If the tomato truck seems like a too-descriptive visual, then how’s shark week? It seems a little more subtle and might make you feel fierce.

Every other month only?

Like clockwork, every other month when the tomato truck was in town, I used to wake up at 5 am with cramps on the cusp of becoming crippling.

If the tomato truck seems like a too-descriptive visual, then how’s shark week? It seems a little more subtle and might make you feel fierce.

Every other month only?

Yes. We have two ovaries, and each month only one releases an egg, and I guess one of my ovaries is a little angrier than the other. Apparently, this isn’t uncommon.

Right at 5 am, I knew I was in for a long day, where I’d suffer through coaching for two to three hours and then suffer even more during a half-assed, sluggish, low energy workout that felt like it was hurting me more than it was helping.

Tired of feeling this way for a day or two every two months, I decided to do some research into solutions to maximize training and energy levels and reduce cramps in natural ways.

Early Tomato Truck Days: Day 1 to Day 2-3

At this time, our progesterone and estrogen are at their lowest, meaning we feel more zapped of energy than normal, and sometimes feel bloated and definitely sluggish.

Tomato truck nutrition advice: Take more iron and vitamin B12

Foods high in iron include dark leafy green vegetables (spinach, broccoli), red meat, shellfish, and organ meats.

Vitamin B12 also plays a role in how energetic we feel. Some great foods for vitamin B12 include eggs, cheese, fish, and chicken.

Tomato truck exercise advice: Often our temptation is just to lay low and pop some Aleve every hour on the hour during this time, but research shows (and I have personally found) it’s better to do some sort of light exercise than nothing at all.

This study suggests some exercise might even help improve your cramps. That being said, be kind to your body at this time. In other words, don’t expect to PR and consider avoiding that high-intensity stuff. Just keep it light and easy and you’ll likely leave the gym feeling better than when you arrived.

That being said, this isn’t the case for the entire week. The follicular phase starts at the end of your period and moves until the end of ovulation (in case you skipped biology class in high school, this is when you’re most fertile).

This time is the time your pain tolerance and insulin sensitivity is at its peak, so your body is primed for muscle gains during this time. Toward the end of shark week, when you’re feeling more energetic again and the cramps are gone, ramp up the intensity in your workouts.

Ovulation: Day 11 to 14ish

Ovulation depends on the woman—no surprise, there are apps to find out when you’re ovulating—but it’s usually in the say 11 to 14 range. At this time, you’re most fertile because your body is releasing an egg and estrogen and progesterone levels are high, and likely so is your energy.

Ovulation nutrition advice: A lot of women tend to feel hungrier than usual during these days. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean your body needs more food than usual. I know for me, I tend to be a couple of pounds heavier during this time, probably because I tend to eat a little more than normal and many women experience water retention during this time.

Though you’re hungrier than you were the week before, your metabolism isn’t at its peak yet (that happens during the luteal phase). It’s best to stick to appropriate portion sizes of whole foods at this time, even though you might be craving more food.

Ovulation exercise advice: Ramp up the intensity. Go for a PR! (If you’re into that sort of thing.) Your body is at its physical peak, so enjoy it.

On the flip side, there’s evidence this time might also be when you’re at a higher risk of injury because as your estrogen and progesterone peak, your collagen metabolism is affected, as well as your neuromuscular control. Thus, your joints can become less stable, which often makes you more susceptible to injuries. Make sure you warm-up well and do some activation and stability drills for this.

Specifically, warm-up your core well. It will help keep you stable. Here are two great movements to get the core firing that you can do in your warm-up.

Deadbug variations—make sure you’re squeezing everything as hard as possible during these.

Shoulder taps and/or KB or DB plank drags. Again, build tension in your body as you’re doing this and try to stop your hips from shifting as much as you can.

End of Luteal Phase: Day 25 to 28ish

This is when your hormone levels start dropping again. Some of us even feel some pre-menstrual cramping, headaches, and bloating, as well as mood swings and fatigue at this time. Oh, the joys of being a woman!

