It is pretty widely known that garlic is a really healthy food. The reasons behind its healthy status are manifold and include being strongly antibiotic and blood cleansing – so very good for acne sufferers; it is also a powerful anti-fungal and anti-viral. Garlic has been shown to help reduce high levels of the unhealthy type cholesterol (LDL) and for lowering blood pressure; it is high is selenium, a potent anti-oxidant and it has been shown to offer great protection for the cardiovascular system and from various cancers – pretty amazing, no?

These incredible healthy-giving powers are mainly attributed to the active ingredient allicin, a sulphur compound. The allinanse enzyme gets activated once the cell walls of the garlic clove have been damaged. Therefore, in order to get the most out of your garlic, chop or crush it well before you heat it or add other ingredients. I find the best way to do this is to prep your garlic before you do any other preparation for the dish you are making. Allow it to sit and add to your cooking as late as possible to retain as much of the healthy active ingredietns as possible.

Microwaving garlic pretty much renders its health properties inactive (I think this is probably true for many nutrients in food) and eating it raw, having let it sit once crushed for a least 10 minutes, provides the optimum levels but if you have a delicate digestive system, you may find raw garlic causes a burning sensation and, of course, you’ll be a bit stinky. Chewing parsley can help with garlicky breath and will also provide you with a wealth of vitamins and anti-oxidants, so it’s a win win!

I was giving a talk at a vocal health forum recently. The room was filled with singers and singing teachers. After the forum a number people came to complaining of acid reflux and how taking antacids prescribed by their doctor, was having no benefit. I have also worked with several singers in the past with acid issues but this problem is in no way exclusive to singers. Because acid reflux is very detrimental to a singers voice, singers are far more likely to seek help rather than suffer in silence like many people do who do not feel so protective about their throats.

Acid reflux is quite simply stomach acid coming up the oesophagus (throat) rather than staying in the stomach. The acid in the stomach is incredibly strong and is there to kill off bacteria and other nasties in our food as well as helping to break down our food before it passes in to the intestines for absorption.

Acid reflux is generally considered an excess acid problem where too much of the stomach acid forces its way back up the throat, irritating the tissues and causing burping and an uncomfortable burning sensation. The same symptoms can also come for too little stomach acid. As you can see in the diagram, there is a sphincter at the top of the stomach. When the stomach has food in it, acid is added to the contents of the stomach and that top sphincter should jam shut so nothing can escape back up. If your body does not produce enough acid., the opening does not close properly, allowing acid to leak back up the throat.

Other symptoms of low stomach acid include bloating, as your food will not be getting broken down properly so will be fermenting in the gut; foul-smelling wind; poor bowel functioning – usually constipation; bad breath; feeling heavy and full for a long time after eating and if this condition goes on for some time you will become fatigued and run down as your absorption of nutrients from your food will be seriously impaired, potentially leading to much more serious aliments.

There are 2 simple tests you can do to get a good idea if your digestive issues and/or heart burn are caused by too little stomach acid. Firstly, get out the good old apple cider vinegar  (ACV) – see a past blog for more on this great health tonic. Use a high quality, unpasteurised ACV. Take 1 tablespoon in some water with your first mouthful of food. This will help generate a balanced amount of stomach acid and make your sphincter shut properly. If you find you feel better after a meal using the ACV, it is very likely you have low acid. If you feel worse, you are probably producing too much stomach acid.

Another test, add a level teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda to a glass of water and drink on an empty stomach. The bicarb will react with your stomach acid and cause gases to be produced. If after a few minutes you do NOT start to burp, your acid levels are low.

Remedies include taking a betaine and pepsin supplement – this supplies hydrochloric acid to your stomach; use ACV when you eat; have a broad spectrum digestive enzyme to help breakdown your food and CHEW, CHEW, CHEW – this will stimulate stomach acid production.

Let me make something very clear from the get-go. Having a week every month of feeling bloated, overly emotional and depressed, having sore breasts, a spotty chin, craving carbs and feeling crabby is not normal. It is very common but it is wrong to assume that this is just part what it is to be female.

So, if you do dread the week before your period, you need to do something about it because it is perfectly possible for you to have no symptoms at all – honestly.

Start by cleaning up your diet. Lots of fresh fruit and veg; whole grains like brown rice, oats, pot barely and quinoa; keep well hydrated with fresh water and herbal teas; eat minimal amounts of refined carbs (ideally eliminate them) such a white bread, cakes, biscuits, crisps etc. and highly processed foods; avoid hydrogenated fats and eat only small but regular amounts of good quality fish and meat.

Cutting out sugary and fatty foods will make a big difference. Including lot of fresh, healthy foods will further help, not just because they are healthy foods but they also have a direct impact on your hormonal management as the fibres in these foods aid in the elimination of excess hormones which are passed from the liver to the intestines. Plenty of dietary fibre ensures these hormones are not re-circulated.

Also, the nutrients in these foods, especially magnesium, calcium, chromium and zinc are all instrumental in hormonal management and blood sugar control, so important pre-menstrually. So eat small, regular meals with a good balance of healthy carbs, high quality protein, healthy fats and plenty of fibre to keep you on an even keel.

Exercise  -helps with blood sugar management, stress management and hormonal regulation, plus it elevates mood.

Relaxation and plenty of sleep are also key. So limit the alcohol, get to bed early and try some meditation, yoga, taking regular walks – whatever it takes to help you feel relaxed and calm.

There are several very effective natural remedies you can take to further ease your PMS and to regulate an irregular cycle. Here’s a list of some reliable favourites for those of you who suffer:

- High potency fish oil capsules – no I don’t have shares in little oily fish, but I ought to! Women who suffer with PMS almost always have very low omega 3 intake. Increasing your cellular levels of omega 3 will make a big difference to your hormonal management.

-  Agnus Casts (Chaste Tree): A herb that can be taken as a tincture or capsule. It is adaptogenic, so helps to balance the hormones by triggering the pituitary gland. It is a very effective  but I do advise  getting some professional advice on taking this herbal remedy.

- Gamma Linoleic Acid (GLA): This is a form of omega 6 and is very effective at mitigating PMS symptoms. It is most often taken in the form of evening primrose oil (EPO) but borage oil is a more potent source although they contain the same active ingredient. So, when buying either EPO or borage oil check on the amount of GLA in the product as this is the active ingredient. You should be getting at least 150mg of GLA per capsule.

Raspberry Leaf – as a tea or a tincture is very soothing and helps balance female hormones.

Acupuncture – many studies have been conducted on the efficacy of acupuncture for hormonal issues.

So, get going on cleaning up your diet, get active, get some sleep, deal with your stress and try out regular supplementation of fish oils, GLA and maybe a herbal remedy. You may well find significant relief from the misery that is PMS.