under stress you may see signs such as increased weight gain and

insomnia.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the time between 1am and 3am is when

the liver is most active. If your liver is congested, your symptoms will be aggravated at

this time. For many women, the night sweats between 1am and 3am can be the most

intense.

Other signs of a congested liver include;

● constipation

● painful and inflamed joints

● low energy and vitality

● prone to weepiness

● depression

● anger outbursts

● moodiness

Maintaining a healthy liver is central to maintaining hormonal balance, which in turn

helps to maintain your overall health. Liver function and hormone harmony are

intimately connected.

Your liver has to contend with fluctuating hormones and needs extra care and

attention.


174



5 Tips To Reignite Your Liver 1. Start the day with juice of half a lemon in warm water to get your metabolism

moving.

2. Increase your intake of leafy greens such as rocket (arugula), kale, spinach and

broccoli. These are all superfoods for the liver. Be sure to have a green smoothie

available every day, even if it is just half a glass.

3. Alcohol is not tolerated by your body the same way it used to when you were

younger. Now that you are older, and somewhat wiser, a great recommendation is to

limit your alcohol intake, or if that is not an option, to make sure to have a glass of

water between each drink.

4. Yoga is a great way to generate less stress in the body. By decreasing the effects

stress has on you, it also decreases the load you are putting on your liver.

5. Drink more water. I know you may be tired of hearing this, but it is true. By making

sure your body is well hydrated, you will feel the benefits in a very short time.


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Thyroid Hormones

The mechanism by which oestrogen causes weight gain is through inhibiting thyroid

function. In a normal-weight woman, oestrogen and thyroid hormone play off of each

other in an intricate balance.

Yet when a woman becomes overweight, her oestrogen levels can drive her thyroid

function downward. With impaired thyroid function, you may feel sluggish and fatigued,

and therefore expend less energy. Your body is burning less and less fuel to get by.

Cruciferous vegetables, citrus fruits, insoluble fibre and lignans all function in your body

towards reducing the unhealthy oestrogen load.

Thyroid Gland The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland that pumps thyroid hormones straight into

your bloodstream, and circulates them throughout your body to influence practically

every system in your body.

The thyroid gland is vital for normal function of the sex hormones and affect your

body’s weight, energy, mood, bowels, sugar levels, muscles and immunity.

The two main thyroid hormones are T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine). T3 and T4

regulate your body's temperature, metabolism and heart rate. The amount of thyroid

hormones secreted is controlled by another hormone, called thyroid stimulating

hormone (TSH), which is released from the pituitary gland in your brain.

Your thyroid also regulates the metabolism of sugars and fats, as well as the energy

and strength of your muscles.


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Adrenals work closely with the thyroid which assists in your energy levels. The adrenal

gland and the thyroid gland are made from the same amino acid; tyrosine. If levels of

adrenal hormones are low, your body will produce more thyroid hormone. Also, too

much cortisol will lower your thyroid hormones.

The thyroid hormone, cortisol and adrenaline all work together. If one of these is low

the others rise to accommodate the low level.

In the incidence of levels of low thyroid hormone, the adrenal glands will produce more

adrenaline and other adrenal hormones leaving you feeling irritable and edgy. If this

happens over a long period of time the adrenals become exhausted.

In the same way, if your cortisol is low, your thyroid will produce more thyroid hormone

to compensate. In the case of low cortisol and/or low thyroid, there is raised adrenalin

which can lead to palpitations and anxiety.

Reduced thyroid function may be the result of your thyroid’s impaired ability to produce

hormones, or your body may have difficulty using the thyroid hormones. Either way,

problems with your thyroid hormones may interfere with how well you are able to

absorb the nutrients from the food you eat. This is a classic example of you are not

what you eat but what you absorb!

Women are especially prone to thyroid issues and weight gain because the thyroid is

linked to other systems that affect weight, including the proper functioning of our

neurotransmitters, reproductive hormones,and adrenal glands.