Oddly, this is also the time your body peaks metabolically. I always find the few days leading up to my period I tend to be a couple of pounds lighter than normal, so that makes a whole lot of sense.

Because of this metabolic peak, we often have cravings for high carbohydrate and high-fat foods. So yeah, it’s not all in your head.

End of Cycle Nutrition Advice

Up your protein intake to stop the carb cravings and make you more satiated.

Some even suggest supplementing with tryptophan as it helps increase serotonin, which helps regulate mood, appetite, and digestion. If this is a particularly moody time for you, it might be worth considering. Also, if you tend to feel bloated at this time, try limiting salty foods.

End of Cycle Exercise Advice

During this time your body temperature tends to be higher than normal, which sometimes makes you feel more tired during intense workouts (especially conditioning workouts).

The important thing here is to stick to your workout routine and go as hard as your body seems to want to let you go. You know cramps are just around the corner, and then you’ll really need to back off, so keep training as hard as you can during this time.

One Final Tip

Magnesium!

It works wonders for reducing cramps because it helps to relax your smooth muscles. A traditional muscle relaxant will also work, but if you’re into the more natural thing, go for a magnesium pill instead.

The post Ladies Only: Nutrition and Training for Performance and Cramps appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Menopause transition and post menopause can be a frustrating time for women when it comes to health and body composition. Menopause occurs in several stages across a wide range of ages, usually somewhere between 40 to 65. Your health and body composition before menopause can have an effect on how it affects you, and symptoms vary person to person.

Hormone therapy is sometimes used to mitigate these challenges. However, studies have not been conclusive as to whether this prevents weight gain. Higher weight before menopause, smoking, excessive alcohol intake, early menopause, and higher fat intake are all correlated with weight gain. Basically, the better the lifestyle before menopause the better potential outcome after when it comes to health and weight gain.

Having worked with many women experiencing menopause, I have observed three main effective strategies that help combat weight gain: Strength training, meal structure, and food environment. It’s a challenging time in your life, but with a little mindful effort, your body composition goals are not insurmountable.

Your weight-loss goals might be harder as you age, but stick to a plan and stay healthy and active for years. [Photo credit: CrossFit Impulse]

Start Strength Training

Strength training not only helps with weight loss, but also with bone health and aging gracefully. Many women tend to head straight to cardio and bypass the weight room all together. Walking, interval training, and everything in between is beneficial, but for lasting fat-loss changes, lifting weights is where the magic happens.

Decide on a workout program that emphasizes lifting weights. Depending on your experience, get into it slow and learn proper movement. Hiring a coach could be a worthy investment. You must lift heavy, and include multi joint exercises like squats, deadlifts, and farmer carries. Lifting heavy ensures that you will gain muscle, prevent muscle loss, and keep your metabolism optimal.

Structure Your Meals and Quit Snacking

Snacking is a big culprit for weight gain. This is especially true in my observations with menopause. Snacking leads to eating a lot more calories over the course of the day than you may think. Often times your snacking habits are the difference between gaining weight and maintaining. As humans, we are terrible at reporting our eating. For example, I recently asked someone if she snacks and she answered “no.” To help meet her fat-loss goals, we agreed upon eating three meals a day with zero snacks. A few days later she was stunned at how much she was actually snacking without realizing.

Journal your food for a week. Write down everything you eat, even a taste here and there. Review the journal and decide on a feasible meal structure. Pick a meal structure that works for your lifestyle and helps you cut out the excess snacks. Three square meals with one planned snack is an option if you need a place to start. Having set eating times will help you be mindful of how much you snack, and force you to limit that behavior.

When looking at your journal, review where the excess came in. Was it out at dinner, out for coffee and sweets, or at home? Try a strategy to counterbalance your mindless eating. Pick a different restaurant, decide on the food in advance, or try to avoid certain foods being around. Whatever it is, make a plan to see if it works for you.

