Are you eating enough?
I don't count calories however, I eat heaps. When the weight was coming off I was doing eggs, OJ, lots fruits like melons, water melon, stewed apples, pears, dates, lots of full cream milk (can't stand the watery stuff), Parmesan and pecorino cheese, custards, ice-cream. I love dairy. I actually did my research on milk and I am a huge advocate of dairy. Never drank it as I child though. Wish I had. Lots of oxtail gelatin, lamb, prawns and oysters, potatoes, root vegies and lots of mushrooms. Liver once a week and leafy green extracts. I felt great eating like this. Unfortunately, OJ and coffee have been problematic. OJ and coffee keep me running with high energy all day but the bladder irritation, dry and itching vagina meant that I had to cut out or have minimal amounts. Coke has the same reaction. I never drank coke in all my life, I can drink a whole 1.25 litre - it is so addictive. I am probably revving my body too high and depleting minerals. I find I need the liver, seafood and lamb regularly. I will try to increase these. The symptoms seem to be those commonly associated with menopause and I have never experienced these when I was definitely estrogen dominant; during the premenopausal years and the start of menopause. Yeah, I never drank coffee, coke or OJ back then
These symptoms first appeared when I started experimenting with progesterone and Vitamin E. I asked a Naturopath friend whether I could have overdone the Vitamin E and was low estrogen. She wanted to give me homeopathic estrogen but the mantra, an estrogen is an estrogen is an estrogen reverberated in my brain and I quickly declined. Now I am beginning to think that it might be estrogen that I am lacking???
Estrogen is supposed to work quickly and a healthy liver disposes it as quickly as it appears by glucoronidation and sulphation pathways. I do grated carrots and I am thinking I probably don't need to be so aggressive in my approach to get rid of the estrogen.
I find if I drink lemon water, I immediately experience a dry vagina. I can't work it out and don't want to talk to the GP because she will tell me to use an estrogen steroidal cream. I wondering if any other ladies have experienced this?
Old fashioned remedy what about barley water?
I absolutely love lemon barley water and love barley in soups and just eating on its own. I have not made it for a while. In high school we had a subject on cookery. I still have the 1974 version of Cookery the Australian Way. It has a whole section on Invalid Cookery for patients unable to to digest solids. Recipes include Barley water, Beef Tea, Enriched Orange juice which specifies strained orange juice, Egg Flip, Gelatine desserts. Lots of milk - very peaty.
I have tons of lemons at the moment. I will add the barley water and see if I have the same reaction. Thank you for reminding me of the barley. I find it strange that my body is craving these grains. I don't have any gut issues that I am aware of. No bloating, gas, reflux, cramping etc. Endotoxins are always a worry, but how does one tell if endotoxins are an issue?I know they are always continuously being released by bacteria, thus the need to be forever vigilant.
Kefir is supposed to help restore proper pH of the vagina however, I am reluctant to increase lactic acid bacteria. I might get my dr to do a swab and see which species I'm breeding.
I also have a problem with chocolate and cocoa. Only food that makes me feel like I have been poisoned - migraine and neck pain. Symptoms can last up to a week. Does not happen with good quality chocolate. It maybe due to fungal contamination or heavy metals. I find orange juice, vitamin C and sugar can stop the symptoms relatively quickly.
The vaginal symptoms could also be a sign that I am not oxidising sugar and the weight loss is releasing too many free fatty acids into the system. I was taking 100mg pregnenolone, now dropped it to 25mg on an as needs basis - stress times like Xmas.
A more laid back lifestyle and attitude would make a whole lot of difference but don't know how my love ones would cope.