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Thyroid & Weight Gain Thyroid problems and weight gain are directly linked. Thyroid problems develop over

time. You may have been displaying signs of low thyroid function in your 30’s or 40’s

but able to push through it. As you enter your late 40’s the symptoms tend to become

more apparent because of the hormone fluctuations experienced during that time, thus

you need to pay heed to your thyroid and nurture it if you want to lose weight and gain

energy.

Weight gain is typically linked to an underactive thyroid because it slows down your

metabolism. This results in weight gain and difficulty losing extra weight.

Women's weight tends to fluctuate, especially when hormone levels are shifting which

happens as you approach menopause. Many women try to diet to counter this with

unhealthy eating plans or a plan that does not address your thyroid, only to make

things worse. Eating the wrong foods can decrease your metabolic rate, which slows

down your metabolism and causes you to gain more weight. Then, when you find that

you do not get the results you are looking for, you revert back to your old eating habits.

Low thyroid function is associated with weight gain due to the fact that the thyroid gland

controls fuel-efficiency and your metabolism. With too little thyroid, the fuel (your food)

is burned at a lower rate and, if meal sizes is the same, weight gain occurs.

A note of caution; although weight gain often occurs with hypothyroidism, it is a non

specific change because increasing weight also occurs with decreased exercise,

increased stress, and as a side effect of many drugs as well as other reasons. So do

not be quick to assume that you have an underactive thyroid if you have gained weight

or unable to lose weight.


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Oestrogen dominance can decrease your thyroid activity by inhibiting the release of

thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). TSH is a hormone secreted by your pituitary gland

when your thyroid hormone levels are low. Low thyroid function can also cause

progesterone levels to decrease.

Thyroid disease Thyroid disease comes in two forms:

1. Hyperthyroidism

2. Hypothyroidism


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Hyperthyroidism The symptoms of hyperthyroidism include;

● weight loss

● rapid heartbeat

● Insomnia

● Irritability

● heat intolerance.

A common cause of hyperthyroidism is Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder of

the thyroid.

Hypothyroidism An underactive thyroid, referred to as hypothyroidism, can present with symptoms that

are usually mild and nonspecific, so it can be easy to dismiss them in the early stages.

Hypothyroidism stems from a problem with the thyroid gland, reducing the amount of

the hormone thyroxine it produces.

An underactive thyroid can lead to fatigue, brain fog, weight gain, depression,

constantly feeling cold, and even hair loss all of which also can be experienced during

perimenopause and menopause.

A common cause of hypothyroidism is Hashimoto’s disease.


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You do not have to have a disease of the thyroid to feel the effects of low thyroid

function. All your blood tests can come back normal but you seem to have every

symptom associated with low thyroid function. What could be happening is a condition

referred to as subclinical hypothyroidism where your thyroid is not working to its full

potential. Even low thyroid function can lead to weight gain, especially when it is

interconnected with other hormonal issues.

If your thyroid is not functioning as well as it should be, all of your efforts to curb weight

gain and achieve hormone harmony may be futile.

Hypothyroidism can occur at any stage in life but it most commonly occurs in women

between the ages of 40 and 50. At this age, some women mistake their symptoms as

just a part of the menopause or getting older. The chief difference is that

hypothyroidism does not cause hot flushes which occurs during perimenopause.

Both perimenopause and hypothyroidism commonly occur in midlife women.

Perimenopause is a phase that happens for all women and the incidence of

hypothyroidism increases with increasing age especially in women, therefore,

perimenopause and new onset hypothyroidism may occur together.


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Blood Tests To Assess Low Thyroid Function

If you feel you may have low thyroid function, early diagnosis is paramount because if

left untreated hypothyroidism can increase the risk of heart disease. This is because it

encourages an increase in levels of bad LDL cholesterol, which can block arteries.

Weight gain from hypothyroidism may not budge with diet and exercise changes alone.