Manage Your Environment

Speaking of being mindful, it’s a tough thing to do if the people and things around you are set up to make you consume more food. A work environment can be difficult, with snacks and baked goods around. A home environment with full cupboards and a light schedule makes it tempting to eat more often. You can only say “no” a finite amount of times. Make sure that snack foods and sweets are either not in the house or are so difficult to get to that it isn’t worth it most of the time.

Going out to eat or grabbing coffee with friends is also a difficult environment to navigate. Friends and family can get defensive if you are suddenly not eating certain foods or having less. They will push you to eat more. Don’t stop enjoying these outings, but also be aware of overeating. Decide what you will order before you go. Don’t order the side salad with no dressing for a meal. Eat, don’t stand out as “dieting,” and plan to have a smaller meal before or after to adjust. Portioning is also key. If at a family gathering, go with the one plate rule. Eat whatever you like, just one plate’s worth.

Take Action

Menopause does not have to be a weight-gain sentence. Yes, maintaining or losing weight can be more difficult because things are changing. However, being mindful of the basics will go a long way in keeping you healthy and active.

Getting older isn’t an excuse to sit on the sidelines:

It’s Not the Years, It’s the Miles: Training After 50

The post Menopause Is Not a Weight-Gain Sentence appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Do you guys remember this video?

The CrossFit Games Open presents a truly exciting time of year for the CrossFitter, with the opportunity to push your physical and mental limits like never before. But sometimes, that means our bodies do the craziest things – like pee during a workout.

Do you guys remember this video?

Quite frankly, I found the concept amusing at first. So many times had I commiserated with others about double unders, heavy cleans, and the correct color of pants one should wear when faced with any potentially offending movement.

But wait a minute – I’ve never had children (that’s called being nulliparous, by the way).

Why am I losing urine when things get tough? Does this happen to other nulliparous athletes? What about women who’ve had multiple children (multiparous) or abdominal surgeries? And why on earth is a gynecologist condoning that losing urine during exercise is okay?!

PERFORMANCE BOOST: In Pursuit of the Elusive Double Unders

It’s Called: Stress Urinary Incontinence

In the video, Rory McKernan calls the condition exercise-induced urinary leakage. In science, we call it stress urinary incontinence (SUI).

SUI is defined as an involuntary loss during coughing, sneezing, or physical exertion.

In a 2001 study, scientists in Norway examined the prevalence of SUI in their elite female athletes.

Researchers studied almost 600 women from the Norwegian national team and found that, of the 87% who answered the survey, 26% of elite female athletes recalled instances of SUI.

Additionally, 49% of those elite athletes were identified as having an eating disorder by the DSM-IV. Of those women, half of them had SUI.

The Anatomy Behind Peeing Yourself

The female pelvic floor (the basement) is made up of fascia, ligaments, and muscles that provide a “hammock” to the bladder and uterus.

The endopelvic fascia is continuous with the visceral fascia of the trunk (that’s the stuff that keeps your insides where they belong) and functions to encapsulate your organs and respond to changes in volume and displacement as you move.

LEARN MORE: The Top 5 Ways Fascia Matters to Athletes

The connective tissue of the endopelvic fascia supports the urethra, bladder, uterus, and cervix, extending into the diaphragm.

By this connection with the diaphragm and visceral fascia, changes in lung volume will increase pressure placed on these structures.

This increase in intra-abdominal pressure is what we want when we take a big lift, securing our insides and providing support not only to them, but the lumbar spine.

The muscles that create the hammock are the levator ani (in red, to the right) and coccygeus, which are referred to collectively as the levator plate. When we are standing, these muscles lie on the horizontal and function just like a hammock supporting a person.

Weakness in these muscles may be due to a multitude of reasons: multiple vaginal births, multiple pregnancies, peripheral nerve injury during vaginal delivery, or generalized idiopathic weakness.

