Nigerian Cysters and Tinned/Canned Tomatoes

Tinned/Canned Tomatoes

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I've blogged in the past about foods that should be avoided if you have PCOS and more so if you're trying to conceive. I thought I'd make this post to reiterate that point with particular regard to the Nigerian diet. 

We consume a lot of tomatoes in Nigerian cooking. Nowadays more and more people rely on tinned/canned tomatoes for convenience and to save time cooking. Looking back several years, it's occurred to me that one of the changes I made that may have caused my PCOS to flare up was consuming more tinned tomatoes. Stews and jollof rice were made using tinned tomatoes and I ate one or the other EVERY SINGLE DAY. 

Not just plum peeled tomatoes, or chopped tomatoes but tomato puree as well. Any form of canned/tinned tomatoes is bad because the acid in tomatoes causes the chemicals in the tin to leach into the tomatoes. BPA is a chemical commonly found in the plastics used to line the tins to create a barrier between the product and the tins to prevent rust. It is a well known and scientifically established hormone disruptor. It has been banned in baby bottles in some countries and has been said to be responsible for the escalation of metabolic syndrome. 

Needless to say, if you consume tinned tomatoes on a regular basis it will accumulate in the body and wreak havoc on your system. By extension, in my opinion, the same would go for other canned foods with high acidity, such as canned fruits. In addition to reducing - if not eliminating - the intake of canned foods, one should also avoid microwaving foods in plastic containers. 

The expert: Fredrick vom Saal, PhD, an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies bisphenol-A

The problem: The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Unfortunately, acidity (a prominent characteristic of tomatoes) causes BPA to leach into your food. Studies show that the BPA in most people's body exceeds the amount that suppresses sperm production or causes chromosomal damage to the eggs of animals. "You can get 50 mcg of BPA per liter out of a tomato can, and that's a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young," says vom Saal. "I won't go near canned tomatoes."

The solution: Choose tomatoes in glass bottles (which do not need resin linings), such as the brands Bionaturae and Coluccio. You can also get several types in Tetra Pak boxes, like Trader Joe's and Pomi.

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I'm not going to give a 'balanced' view on canned tomatoes. The fact that when I didn't eat it and was better off hormonal is sufficient for me to cut it off completely. Interestingly back then I opted for tomatoes packaged in tetra paks because they were cheaper without knowing they were relatively healthier. Even then I wasn't eating it on a daily basis. 

If you are looking for a BPA free alternative to tinned/canned tomatoes, look out for those packaged in tetra paks such as shown above.


Still worth further reading on the safety of tetra paks is the following article - http://www.greencradle.net/2009/11/are-tetra-paks-a-healthier-or-greener-container-for-organic-foods/

Bread: why it can be worse than pure sugar

 Most people are surprised when they first hear that a white bread has more of a sugar hit than sugar itself! Fluffy, soft white bread made with finely processed flour has long been considered a delicacy, and certainly tastes great! Unfortunately, it is very high GI – in the order of 70-100 depending on how it is processed, cooked, and how fresh it is, and also influenced by what it is eaten with.

However, bread doesn’t have to be bad for you. Finding yourself a good sourdough bakery that uses wholegrain flours is half the battle!

In NSW we love Morpeth sourdough bread, whose bakery and restaurant are located in Morpeth Village in the Hunter Valley region – and whose bread is stocked in most Harris Farm Markets stores in Sydney. We also enjoy Phillippa’s Bread and Irrewarra Sourdough in Melbourne (available at cafes and gourmet supermarkets).  Recently we found a wonderful sourdough bakery cafe in Melbourne – their bread is pictured above! The bakery is called Knead Bakers, in Burwood Road, Hawthorn. If you know any great sourdough bakeries, let us know and we will link them here for our other readers!

If you go to the GI data tables published by the Sydney University site dedicated to GI, glycemicindex.com and type bread, you will come up with a list of breads which have been tested for GI. When going through these tables, I have summarised for you what I take as the main principles in choosing bread that is lower GI. Remember, just because a fluffy white loaf has the label “sourdough” does not mean it is low GI. It may have a very small amount of sourdough added.

Jennie Brand Miller explains much better than I can some of the reasons why grain products prepared in different ways can have such different values, including particle size, starch gelatinisation, physical entrapment, quantity of amylose starch, and the type of fibre in the grain. In her article “going the WHOLE grain” she explains that just because something is labelled “wholegrain” it is not necessarily low GI. We encourage you to subscribe to the official GI websites GI News, which publishes monthly articles explaining GI principles.