Given that some of the common experiences in perimenopause resemble too little

thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism), it is important for you to be able to discover where

the problem lies if you feel your thyroid is underactive.

1. Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)

TSH is the hormone produced by the pituitary gland that causes release of thyroid

hormones. TSH is commonly ordered and is a sensitive test of overall thyroid function.

The normal range for TSH is 0.5-5.0mIU/L. Those with hypothyroidism have high levels

of TSH, commonly elevated above 5.0mIU/L. This is because the thyroid gland is

under-active and levels of T3and T4 in the blood are low. This stimulates the release of

large amounts of TSH from the pituitary in an attempt to increase production of T3 and

T4 from the thyroid gland.

The most common investigation to assess your thyroid gland is a TSH test, which

measures your blood levels of thyroid stimulating hormone. In the case of an

underactive thyroid, TSH levels will be markedly elevated. High levels suggest the

thyroid may not be working effectively, as it is having to be driven hard by the TSH to

push out adequate amounts of thyroxine.


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2. Free Thyroxine (T4)

Thyroxine is an alternative name for T4. T4 is transported in the blood bound to

proteins, such as albumin and thyroxine-binding globulin. Free thyroxine measures the

amount of T4 in the blood that is circulating not bound to such proteins. The accepted

normal range for free thyroxine is 12-22 pmol/L while those with hypothyroidism will

have low levels of free T4, often below 12 pmol/L.

A T4 blood test is often used to confirm abnormal TSH results to better pinpoint exact

thyroid function levels.

3. Free T3

This test looks at the amount of T3 in the circulation that is not bound to proteins in the

blood. T3 is the thyroid hormone that is more active than T4; however, it is produced

and released in much smaller quantities than T4. The accepted normal range for free

T3 is 3.1-6.8 pmol/L. Free T3 is often lowered in patients with hypothyroidism.

Total T4 and total T3 can also be measured, but these tests are rarely ordered and

both are lowered in hypothyroidism. These tests measure both the amounts of T3 and

T4 bound to blood proteins, as well as the amount free in the circulation.

Your thyroid secretes and regulates only 20% of T3, the rest is produced by the liver by

chemical modification of T4. Subclinical thyroid weight gain can occur if your T4 is not

being converted by the liver into the active form of T3, or the converted T3 hormone is

not reaching the cells, hence your body is producing enough T3 but the body is unable

to use it.


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Why Blood Tests May Not Be Conclusive

Some women can have what is called subclinical hypothyroidism, which means their

TSH is high, but their T4 is normal, and some people have symptoms of low thyroid

function, even though their TSH and T4 levels are fine.

If you are showing signs of thyroid imbalance and your blood results come back in a

normal range but you feel like your life is falling apart and you are exhausted that sleep

and rest does give you relief, chances are you have subclinical low thyroid function. If

you follow the dietary advice explained here, you should see results in your energy

levels as well as success in your weight loss efforts as well as reviving your thyroid!


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Signs Of Low Thyroid Function ● The most reliable symptom of an underactive thyroid gland is a relentless

coldness in the centre of the body.

● Feeling much more tired than usual

● Unexpected weight gain

● Weight gain that is difficult to shift

● Often feel cold

● Metabolism slows leading to constipation

● Prone to dry skin

● Thinning hair

● Muscle or joint pain

● Vague brain fog

● Feel depressed

● Unremitting unexplained fatigue

● Wake up exhausted despite sleeping for 8-10 hours

More extreme symptoms

1. Puffy face

2. Deepening of voice

3. Goitre (swelling in the neck)

4. Body temperature lower than normal


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Causes of hypothyroidism 1. The most common cause is that the gland becomes unable to make enough

thyroid hormone, usually because the body attacks the thyroid tissue as though

it were foreign (often called Hashimoto's thyroiditis). Instead of having a good

production of thyroid hormone, the thyroid hormone making part of the gland

gets swamped with lymphocytes (white blood cells) which are cells responding

to the perceived "immune threat." As the thyroid hormone levels start to

decrease, the brain and pituitary sense this and thyroid-stimulating hormone

(TSH) is produced in increasing amounts.