Clinically, I have seen women who have had one vaginal delivery without complication, and weakness in the levator ani due to substitution from the anal sphincter.

This movement pattern dysfunction may lead to stress incontinence because the woman can’t engage the basement and is instead using the posterior third of the levator plate.

When the levator plate does not function as one continuous group of muscles, the hammock on which the pelvic organs sit becomes weakened, and something not good is bound to happen – like falling out of a hammock.

RELATED: Spine Stabilization: How Your Core Should Be Working

How to Stop Peeing Yourself

To be continent (i.e. not pee on yourself), a person must have a quiescent (dormant) bladder, functioning musculofascial support, and a functional urethral sphincter. When a person is incontinent, either due to stress or urgency, one of these elements has failed.

In the case of SUI that we experience in CrossFit, it usually is due to weakness in the hammock and poor urethral sphincter control.

Occasionally, there may also be a physiologic reason that a person is incontinent, at which point it is wise to seek out a gynecologist or urologist – one that believes peeing your pants isn’t acceptable.

Like any other muscle group, we know if we train it for function, it will improve. If SUI is something that you are dealing with, laugh about it with your friends, but get it addressed.

Pelvic floor muscle training with a women’s health physical therapist is often the first line of treatment, followed by behavioral modification, and perhaps pharmaceutical intervention. Losing urine during a workout isn’t okay, and isn’t a badge of honor as to how hard you worked.

Treatment resources or to find a women’s health practitioner:

• APTA Section on Women’s Health
• Herman Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute

FURTHER READING: Stop Doing Kegels: Real Pelvic Floor Advice

References:

1. Bo, K and Borgen, JS. 2001. Prevalence of stress and urge urinary incontinence in elite athletes and controls. Med Sci Sports Ex, 33(11), 1797-1802

2. Herschorn, S. 2004. Female pelvic floor anatomy: the pelvic floor, supporting structures, and pelvic organs. Rev Urol, 6(5), S2-S10.

Pelvic diagram by OpenStax College [CC-BY-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons.

Levator ani diagram modified by Uwe Gille (Gray408.png) [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

The post Stop Peeing Yourself During Workouts: The Science Behind Stress Urinary Incontinence appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Now that I’m in the second trimester things are better. I finally don’t have to force myself to do a workout and I can keep food down for the most part. For any moms out there who suffering from morning sickness, here are ten things that helped me get through it:

1. Be Flexible

I had read all about the way the paleo diet magically makes morning sickness disappear. Well, it wasn’t the case for me. One day I woke up and all I could think about was a bagel and cream cheese. I fought the craving but after three days of constant vomiting, I finally caved and ate the bagel. It was the first breakfast I kept down in a week.

2. Experiment and Be Creative

For the first few days of morning sickness I tried to follow typical advice – drink ginger tea, eat first thing in the morning, and other conventional wisdom. None of it worked. Finally I decided to just figure out what my body was asking for. Some of those things weren’t healthy and I avoided them (except for the bagel), but others came as a healthy surprise. Don’t just go by the books.

3. Do What You Can, When You Can

It’s tempting to just lie around and do nothing when you have morning sickness. You do need rest, but it also helps to take advantage of those small and rare bursts of energy that come every now and then. If you feel up to it, take a walk or do a short workout every now and then. You might not get the long training session you’re used to, but it will help.

4. Nourish Yourself

Remember that the little food you can keep down is your body’s primary source of nourishment. Try to make sure most of it is nourishing for you and your growing baby. One thing that helped my morning sickness was starting off every day with a cup of homemade beef or chicken broth. In the afternoon, a cup of red raspberry leaf tea helped calm an upset stomach and it’s also a uterine tonic.

5. De-Stress and Realign

Exercise is a great way to de-stress, but if you can’t do it any more you might feel restless and anxious. Gentle yoga stretches can calm digestion and relieve anxiety. I started going to the chiropractor around week nine of my pregnancy and it definitely reduced my symptoms. Prenatal massage and acupuncture might also help alleviate stress.