We think the best idea is to look for breads with a GI symbol on them, and keep in mind the following principles if no GI symbol is yet available:

Density

Denser bread (less air, more substance) will feel heavier when you hold it. If you tap the side of a loaf, it will also make a sound more like a “thud” (more solid). If you are buying it, feel it’s weight, and leave it on the shelf if it feels like a light, fluffy loaf. If you make your own bread, consider the following values published on the GI website:

White bread, prepared with a 10 min prove and a second 2 min proving (low loaf volume)
-GI:38, GL:5
White bread, prepared with a 30 min prove and a second 12 min proving (moderate loaf volume)
-GI:72, GL:9
White bread, prepared with a 60 min prove and a second 30 min proving (moderate loaf volume)
-GI:86, GL:11
White bread, prepared with a 40 min prove, a second 25 min proving and a third 50 min proving (large loaf volume) -GI:100, GL:13
Source: GI database, http://www.glycemicindex.com

It is clear that the longer the yeast is allowed to take effect prior to cooking, or the higher the loaf rises, the higher the GI value will be! My guess is that the science behind this involves the yeast spreading out, taking effect, and doing its work to make the bread easier for us to digest. Following these principles, un-leaven bread should also be lower in GI value.

Grains

Rye and barley breads have lower GI values than plain wheat bread, as do breads with seeds added, such as oat flakes, soy and linseed, and multigrain varieties. Stoneground wholewheat flour breads are also lower GI. The principle here to understand is that the more fibrous chunks there are in the bread (such as the larger, coarser grains of stoneground flour), the more work the body has to do to break down and access the starches.
Pumpernickel rye bread with coarse rye kernels has a particularly low GI of 41 with a GL of 5.

Additives

As well as grains, sourdough is the most well known additive to lower GI. Sourdough wheat bread has variable GI values, depending on other factors, but seems on average a GI value around 50-60, and a GL value of around 7-8.

People have also added other things to bread to see the effect on GI, such as insoluble fibre, or enzyme inhibitors. These both lower the GI quite significantly. Here an example of what happens to GI when fibre is added in the form of beans:

White bread with 3 g Sunfibre (Cyamoposis tetragonolobus) (Indian cluster guar beans), viscosity 1 (Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd, Yokaichi Mie, Japan) GI:53 GL:8
White bread with 5 g Sunfibre (Cyamoposis tetragonolobus) (Indian cluster guar beans), viscosity 1 (Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd, Yokaichi Mie, Japan) GI:49, GL:8
White bread with 10 g Sunfibre (Cyamoposis tetragonolobus) (Indian cluster guar beans), viscosity 1 (Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd, Yokaichi Mie, Japan) GI:47, GL:8
White bread with 15 g Sunfibre (Cyamoposis tetragonolobus) (Indian cluster guar beans), viscosity 1 (Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd, Yokaichi Mie, Japan) GI:37, GL:6
Source: GI database, http://www.glycemicindex.com

Cooking method

One of the interesting values I noticed among the various GI values for bread published was a comparison between barley bread made with 70% barley flour and 40% wheat flour cooked at different rates. The same bread mix had a lower GI when baked more slowly and at a low temperature. GI:70/GL:9 compared to GI:49/GL:6

What it is eaten with

The artificial thing about knowing the GI values of bread is that we don’t just eat bread, we eat it with things, usually in the form of sandwiches. Interestingly, an almond manufacturer measured the effect of consuming various amounts of almonds along with white bread. The GI values were dramatically reduced by consuming more almonds with the bread. If 60g of almonds was eaten, GI value dropped to 44, GL 23, whereas if 30g of almonds were eaten, GI value was 74, GL 37.

In summary…

There is no need to be obsessional, which is why we wanted to explain the principles to you. Overall, choose a heavier, denser loaf, multigrain or sourdough, and eat it with low GI foods. Have a lovely salad sandwich, and follow it with a handful of almonds, and you’ll know you are on the right track!!

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Source: http://lowgicooking.com (Please aubscribe to the blog feed or bookmark. Lots of great tips for low GI eating)

Foods That Make PCOS Worse

Did you know that what you eat can make your PCOS problems better -- or worse? There are dozens and dozens of medical studies to bear this out. 

Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation and confusion about what foods you should be eating or avoiding. As we see it, medical research is one of the best ways to separate fact from fiction, and thus discover the best way forward. That's why we talk a lot about medical research in this newsletter. 

Today, I want to share what I think is a very important observation about diet. It's a bit technical but try to follow along. This is very important. 

First some background. It seems that most doctors believe that PCOS is a problem of excessive amounts of androgens, which are male hormones produced by your ovaries and adrenal glands. That is why they prescribe pharmaceuticals like birth control pills or spironolactone. 

The purpose of these medications is to reduce androgens and thus make your symptoms go away. (PCOS is actually a disorder that is much more than a problem with male hormones. But that's a topic for another time.) 

If we assume that androgens are causing the symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome, what is causing the excessive androgens in the first place? 

There are many possible answers to this question. A very interesting study just released from Université de Sherbrooke in Canada sheds some light on this confusing issue. 

In a laboratory setting, researchers analyzed androgen-producing adrenal gland cells. When the cells were exposed to high amounts of a saturated fat, they were stimulated to produce more androgens (male hormones). 

Based on this research, could it be that you are consuming too much of the wrong kinds of fat and thus forcing your adrenal glands to produce more androgens? 