2. Some medications, such as the heart rhythm drug amiodarone and some

steroids, can suppress the action of the thyroid gland.

3. Pregnancy, which puts pressure on the thyroid to produce more thyroxine, can

also temporarily induce hypothyroidism.

4. Hypothyroidism can also be caused by not enough of the essential mineral,

iodine.


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Diet Recommendations For Low Thyroid Function

1. Base Meals Around Vegetables and Protein

The main benefit of protein for achieving weight loss is that it’s much more satiating

than both fat and carbohydrates. Protein is also the muscle-building nutrient, so a high

protein diet complements regular exercise.

2. Vegetables provide vital vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients

Eating nutrient-dense meals is even more important for women with hypothyroidism

and other autoimmune diseases, where nutrient absorption and deficiency are

common.

You should place an emphasis on green leafy vegetables (especially bitter greens),

mushrooms and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage.

Vegetables are also a great source of fibre, that feeds the healthy bacteria in your

digestive tract.

As a general guide, the protein portion of your meal should be the size of your palm,

and salad/vegetables the size of your hand. This would leave about ¼ or less of your

plate for carbohydrates such as rice or potato or pasta. If you want to take it up a

notch, omit these carbohydrates for 2-3 weeks and see if you notice positive changes

in your body and mind.


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3. Gluten Free

There is a strong connection between gluten reactions and the thyroid. Some people

will be able to completely put their symptoms into remission by going gluten-free, while

others may need to dig a bit deeper. By eliminating gluten from your diet for 1-3 weeks

can be a great benefit.

Essential Vitamins & Minerals

Selenium and zinc are two nutrients directly involved in thyroid function. Consuming a

diet naturally rich in selenium and zinc is critical for maintaining a healthy thyroid and

metabolism.

It is critical that your diet contains adequate quantities of essential vitamins and

minerals in order to optimise thyroid hormone production and metabolism. It is required

in the production of T4 (thyroxine) as well as the conversion of T4 to T3, the active

form.

Selenium

Selenium is an essential mineral that helps the body to recycle iodine. It’s thought that

low selenium levels contribute to hypothyroidism through alternate mechanisms related

to iodine. For this reason it’s fundamental to eat a diet that contains selenium-rich

foods, such as:

● Brazil nuts

● Tuna and sardines

● Beef and chicken

● Eggs

● Legumes


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Zinc

Zinc is an essential mineral required to regulate TSH. The metabolism of zinc and

thyroid hormones are closely interlinked, which is why a deficiency can lead to thinning

of the hair.

Zinc-rich foods includes:

● Oysters and shellfish

● Beef and chicken

● Pumpkin seeds

● Yoghurt.

Iodine

Iodine is also important for thyroid health and the best source of iodine is from sea

vegetables such as kelp and kombu. Many selenium and zinc rich foods contain quality

amounts of iodine also.

Vitamin D

This fat-soluble vitamin is necessary for thyroid hormone production in the pituitary

gland. So be sure to get out and bare your arms and legs at least 20 minutes a day,

without UV protection to absorb essential Vitamin D.


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Regular walks or start lifting weights

Research shows that low-intensity exercise that lasts longer, such as regular long

walks, are just as effective for weight loss, especially if you are just starting out. It helps

improve strength, mobility and metabolic health.

A general guideline is to walk for at least 60 minutes or 10,000 steps on most days. If

you are unable to do cardio exercise, regularly lifting weights (or resistance exercises)

is also highly beneficial, especially if mobility is an issue for you. In fact, it’s equally as

important as cardio and it would be great if doing both types of exercise was possible.

Be a little brave on some days and move out of your comfort zone.

Resistance exercise helps burn additional calories, with the added benefit of building

lean muscle. The more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism.

Prioritise sleep

Alongside poor diet and exercise, short sleep duration is one of the strongest risk

factors for obesity . Good quality sleep is fundamental for weight loss.