6. Identify Non-Food Triggers

Sometimes morning sickness is random and unpredictable, but I found there were a few things that made it worse or even triggered it aside from food aversions. The computer screen was definitely a huge trigger for me, which was difficult since my job is computer based. Stress and lack of sleep also made it worse. Be aware of patterns and identify triggers so you can prevent at least some symptoms.

7. Don’t Fight Your Body

If you need to sleep, take a nap or go to bed early. If you have to go hug the toilet again, embrace it. Don’t try to boss your body around. You might be used to it obeying your every command, but at this time it helps to have a more cooperative spirit.

8. Take a Magnesium Supplement

I found that taking a magnesium supplement called Natural Calm every night before bed decreased my morning sickness dramatically. I actually ran out of it at one point for about a week, and I noticed a huge difference when I started using it again.

9. Spend Time Outside

If you can get outside for some fresh air, try to step out of the office or home every now and then. I started doing my work outside and taking breaks every hour to do some work in our garden, do a workout, or go for a jog. The fresh air made a big difference for me.

10. Stop With the Guilt

You may find yourself wondering what you’re doing wrong and whether your health is where it should be. If you’re having to enlist the help of others to help you get through morning sickness, you might feel guilty. At a certain point I realized that I was doing everything I could to not have to deal with this. I was following diet recommendations, getting enough rest, exercising when I could, and it was still happening. So I just accepted it. I said to myself, “This is happening despite all my efforts to stop it, so I have to just suck it up and accept it for what it is.” It’s kind of like when you have a bad training day. Get through the workout and see what lesson you can take from it, even when it isn’t your best performance.

Did you suffer from morning sickness, and did it interfere with your training? What did you do to get through it?

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post How to Survive Morning Sickness: 10 Tips For Active Moms appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Most of us are well aware of the effects that synthetic, anabolic steroids have on the body in relation to fitness. Yet, most of us know very little about what the synthetic estrogens and progestins have on our bodies other than keeping us from having a little one. I think it’s time we shed a little light on this topic. Shall we?

The Menstrual Cycle and Associated Hormone Levels

First, let’s review the menstrual cycle briefly. The menstrual cycle begins on the first day of menses (the period) and continues for about 28 days on average. During that time a series of events happens within the body to prepare the uterus for conception. Ovulation, when a female’s ovaries release an egg to possibly be fertilized, occurs typically around day 14 of the cycle. At this time the sex hormones estradiol and testosterone peak. Testosterone causes sex drive, energy levels, mental sharpness, and mood to all increase. To put it simply, it makes us ladies much more likely to want to get jiggy with it and makes us more attractive to our partners. The increase in estradiol causes the endometrial lining (the inside of the uterus) to grow thick in case egg and sperm happen to meet so that the uterus is primed with a nice fluffy, nourishing lining for the embryo. After ovulation occurs, progesterone, another sex hormone, rises. If conception occurs, progesterone stays high. If not, progesterone abruptly falls, causing the lining of the uterus to shed and menses to start.

That sounds all fine and good. But, some of us aren’t ready to have kiddos just yet. So we go to our doctors, get a script for birth control and continue on right? It sounds simple but this everyday medication does some pretty profound things once ingested. Let us review. Birth control pills are generally made up of a synthetic estrogen and progestin that are taken for 2.5-3 weeks followed by 4-7 days during which a placebo pill is taken and a “period” occurs. There is no real “period.” This bleeding only occurs as a result of going off the synthetic hormones. These combination pills work by preventing the body from ovulating and thickening the cervical mucus, thus blocking the sperm from reaching the egg.