The researchers conclude: "This study is the first to demonstrate that lipotoxicity can directly trigger androgen overproduction in vitro, in addition to its well-described impact on [insulin resistance], which strongly supports a central role of lipotoxicity in PCOS pathophysiology." 

"Lipotoxicity" is defined as the "the pathologic changes in organs resultant from elevated fat levels in blood or tissues". One pathological change appears to be that adrenal gland cells start producing excessive amounts of androgens. These androgens contribute to your symptoms of PCOS. 

Essentially, the problem is that you have too much of the wrong kind of fats floating around in your body. 

OK, so what causes this fatty buildup in your tissues? Some of it comes from the fat you eat, especially saturated fat. 

Some of it comes from the refined carbohydrates and convenience foods you eat. For example, high fructose corn syrup is a substance that induces your liver to manufacture fat. This contributes to fatty liver degeneration, which is present in nearly one-half of women with PCOS. 

A third source of the fatty buildup is your inability to efficiently burn fat. Fat-burning is a complex process beyond the scope of this article. But increased exercise would help. 

Bottom Line: 
1) "Lipotoxicity" is a major cause of your PCOS symptoms. 
2) You must distinguish between dietary fats you should be avoiding and those you actually need. 
3) You must understand that consumption of refined carbohydrates and sweeteners makes your fat problem worse. 
4) Excessive undesirable fats in your body increase your symptoms and damage your organs. Even your brain can be adversely affected! 

Your diet is the #1 key to solving your PCOS problems. If you have a copy of "The Natural Diet Solution for PCOS and Infertility" ebook, please review the section on Fats and Oils. Also take a look at the section on Carbohydrates. You need to apply this information if you are to make progress against PCOS. 


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Thank You!

Hi ladies, thank you all for the sweet thoughts and warm wishes. No, I haven't abandoned my blog yet. I'm still struggling to juggle my demanding little one with literally everything else. He's such a joy. I pray you're all blessed with little ones too and if you already have, may God bless them always.

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Welcome!

Bob arrived 5 days after my EDD. I lost my mucus plug on the 16th and started having irregular contractions. I called the birthing center and was told to come in. I was 1cm, baby was still pretty high up so the MW gave me a membrane sweep. After we got home the contractions started getting more painful, about 10 minutes apart. I couldn't sleep and called at around 2am them and they said I should come in.

I was allowed to stay and was monitored. They gave me cocodemol for the pain which helped me catch some sleep. I relaxed in the pool afterwards and was able to catch a little more sleep.

They said baby's was lying posterior, his back to my back, which can make labour excruciatingly long and painful. The MW said most babies turn right before birth. But I was pissed off because I was in so much pain yet I was being told I hadn't gone into labour yet. I was barely 2 cm, so they sent me back home.

When we got home things started to really happen. I was having 2-3 contractions every 10 minutes lasting more than 2 minutes. I decided I'd had enough of the birthing center and went to the hospital near the house. After being poked around and tossed about, we were told they didn't have enough beds and that we'd have to go elsewhere. So we had to go back to the hospital were we would have gone had we decided to forgo the birthing center.

When I got there thankfully I was already 3cm. They only consider women to be in labour when they are 4 cm, but instead of sending me back home they gave me a bed in triage. The MW said the same thing too, that I wasn't in labour and that when I was I would know. So I thought to myself, if I haven't started labour yet and I'm already in this much pain, I don't know how much more I can take. I screamed  asked for pithidine and was able to sleep for a few hours.

The pain woke me up. Crap! I can't describe it. It felt like someone was shoving hot coal into my back and stabbing my womb with prongs. I started screaming with the contractions, which were coming hard and fast. Worst of all the only thing that brought relief was pushing. Which I knew was not a good feeling that early on. The MW checked me out and I was 4cm. She took me to labour ward. The two MW's in charge of me introduced themselves to me and I gave my name as 'Epidural!'.

I got my epidural; which was pure bliss! Was able to rest. At this point I had been having regular contractions for over 36hours. They broke my waters and administered pitocin and there I was for over 12 hours, without progress. Then all of a sudden Bob's heart rate dropped. They got me to change positions when they still couldn't find it they hit the panic alarm. Suddenly about 7 people rushed into the room and before I knew it I was being wheeled into theater. I was scared shitless. I just lay there, paralyzed from my waist down, crying, feeling helpless, thinking I'm going to lose my baby.

One emergency c-section later and Bob was born. When they showed him to me over the curtain, kicking and screaming, all 7pounds 14ounces of him, I was so overwhelmed. Word's can't express how happy I was.

I wanted a natural birth. At the same time I've always prayed for whats best for me and my baby. Only God knows if things would have turned out differently if I'd used the birthing center. After this experience I think I'll stick to giving birth in the hospital. Aside from the lightening quick response time, the care was fantastic. There were one or two nasty MW, you'll find disgruntled workers in every profession. Otherwise, the staff were very kind and reassuring. They literally held my hand through the entire procedure. For me, personally, there is a lesson to be learnt here; which is that labour is unpredictable; anything can happen, even with a low risk pregnancy.