Thyroid inhibiting foods

Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cabbage, can interfere with the

production of thyroid hormone, particularly if you have an iodine deficiency. But this

should not stop you from eating these wonderful foods that help boost glutathione

levels to restore thyroid function.


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6.00am - 7.00am Start the day with a morning Ginger & Lemon Shot (Page 30)


● Egg Muffins (Page 193)

● Banana Pancakes (Page 194)

● Red Berry Delight (Page 195)

● Simple Asparagus Feta & Eggs (Page 201)


● Tomato & Zucchini Soup (Page 192)

● Arami & Ginger Salad (Page 197)

● Roasted Eggplant & Peppers (Page 200)


● Carrot & Pine Nut Roast (Page 198)

● Quick & Easy Roast Lamb & Carrot (Page 202)

● Kale & Brussels Sprouts Salad (Page 203)

Sides

● Roast Pumpkin With Mustard Dressing (Page 199)

Snacks allowed

Almond muffins (Page 196)


191



Tomato & Zucchini Soup Ready in 40 minutes. Serves 6 people


● 1 onion, roughly chopped

● 3 cloves garlic

● 4 cups zucchini, rough chopped

● 8 cups tomatoes

● 4 cups chicken stock (or water)

● Pinch of salt & pepper to taste

Preparation 1. In a large pot, heat the oil.

2. Add the onion and garlic, cook over medium heat until the onions are

translucent, about 5-7 minutes.

3. Add the zucchini, stir and saute for about 5 minutes.

4. Add the tomatoes and cook another 5 minutes.

5. Add the chicken stock/water and put a lid on the pot. Lower the heat to

low and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

6. Blend the soup in batches and transfer to another pot or a large bowl.

7. Season with salt and pepper to taste.


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Egg Muffins Ready in 40 minutes . Serves 6 people.

Ingredients ● 6 eggs

● Pinch of salt & pepper to taste

● 2 tomatoes, chopped

● 2 spring onions, thinly chopped

● 100 gm smoked salmon, sliced

Preparation 1. Whisk eggs in a bowl with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Add tomatoes and spring onion

3. Pour into paper lined muffin tins.

4. Add equal amounts salmon into each.

5. Bake in 160 0C (325 0F) oven for 30 minutes


193



Banana Pancakes Ready in 20 minutes . Serves 8 people.

Ingredients ● 2 bananas

● 2 eggs

● 1 tbsp butter

● Strawberries for garnishing

Preparation 1. Blend banana and eggs in mixer until it reaches a batter-like consistency

(approximately 1 minute).

2. Melt butter on a thin pan.

3. Pour batter onto pan.

4. Cook for 2-3 minutes and then turn cooking for additional 1-2 minutes

5. Cut strawberries in half to garnish.

Tips Putting a cover over the pan will even out the cooking process and help prevent

destruction of pancake when turning.


194



Red Berry Delight Ready in 5 minutes. Serves 2 people.

Ingredients ● 1 cup red berries

● 1 cup spinach leaves

● 1 banana

● 1 cup water

Preparation 1. Blend all ingredients together for 1 minute until smooth.

2. Chill out and relax while drinking.

Tips This smoothie is packed with nutrition plus for your thyroid by helping to reduce

inflammation and can help with detoxification. Berries are rich in antioxidants which

protect against damaging free radicals, which are high in people with thyroid problems.


195



Almond Muffins Ready in 60 minutes . Serves 4 people.

Ingredients ● 1 & ¼ cup almond flour

● ¼ cup flax meal

● 2 teaspoons baking powder

● ¼ teaspoon baking soda

● 1 teaspoon cinnamon

● ½ cup applesauce

● 2 eggs, whisked

● 3 ripe mashed bananas

● ½ cup blueberries

Preparation 1. Mix almond flour, flax meal, baking powder and baking soda and cinnamon.