The Other Effects of the Birth Control Pill

So, cool right? If a woman doesn’t want to get pregnant she just takes these handy dandy pills that suppress ovulation and put up sperm road blocks until she’s ready to get pregnant. But wait a second. Remember that whole bit about ovulation and testosterone? If we’re suppressing ovulation guess what doesn’t happen? The body doesn’t get that bump in testosterone. Ruh-roh. For those of us with athletic and body composition concerns, this presents a problem.

Without testosterone, or without adequate amounts, it’s hard to build strength, muscle mass, and very hard to maintain a favorable body composition. Not impossible; just much harder. Also, when you don’t get that testosterone boost, your mood and libido is negatively affected. So, I guess you could say that birth control also helps to prevent pregnancy by making the patient totally uninterested in having sex. Taking birth control pills also has the side effect of causing something called sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) to increase. The liver produces this in response to the ingestion of oral estrogen and has a high binding affinity for testosterone. So, not only are the ovaries not making as much testosterone because of the suppression of ovulation, but what little is circulating is likely to be bound up by SHBG that has gone wild because of the ingestion of the birth control pill. Oh, boy. But wait, we’re not done.

Remember that I said birth control pills contain synthetic estrogen and progestin. The word synthetic should raise a red flag right off the bat. Most of us are really trying to limit the amount of synthetic junk we take in so why would be willingly ingest fake hormones?

Let’s review what science and studies have shown us, so we’re clear on why the synthetic hormones are no bueno. Combination birth control pills significantly increase the risk of venous thrombosis according to multiple research studies. This has a lot to do with the how the liver processes these synthetic hormones and the subsequent increased clotting factors and increased platelet aggregation. So, if you take combination birth control pills you should be aware that you are at a greater risk for blood clots. No one wants a blood clot to the lung, right? That could really screw with your conditioning workouts.

Birth control has also been linked to an increased risk of myocardial infarction (the old heart attack). Heart attacks are detrimental to your workout, FYI. Oh and a few more things: Long term use of combination pills has also been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer. Yes, breast cancer. Studies indicate the younger one begins taking the pill and the longer one is on the pill the greater the risk of developing breast cancer. This is believed to be caused by stimulation of the breast cells by the synthetic hormones and possible damage to growing cells in those women taking the pill at young ages while their breast tissue is still developing. Stimulation of breast tissue may sound like fun and games, but once a woman has gone through puberty you really do not want anything growing in the breast region besides your pecs.

People, I can hear you hurling insults at the computer right now. Trust me on this one. Oh, and remember the study a few years back called the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) that studied hormone replacement therapy for menopausal women? You may not, but I do. The study revealed that the traditional estrogens and progesterones, also synthetics, given to women to treat menopausal symptoms were linked to increased risk of heart disease, breast cancer, and stroke, among other problems. Doctors everywhere had their patients stop taking these drugs immediately because of the study’s findings. Did you also know that the amount of synthetic estrogen and progesterone in birth control pills is higher than that given to those menopausal women? Yet, doctors are not having women stop using oral birth control pills. Hmm. I bet your physician did not go over all this with you when she gave you your prescription, did she?

Make Conscious Choices

Is this making you think twice about your current method of birth control? I hope so. Why would we willingly take something that is most likely hindering our ability to gain muscle, get stronger, and maintain a lower body fat percentage not to mention put as risk for potentially lethal side effects? I know many of you are thinking, “Because I don’t want a mini-me yet!” Some of you may also be taking birth control to “fix” other problems, like heavy or irregular cycles. So what’s a girl to do? I’ll tell you. Next week I’ll outline alternatives to traditional birth control so you can reach your athletic goals and delay baby-making until you’re ready.

References:

1. Coenen C, Thomas C, Borm G, Hollanders J, and Rolland R, “Changes in androgens during treatment with four low-dose contraceptives.”, Contraception 53(1996):171-6.

2. Kemmeren, Jeanet, Algra, Ale, and Grobbee, Diederick, “Third generation oral contraceptives and risk of venous thrombosis: meta-analysis.” British Medical Journal 323 (2001): 131.

