Achy, Breaky Joints Hurt Less with Sevenhills

Pauline Cox MSc Functional Nutritionist Explains how Supplements can help Manage Perimenopause Induced Inflammation

Throughout our female lives, there exists an intricate and delicate dance between the various hormones at play at any given time. Whether it’s at puberty, when oestrogen makes her presence known, not yet balanced out by the presence of soothing progesterone. Or at menopause, as the ovaries retire and oestrogen slips away, leaving the ebbs and flows of the sex hormone cycle behind. Much of our female physiology is governed by the intricate balance between oestrogen and progesterone. As the levels of these two major sex hormones change at early perimenopause, we can begin to experience some emotional and physical changes associated with these shifts. 

Understanding the relationship between oestrogen and progesterone, what influences this relationship, the consequence of the shifts in our hormones how to maintain as much hormonal balance through diet and behaviour as we transition through perimenopause to menopause is important in order to maintain optimal physical and mental wellbeing. 

Eating a healthy balanced diet packed with fruit and veg and exercise is key to achieving this but sometimes consuming the 30 plants per week we are encouraged to do might be a little daunting.  This is where supplements can help. I recommend using Sevenhills Wholefoods supplements which are all organic and ethically sourced, pure and simple, they are what they say on the pack.

Perimenopause is a pro-inflammatory process… meaning we are more prone to rising inflammatory levels.   This can result in aches, pains, stiffness, migraines, skin irritations and breakouts as well as premature aging of our tissues. So how do we keep the fire of inflammation in check as we enter this pivotal period of perimenopause?

As we enter our mid-thirties and beyond, the weekly food shop, school pick up and maybe a dog walk for good measure, can leave us feeling like we’ve run a full Marathon…With a drop in an important hormone that helps us to build muscle, a resultant loss in muscle mass can follow.  Muscle is VERY important for keeping blood sugars balanced, as we lose muscle mass, blood sugar levels rise and so too do inflammatory levels.  Add to this the increased likelihood of the excess blood sugars being laid down as inflammatory belly fat, and the arrival of the mysterious aches and pains start to make more sense. 

Oestrogen, in the right amounts, is very anti-inflammatory. So as oestrogen declines, we can start to see inflammatory levels increase, this can feel like a mild ache or general soreness…or like you’ve been hit by a bus! 

Keeping your inflammatory levels in check is SO important as chronic, low-level inflammation is damaging to all of the cells of the body, prematurely aging us from the inside out.  Chronic inflammation has been linked to many chronic illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and auto-immune conditions. 

Here are my recommended ways to fight inflammation with Plant Power: 

• Keep your Gut Health in Tip Top Shape!

Your gut health is central to many aspects of your health and particularly your inflammatory levels. Leaky gut is one condition that increases chronic inflammatory levels, leading to general aches and pains, skin issues, migraines and even mood disorders. Supporting your gut lining by adding plenty of fibre-rich foods helps to feed the microbes that help keep your gut lining intact. 

Could Baobab be the secret to a healthy gut microbiome? 

Boabab fruit is a staple of the Hadza tribe’s daily diet. The Hadza tribe are some of the last remaining Hunter Gatherers on the planet and have been reported to have the healthiest gut microbiome on the planet! Not only is baobab powder (available from Sevenhills) packed with fibre, supporting the beneficial bacteria in the gut, it’s also extremely high in Vitamin C, essential for women in perimenopause as their collagen production can rapidly begin to decline. Vitamin C is a key component of collagen synthesis. A spoonful of this sweet and tangy powder into a smoothie, added to a refreshing mocktail or used as a natural sweetener in Greek yoghurt, is fantastic way to support the perimenopausal journey. 

• Oh- Mega!