2. Add applesauce, eggs, bananas and blend well.

3. Fold berries through mixture.

4. Pour into prepared muffin tins

5. Bake for 45 minutes at 175 0C (350 0F)

Tips To make a homemade applesauce simply cut one apple into thin slices, add enough

water to cover and simmer for 30 minutes until soft enough to mash.

These muffins are excellent to have handy as a morning treat.They travel well which is

always great!


196



Arame & Ginger Salad Ready in 20 minutes . Serves 8 people .

Ingredients ● 2 cups arame

● 2 cloves garlic, minced

● 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

● ¼ cup rice wine vinegar

● 2 tablespoons tamari sauce


● 1 cup carrot, diced

● ½ cup red pepper, thinly sliced

● 4 scallions or spring onions, minced

● ½ cup radish, grated

● 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Preparation 1. Place arame in a large saucepan with just enough boiling water to cover. Soak

for 15 minutes.

2. Place garlic, ginger, vinegar, tamari and olive oil in a jar with tight fitting lid.

Shake vigorously and set aside.

3. Drain arame and return to saucepan. Add carrots and just enough water to

cover. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to low and simmer 3 to 4 minutes.

4. Drain immediately and transfer to a bowl.

5. Add diced carrot, red pepper, scallions (spring onions), radish and toss.

6. Shake dressing and pour over salad.

7. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

8. Chill 30 minutes before serving.

Tips Arame, a type of sea vegetable has a mild semi-sweet flavor. They contain natural

iodine which can help support thyroid function.


197



Carrot & Pine Nut Roast Ready in 70 minutes . Serves 6 people.


● 1 onion, chopped

● 225 gm carrot, grated

● 2 celery sticks, grated

● 2 tsp dried mixed herbs

● 2 eggs

● Juice of 1 lemon

● 225 gm pine nuts

Preparation 1. Preheat oven to 1800C (3500F )

2. Line a 500gm (2lb.) loaf tin.

3. Add oil in a heavy saucepan, add onions and cook until translucent.

4. Add carrot and celery and heat for a further 15 minutes.

5. Remove from heat.

6. Add mixed herbs, eggs, lemon juice and pine nuts.

7. Pour into tin and bake for 40 minutes until golden brown.

8. When cooked, slice and serve.

Tips Can be served with a mushroom or tomato sauce on a bed of rocket. Delicious with

Pumpkin & Mustard Dressing. (See Recipe Page 199)


198



Roast Pumpkin With Mustard Dressing Ready in 60 minutes . Serves 4 people.


● 800 gm pumpkin, diced into cubes

Dressing

● ½ cup chopped walnuts

● ¼ cup lemon juice

● ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

● 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

● 2 tbsp fresh chives (optional)

Preparation 1. Preheat oven to 200°C (3950F).

2. Arrange pumpkin, in a single layer,on roasting tray. Drizzle in olive oil.

3. Bake for 40 minutes or until pumpkin is golden and tender.

4. For the dressing: Mix walnuts, lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard and chives in

a jar, close lid and shake.

5. When pumpkin is ready, drizzle over dressing and serve.

Tips Pumpkin is loaded with antioxidants, fibre, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, magnesium,

potassium and zinc, which is often low in people with low thyroid function.


199



Roasted Eggplant & Peppers Ready in 80 minutes . Serves 4 people.

Ingredients ● 2 eggplants, sliced

● 1 red pepper

● 1 green pepper

● 1⁄2 cup mushrooms

● 1 zucchini sliced

● 2 tomatoes, chopped in wedges


● 1⁄4 cup balsamic vinegar

● 1⁄4 cup olive oil

● 1 tbsp sugar

Preparation 1. Prepare the eggplant, red pepper, green pepper, mushrooms, zucchini,

tomatoes and garlic cloves in a dish suitable for the oven or a closed top BBQ.

2. Mix the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sugar and garlic in a jar, close lid and shake

vigorously.