3. Makhzancy, M., Wynn, V., and Lawrence, D., “Sex hormone binding globulin capacity as an index of oestrogenicity or androgenicity in women on oral contraceptive steroids.”, Clinical Endocrinology 10 (1979): 39-45.

4. Panzer C, Wise S, Fantini G, Kang D, Munarriz R, Guay A, and Goldstein I, “Impact of oral contraceptives on sex hormone-binding globulin and androgen levels: a retrospective study in women with sexual dysfunction.”, The Journal of Sexual Medicine 3(2001):104-13.

5. Poller, L., “Relation between oral contraceptive hormones and blood clotting.”, Journal of Clinical Pathology 3 (1969): 67-64.

6. Tanis M.D., Bea, Maurice M.D., A.A.J., den Bosch M.D., Van, Kemmeren Ph.D., Jeanet M., Cats M.D., Volkert Manger, Helmerhorst M.D., Frans. M., Algra M.D., Ale, van der Graaf M.D., Yolanda, and Rosendaal M.D., and Frits R., “Oral contraceptives and the risk of myocardial infarction.”, New England Journal of Medicine 345 (2001): 1787-1793.

7. White, E., Malone, K., Weiss, N., and Daling, J., “Breast cancer among young U.S. women in relation to oral contraceptive use.”, Journal of National Cancer Institute 86 (1994): 505-14.

8. Zhu, J., Lei, X., Wang, Y., “Oral contraceptive use and risk of breast cancer: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.”, European Journal of Contraceptive and Reproductive Health Care 17 (2012): 402-14.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post Is My Birth Control Stopping My Progress in the Gym? appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

If you’re new to the paleo or clean way of eating, this list may give you a jump. If you’re not new, this list may offer a bit of spice to your already standard list. Based on the successes and failures I’ve seen, I’ve come up with the top ten products that every woman aiming to get the “clean eater award” should have in her fridge.

1. Coconut oil. Not only can you cook with this product, but you can also put all over your skin and hair. By far the most universal product on the planet.
2. Cage-free eggs. Quality counts and eggs go with anything. You can eat them for breakfast in a scramble, lunch as in a paleo sloppy joe, or even on top of pork for dinner.
3. Grass-fed ground beef. Again, quality counts. We buy our grass-fed beef from out of state and freeze it. This is the go-to whenever we need a quick meal.
4. Olive oil. Similar to coconut oil in the many uses. Throw it on a salad and it makes all the difference in the world.
5. Kraut. Talk about nutrient dense food. This is real food probiotics. Whole foods or any local market will sell kraut. This is good with anything from eggs to burgers to steak or just as a snack. If you’ve recently run a course with antibiotics, you need to get acquainted with probiotics as soon as possible.
6. Himalayan salt. You can put this on anything and it will taste divine. This is the purest and finest salt you can get your hands on. The salt also has numerous health benefits. You can put the salt in your bath or using it as seasoning.
7. Fresh veggies. When we get our veggies, I will wash them and cut them up and bag them. This is so that they are ‘game time ready’ when we want to snack or cook with them.
8. Bacon. Who doesn’t love bacon? Get the finest bacon. Throw the bacon in with spinach and onions and you’ve got yourself a great side dish. Cook with eggs for breakfast and you will be full for quite some time. You can do anything with bacon and it will taste amazing.
9. Onions. This food is super nutrient dense. We put onions in almost everything. My sister even eats onions whole like an apple.
10. Grass-fed, full fat butter. This is great to cook a steak with as in the Gordon Ramsey way or adding to your coffee to make it ‘Bullet Proof.’

Bonus: Fish Oil. I was purposely not talking about supplements because that is a whole other article, but this bonus item is definitely fish oil. Take a swig of liquid fish oil once a day and you’re on your way success. If I feel exhausted or as if everyone around me is sick, then I will definitely double up on the fish oil. I take Original Nutritionals, but you can take whatever you would like. Just make sure you know the source.

