Elliot is now nearly a month old and slowly I am beginning to feel normal again. The last week has been really tough and my hormones have been going berzerk. Tears have flowed and I have felt very low, wishing for my old life back and what I see as normality. Its strange, but even the house has felt different and unfamiliar. The rooms have been taken up with blankets, pushchairs and sterilisers and I am not used to seeing my house from the small hours of the night. September is spider month...and they're an awful lot of large spiders that scurry across the floor in the middle of the night!
Yesterday I felt was a turning point and I went out with my sister for lunch. Other than nipping to the shops for nappies or infacol, this was my first real day out and it was lovely to see that normality can resume, even with a little man in tow. We enjoyed lunch at Double locks and sat beside the canal, Elliots first 'alfresco' meal.
I have also been watching my diet very carefully in the last week to try and balance out my hormones. I read a fascinating book a few years ago by Patrick Holford, about the links between diet, hormones and blood sugar levels. Prior to becoming pregnant I ate very little carbs and watched the sugar content in everything I ate (even choosing low sugar fruits over those high in sugars and drinking decaffinated drinks). I was surprised to read that 10 raisins has the same sugar content as a whole punnet of strawberries.
My moods completely changed, I had more energy, I lost weight and I rarely felt low.
Once pregnant however, I suddenly discovered I craved sugar and could eat what I wanted! Jacket potatoes, digestive biscuits and ice cream were my particular favourites!..and my moods felt balanced.
After giving birth I continued to eat these tasty treats, but it was very evident in the last few weeks that I've started to feel low again. Hormones have been all over the place and so about a week ago, I decided to get back on to my low carb/ low sugar routine. No wine, small amounts of carbs, ..and I try to divide my plate into four ( 1/4 protein, 1/4 carbs, 1/2 vegetables),
Yesterday my mood changed and this morning I'm appreciating the sunshine. I haven't shed a tear for 48 hours now and I'm looking forward to the week ahead. I find it amazing how influential my diet impacts on how I feel, but it really has made a difference.
Research now suggests that it is sugar, not fat, that is the cause of obesity and the increasing levels of diabetes in our western society ..and I truely believe this is the case.
My top 10 fav foods for maintaining balanced hormones and blood sugar levels!
- Humus (protein)
- Seeded wholegrain bread ( nutty / brown) - Lower carbs
- New potatoes (far less carbs than roast or jackets as they are dug up sooner)
- Wholegrain brown rice / wholewheat pasta
- Berries ( strawberries, raspberries, blueberries etc!)
- Meat / fish
- Decaf coffee / Fruit teas (decaf tea is not great!)
- Gin and slimline tonic! ( far less sugar than a glass of wine!)
- Nuts
- Lots of veg ( trying to avoid large amounts of the starch and high carb varieties...eg. potatoes, carrots, ...root veg)