3. Pour over the vegetables.

4. Cook in a hot oven 1800C (350 0F) for 1 hour, turning regularly.


200



Simple Asparagus Feta & Eggs Ready in 10 minutes. Serves 1 person.


● 2 eggs

● 6 asparagus stalks, cutting off

ends

● 60 gm (2 oz) feta cheese

● Salt and cracked pepper to taste

Preparation 1. Heat oil in large flat pan.

2. Crack eggs into pan on one side with asparagus on the other side.

3. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Cover with a lid and heat for 4 minutes.

5. After 4 minutes, crumble feta cheese over eggs and cover again for another 2-3

minutes.

6. When whites are firm and yolk to your liking, remove eggs from pan and place

onto your serving plate.

7. Asparagus may need a few more minutes to soften.

8. Once asparagus is soft add to eggs and enjoy.

Tips Delicious with a dash of your favourite tomato relish.


201



Quick & Easy Roast Lamb & Carrot Ready in 20 minutes . Serves 8 people.

Ingredients ● 3 x 300 gm (10 oz) lamb rump roasts


● 2 tsp salt

● 6 medium carrots

Preparation 1. Preheat oven to 2000C (3950F)

2. Rub lamb with 2 tbsp olive oil then season with salt.

3. Place the lamb in a large frying pan, fat side down, over a medium heat. When it

starts to sizzle, cook for 4-5 minutes until the fat is golden brown.

4. Turn the meat and brown the other sides for 3-4 minutes.

5. Place lamb on a roasting tray with the carrots.

6. Drizzle carrots with 2 tbsp olive oil and transfer tray to the oven.

7. Roast for 15-20 minutes until lamb is just cooked through.

8. Rest for 5 minutes.

9. Slice lamb and serve with Kale & Brussels Sprouts salad (recipe page 203)


202



Kale & Brussels Sprouts Salad Ready in 10 minutes . Serves 4 people.

Ingredients ● 1⁄2 bunch kale, stalks removed and leaves finely shredded


● 500 gm (18 oz) Brussels sprouts, finely shredded

● 75 gm (2.5 oz) shaved parmesan cheese

Buttermilk dressing ● ½ cup buttermilk

● 2 tbsp olive oil

● 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

● Juice of ½ lemon

Preparation 1. Place kale and oil in a bowl and using your hands, massage the oil into the kale

2. Add the Brussels sprouts.

3. Combine buttermilk dressing ingredients in a bowl, season with salt and pepper,

and whisk to combine.

4. Drizzle over the salad and top with parmesan cheese.

5. Serve with Roast Lamb & Carrots (see page 202)


203



Thyroid Function Quiz Take this quick 5 minute quiz to see if your thyroid

is working to it full capacity.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE THYROID FUNCTION QUIZ


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https://www.menopausereliefsummit.com/thyroid-quiz/



Exercise Goals For Week 5 Run for 3 minuteS, walk fast for 3 minutes, repeat 5 times.

Do only every second day, 3-4 times a week. On alternate days you can walk for 10-20

minutes if you feel up to it.

● Target: Run for 1 minute, walk fast for 2 minutes, repeating 5 times.

Extra resources for further reading: Thyroid Conditions & Diagnosis

Medline Thyroid Article


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https://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/hypothyroidism/hypothyroidism-potential-symptoms-causes-underactive-thyroid-gland

https://medlineplus.gov/magazine/issues/spring12/articles/spring12pg22-23.html

https://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/hypothyroidism/hypothyroidism-potential-symptoms-causes-underactive-thyroid-gland



Module 6 This is the start of your new life...

Wow, what a journey. We are now in Week 6 of the Menopause Whisperer 6-Week

Weight Loss Program .

How are you going? Have you achieved what you set out to achieve. Would it surprise

you if I told you less than 15% of those that signed up to this program will actually open

Week 6!

Changing a life of eating habits and lifestyle choices is not easy, but if you want to

succeed in losing weight this is paramount. You did not gain weight for no reason.