The type of fats we consume can fan the fire of inflammation, or cool and quench it. Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties that can be very effective at reducing chronic inflammation. Too much of the commonly found fats in our everyday diet, can further increase inflammatory levels. Balancing omega-3 fat and omega-6 fats can help to reduce the aches, pains and soreness experienced with rising levels of inflammation.  Hemp powder is a fabulous source of healthy omega-3 fats, as well as a complete source of protein. This helpful protein powder is rich in all nine essential amino acids, needed for building bone, strong healthy hair, skin, muscle as well as our brain hormone serotonin. Hemp protein is an easy protein to digest, making it easier on the stomach than some alternative plant-based protein powders. Hemp powder is less refined than many protein isolates, retaining the healthy fats. Choose an organic, high-quality hemp powder like that from Sevenhills and store in the fridge once opened to keep the fats fresher for longer. Add 30g of Hemp protein powder to your daily smoothie (try the Smoothie recipes below)  or yoghurt to bump up your protein intake by 15g.

• Mega-Mag!

Magical Magnesium has natural anti-inflammatory properties as well as having a wonderful ability to relax the nervous system by increasing a calming brain hormone called GABA. Getting more magnesium into your daily diet might not be as hard as you think… Magnesium rich foods include leafy greens, almonds and…drum roll…cacao! Yes, the rich, chocolatey powder that dreams are made of is a super source of antioxidants as well as magnesium. Cacao powder is the raw, unroasted version of cocoa. 

Where cocoa powder is typically laden with sugar (not good news for our blood sugars), pure, organic cacao is 100% cacao… just the good stuff! Sourcing high-quality, ethical cacao is vitally important not just for human health, but also for planetary health. The use of pesticides, deforestation and child labour are common practice in cacao farming, however choosing an ethical, sustainably sourced and organic cacao like that sold by Sevenhills, supports best practices in cacao farming as well as reducing exposure to insecticides and pesticides. 

Adding a tablespoon of cacao powder to some warmed nut milk, sweetened with lucuma makes a delicious, low-sugar, magnesium-rich drink that’s both comforting and nutrient-dense. 

Or how about these two Hemp Protein recipes:

Hemp Protein Smoothie

Ready in 5

Serves 1

Ingredients

● 20g Sevenhills Organic Hemp Protein Powder

● 150ml Almond Milk

● 100ml coconut water

● 1 banana

● 30g blueberries

● 1tsp Sevenhills Organic Chia Seeds

● 1tsp Sevenhills Organic Shelled Hemp Seeds

Method

1. Measure out all ingredients and place into blender.
2. Blend until smooth then pour into a glass.
3. Top with Sevenhills shelled hemp seeds.

Hemp Protein Energy Balls

Ready in 10 minutes

Makes 10

Ingredients

● 60g Sevenhills Organic Hemp Protein Powder

● 100 g pitted dates

● 40g Cashew

● 60g oats

● Pinch of salt

● 25g smooth peanut butter

● 25g melted Sevenhills Organic Coconut Oil

● Dark chocolate (melted to drizzle on top)

● 15g hemp seeds

● 4 tbsp water

Method

1. Weigh out your protein powder, oats, peanut butter, salt and hemp seeds and add to a mixing bowl.
2. Chop your dates and cashews and add to your other ingredients.
3. Melt your coconut oil and add to the mixing bowl.
4. Mix everything and add in your water, mix into a dough-like mixture.
5. Form 10 balls and put them in the fridge to set overnight.
6. Once set, melt the dark chocolate and drizzle over the top, add a pinch of salt to each ball.

Creating a strong foundation for hormonal health is important at any age… it is never too early or too late to think about how we can support and protect our brain, bones, muscles and long-term wellbeing. Blood sugar balance, Optimal Detoxification Pathways, Soothing a Stressed Nervous System, Calming Inflammation, Restorative Sleep and Movement are all fundamental pillars of hormonal health. Small, consistent steps in the right direction will take you a long way towards optimal health!

To explore the full range of Sevenhills products visit www.sevenhillswholefoods.com or the Sevenhills store on Amazon.   All varieties come in resealable, recyclable LDPE food pouches that can be recycled with bags at the supermarket.