info

[singerman]

Hi , this is my first time here.I have been eating for a while now but i am really sending this on behalf of my girlfriend. sShe has menopause and needs to know what foods to emphasise and which to avoid, she has started eating macrobiotically but needs some guidlines. She has gone through all the discharge stages and is settling down into the eating. She also wants to know what things to have for breakfast. i have tried her on things but she doesnt like things of a creamy or mily consistency, doesnt like porridge and isnt into sweet things so any suggestions. Her gums bleed in the mornings and she has a skin complaint that comes and goes. i dont know what the complaint is sorry so i cant give you anymore than that, can you help

[Bruce Paine]

Singerman,

The following Book has 12 pages devoted to "Menopause and Diet" by Ed Esko:

Women's Health Guide: A Natural Approach to Breast Cancer, Hearst Disease, Fibroids, Pms, Bulemia, Childbirth, Menopause, and Osteoporosis : edited by Gale Jack and Wendy Esko

Besides throroughly explaining what menopause is from both a scientific and macrobiotic point of view, Ed then covers "Symptoms during Menopause" including Hot Flashes, Vaginal Dryness and Thinning, Mood Swings and Depression, going on to familiarize the reader with Long Term Symptoms including Osteoporosis, and Heart Disease; Natural Hormone Replacement; and Phytoestrogens.

Mr. Esko introduces you to a variety of remedies including Nabe and other tofu dishes, Sweet Vegetable Drink, and Body Scrubbing.

You can also check out Embracing Menopause Naturally: Stories, Portraits, and Recipes: by Gabriele Kushi

"We are all too familiar with symptoms: hot flashes, night sweats, anxiety, irritability, sleeplessness, and more. While menopause triggers many physical and emotional changes, it also brings forth spiritual issues that, for many women, mark a redefinition of the feminine self. To address the total impact of menopause, Gabriele Kushi has created a supportive, practical, and personal guide to dealing with this time in a woman's life.

The author first provides a clear understanding of the overall process of menopause, from biological changes to emotional and spiritual challenges. She then goes on to offer research-based nutritional guidelines that can help relieve and overcome menopausal symptoms, as well as healthful kitchen-tested recipes based on a natural foods diet. However, it is the stories and portraits of twenty menopausal women that are at the heart and soul of the book. In their own words, these beautiful women share their diverse experiences with the reader. They relate their backgrounds, discuss their symptoms, as well as what they did to alleviate them. Some turned to their traditional cultural rituals for affirmation of this phase of life, while others sought alternative or conventional medicine. The reader learns how the passage affected each woman's quality of life and how she ultimately expressed her new self.

Embracing Menopause Naturally is a true companion for any woman who wants to nurture her own spiritual growth, adopt a natural foods diet, and enjoy good health throughout the midlife years and beyond."

If you are able to use either one of these books, please let us know how things work out.

Thank you, very much.

You both, be well.

Bruce Paine

[Dreamlily]

Bruce, thanks for sharing the book titles. WOW, the Kushi book is brand-spankin' new, it is to be released this month. Looks great!

Singerman, good luck to you & your friend. There are many foods that I did not like at first. But I KNEW they would be good for me, so kept an open mind. As they became more familiar, I eventually had cravings for them. Now I can't believe that I had the first reaction to them that I did. I have become a fan of congee, & so has my DD--it is very soothing to me. I am on the verge of turning 45 and have begun to start having a few symptoms,off & on. I'm not macro, but know when I have a higher percentage of these health supporting foods, I feel better.

Dreamlily

thankyou for the info. very much appreciated. I have just ordered the wendy esko book. Thankyou for the advice on obtaining this book. I also put in my message that she was having skin complaints. she is having them on and off now. One week might be fairly bad , then the next week is clearer. I know there isnt much info about the condition here but in the past she has suffered from excema. Hope you can tell what the word is , i dont think i spelled it correctly. But i think that is the skin complaint that is coming back now. Can you help? Also her gums are bleeding in the mornings when brushing her teeth. What can she do about this?

[singerman]

hi could you please answear my last question. She is fairly desperate to get to the bottom of the problem. Thankyou.

[Klara]

The best thing for all conditions of course is to eat as close to a balanced mb diet as she can.

I have been told that dentie (a black concoction made from burnt eggplants and salt - found in most health food stores, in the toothpaste section - Gary, do you also offer it in your store??? - can be powdered or paste) is excellent for bleeding gums. A friend of mine went for a consultation just for that problem, was advised dentie, as well as getting off eggs (she was eating an egg every day) - she was amazed how her gums stopped bleeding.

Of course, the traditional flossing or gum massagers (interdental sticks) seems would also be helpful.

Good luck

Klara

[Bruce Paine]

Here you go:

DENTIE TOOTH POWDER

Thank you, very much.

Bruce Paine

[singerman]

thanks for the info, i will go and get some dentie for her , thanks. Her gums didnt bleed for the first time since she started to eat macrobiotically. She eats everthing that she should and avoids the extreme foods that cause disease so was the bleeding part of the elimination process do you think? It would be helpful to know what causes it , so that she can stop it happening again if it returns.

[Klara]

Figuring things out is the BIG puzzle - and there may be things that can be seen on her face/body that you or she might not think to mention, that's why a counselor who is good with oriental diagnosis can be very helpful.

Good luck!!

Klara

[Bruce Paine]

Singerman,

Here are two places to find macrobiotic counselors, online:

The Online International Macrobiotic Directory.

Many Grains International Macrobiotic Directory

Good luck and be well.

Bruce Paine

[singerman]

Thankyou so much for the info. It really is much appreciated. She recently has had a few things that she shouldnt food wise and her excema has flared up and is effecting her eye and she has several patches all over her body and it itches like hell. What can she do to alleviate this as quickly as possible?

[Bruce Paine]

Michio Kushi and Aveline Kushi (edited by Edward and Wendy Esko) said in their book Macrobiotic Child Care & Family Health:

"The underlying cause of eczema is similar to those of prickly heat: specifically the overconsumption of fats and oils, including those found in milk and other dairy products, animal foods, and vegetable oils. The overintake of simple sugars including those in refined sugar, corn syrup, honey, and fruits is often a contributing cause. The over intake of baked flour products can also contribute to eczema and other skin conditions."

Okay?

Thank you, very much.

Be and get well.

Bruce Paine

[singerman]

Thankyou for your recent reply and the others before that. Also thankyou for your time and patience. I have probably been a real pain in asking for the info and i am sory for this but i really care about my girlfriend and i want to get to the root of the problem. It is flaring up again at the moment. She hasnt been eating macrobiotically for a year yet so still alot of healing to do but i cook for her and am making sure she doesnt have a all the no no foods. I must be doing something to cause it though. i just wanted to know what to do and how to help it thats all. She was so bad a couple of weeks ago that she wouldnt go to work and that is not like her so it must have been bad, she wouldn't even let me see her while it had cleared, she said it was realy bad. Thank you again for your time , patience and the info provided.