There was a reason and I hope you have gained clarity in what you need to do to lose

weight and gain energy.

I am going to share with you a few tips and hints as well as how you should navigate

your path from here on.

1. Stay Active One of the most common issues affecting women age 50+ is muscle loss due to

inactivity. This issue is also correlated to osteoporosis. Keeping active can be as

simple as a 20-30 minute walk, 3-5 times per week. Take note of what you are capable

of doing and push yourself to stay active as often as possible. It’s amazing what 1-2

hours per week of slightly increased activity can do for you.


206



There is a natural decrease in muscle mass as we age due to a decrease in our

exercise levels, work may not be as physically demanding as well as our muscles are

less efficient. If you do not do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose, your body

composition will shift to a body consisting of more fat and less muscle, leading to

decreased metabolism & burning less energy from food. The bottom line being, you put

on weight.

Energy requirements around the age of 50 decrease to 15% less than when you were

in your 20's. The means that you need less fuel (food) each day. If you continue to eat

in the same style you will most definitely gain weight. For some women this may be the

first time they have ever had to watch what they eat.

If you have been sedentary for some time, try exercising in water. Water aerobics are

excellent if you are overweight, or find running or walking difficult. It places less stress

on your joints and makes exercise more enjoyable. Water aerobics is great for toning

the body and strengthening your heart and immunity, without straining your joints.

2. Eat Green, Clean & Lean Diet and digestion is an important component of remaining healthy. There are certain

foods that can help you keep blood sugar levels balanced and thus balance your

hormones. Keep in mind when you are doing the grocery shopping to choose foods

that are green, clean and lean. Green in terms of vegetables, preferably of the dark

green leafy variety. Clean in terms of chemicals so choose organic where possible.

Choose lean meats and foods that have good fats like Omega-3 fatty acids as well as

nuts and seeds that are organic as well.

If you are a smoker, now is a good time to give up if you are concerned about the

condition of your skin Smoking causes the fibres of the skin to lose their elasticity,

which makes the skin more susceptible to wrinkles. Nicotine found in cigarettes cause

narrowing of the blood vessels causing the facial skin to be dull, grey and leathery.


207



Strength training (or weight resistance metabolism) helps build muscle mass and

improve metabolism as well as maintain bone mass and keep you lean.

3. Purchase With Purpose When buying your vegetables be sure to look for signs of freshness such as bright,

lively colour and crispness. When it comes to your greens, make sure they are as

green as possible. For example, avoid broccoli with any signs of yellowing on the

florets.

Most fresh vegetables can be stored for 2-5 days in the fridge. You can freeze your

greens for use in green smoothies to make sure you always have some handy and is a

great way of storing when you buy in bulk. Root vegetables can be stored for several

weeks if kept in dark areas.

You may be tempted to buy cheaper vegetables that may be showing signs of decay.

But even if you trim the decayed areas, rapid deterioration is likely, so you may find

you are discarding more vegetables than you prefer. Investing in good quality, fresh

ingredients, will always have you saving money in the long run.


208



4. Plan ahead

Planning ahead is paramount to your success. Quick, healthy foods such as apples,

almonds, choc balls (see my recipes) and bananas are always a good idea to have

handy.

Have you organised your pantry? You should be aiming to foods easy enough to reach

should you be hungry that are nutritious, tasty and in harmony with your body. This

means more fruits and vegetables, and less biscuits and chocolate! Make sure to have

a high variety of foods available. Substitute chicken for turkey, sardines for tuna, rocket

for spinach.

5. 30 Minute Skype Call

Now that you have finished the Menopause Whisperer 6-Week Weight Loss

Program but feel that you would benefit with some extra help, you can contact me now

for a 30 minute Skype Call. For more information you can email me direct at

[email protected]


209

mailto:[email protected]


Documents

Menopause Whisperer 6 Week Weight Loss Program · The Menopause Whisperer 6-Week Weight Loss Program is designed to not only help you lose weight but also to help you gain abundant