There you have it. The top ten items that every successful, clean-eating woman has in her fridge. The list may vary a little bit, but I guarantee most women have some form of animal protein, fish or fish oil, veggies, and coconut oil. If you do not use these products, I would highly advise starting to incorporate at least one at a time into your daily life.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post 10 Foods Clean-Eating Women Have in the Kitchen appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Preeclampsia affects at least 5 to 8 percent of all pregnancies. On a global scale, it is one of the leading causes of infant mortality and maternal death. The Preeclampsia Foundation estimates that 76,000 maternal and 500,000 infant deaths occur due to this condition each year. Preeclampsia is not the same things as Pregnancy Induced Hypertension, or PIH, since the defining symptoms must include both elevated blood pressure and proteinuria, or the presence of proteins in the urine. Preeclampsia usually affects women after week twenty of their pregnancy, although in rare cases it can occur sooner, and can continue up to six weeks after delivery. Other symptoms include accelerated weight gain, swelling, and headaches.

Several risk factors play a role in the development of preeclampsia. Women who have a history of high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney problems, polycystic ovarian syndrome, autoimmune disorders, and previous preeclampsia are at higher risk. First pregnancies and multiples also increase the odds. Genes also play a role in preeclampsia. For example, I’ve always been careful to monitor my blood pressure and get plenty of physical activity and good food during pregnancy because I have a genetic mutation called Factor V Leiden, which affects blood clotting. Women with Factor V Leiden are at a much higher risk for the development of severe preeclampsia. The Angiotensinogen (AGT) gene, which plays a direct role in the development of high blood pressure, has also been shown to play a significant role in preeclampsia.

As with many conditions, however, most experts agree that the causes stem from a combination of genetic background, previous health conditions, and lifestyle habits. There are multiple factors at work in the development of this condition, which is one reason that the exact cause is so enigmatic. Diet, for example, has long been shown to play a crucial role in the development of preeclampsia. It’s not surprising that prenatal exercise has also been portrayed as both a savior and a scapegoat in the development of preeclampsia. In recent years, the role of physical activity in the prevention of preeclampsia has become more apparent.

The upcoming December issue of Hypertension is full of promising research into preeclampsia. One study examined the importance of physical activity in the prevention of preeclampsia. Researchers from the Department of Human Physiology at the University of Oregon examined the role of exercise in placental development, which plays a critical role in the development of preeclampsia. Reduced uteroplacental perfusion, or RUPP, is a condition that can develop during pregnancy, and is characterized by decreased blood flow to the placenta. When RUPP develops, the arteries and blood vessels harden and hypertension ensues.

The researchers hypothesized that exercise during pregnancy would prevent RUPP due to elevated ratio of proangiogenic (vascular endothelial growth factor) and antiangiogenic (soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1) factors. Imbalance between these factors contributes to the development of hypertension. Researchers tested four groups of rats: an RUPP non-exercising group, RUPP exercise group, and two normal pregnant controls, one with and one without exercise. Exercise was shown to increase capacity for proangiogenic factors and elevate the ratio between proangiogenic and antianiogenic factors, thus attenuating hypertension associated with RUPP.

This study, and others like it (see references below) suggest that when it comes to “the disease of theories,” prevention may be the cure. In addition to a healthy diet, regular physical activity goes a long way in the prevention of preeclampsia and the complications it can present for women and babies.

References:

1. Seonae Yeo and Sandra T. Davidge, “Possible Beneficial Effect of Exercise, by Reducing Oxidative Stress, on the Incidence of Preeclampsia,” Journal of Women’s Health & Gender-Based Medicine, 2004

2. LA Wolfe, et al., “The Role of Regular Physical Activity in Preeclampsia Prevention,” Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 2004

3. Karina Tamy Kasawara, et al., “Exercise and physical activity in the prevention of pre-eclampsia: systematic review,” Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2012

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