Week 2

I was really happy with what I planned and executed last week. This week has started off slow. On Monday I made a really good lamb dish with a balsamic reduction, but it used brown sugar. I suppose it wasn’t too bad for a diet since I made it with peas and brown rice, but I guess I could have used maple syrup instead. Today I had no energy to make anything so we ordered Inkan takeout. My goal this week is to make simple dishes, and at least one vegetarian dish. My mind is scattered with different ideas.

Since my husband doesn’t want vegetarian, I’m making him curried chicken quinoa with peas. Then there is a sweet potato and cauliflower curry that I also want to try with some spinach parathas. Again it uses whole wheat flour, which isn’t great for people who avoid any type of flour in favor of whole grains, but I have a bag that I want to use up.

Then I’ll make some caramelized whole shallots.

 

A breastfeeding diet that also fights acne

I’m suspecting that breastfeeding is exacerbating my acne troubles. Not only is it causing hormonal changes in my body, but the foods I’ve been eating to increase breastmilk supply are contributors to hormonal acne. But I know it doesn’t have to be this way. In fact, much of what is recommended for breastfeeding mothers complements an acne-free diet. I just need to be more conscious about what I’m buying and place some restrictions and variations on what I eat.

Whole grains

First, whole grains are extremely important for breastfeeding. Doctors are always suggesting oatmeal as a good source of whole grains. I started using quick oats, but now I’m switching to steel cut oats because they are lower in GI load.

Unfortunately, popcorn has a high GI load. It’s also touted as a great way to increase breastmilk supply. There’s no way I’m going to completely cut it out of my diet, but I’m going to find ways to have it with other foods to reduce the overall GI load.

Brewer’s Yeast

This is a must-have for women suffering from low supply, and it turns out it also fights acne because it contains chromium and selenium, which help to lower blood sugar levels.

Vitamin A Sources

Getting Vitamin A is not a problem when you are fighting acne. Sweet potato has a low GI, and it’s suggested as a replacement for white potatoes when you are trying to eat low GI foods. It’s killing two birds with one stone because it has plenty of Vitamin A to get that necessary amount for breastfeeding.

Calcium alternatives to Dairy

Breastmilk depletes your body of calcium, so breastfeeders are recommended to have at least 2 servings of dairy or a calcium alternative per day. I’m sad to cut out dairy, but it could help my baby with her gassiness anyway. Women who are breastfeeding are often told by doctors that dairy could be the cause of their baby’s food sensitivities. It is the first thing they will tell you to try eliminating. I’ll have to see if cutting it out completely affects my supply. I might just go with low-fat dairy products, or organic dairy products.

 

Meat

It’s possible that the worst culprit in cystic acne is meat that comes from animals which are fed antibiotics and hormones. Many people eliminate meat to end their acne problems. Looking back, I know that this worked for me, but ever since I got married I’ve found it difficult to cut out meat from my meals. For people who aren’t willing to stop eating meat, grass-fed organic meats are a viable solution. According to SkiNutritious, factory animals that are on the standard corn and soy diet, rather than a natural grass diet, increases the level of omega-6 while decreasing the level of omega-3, to a ratio that is unfavorable to our skin. The pesticides in their diet can also contribute to a weakening of our immune system when we are eating these meats all the time.

Leafy Greens

There should be no problems here when it comes to acne. But even greens can cause acne if eaten in excess. Spinach contains iodine, an aso we shouldn’t be too eager to incorporate it into our diets on a regular basis.

Eggs and Unsaturated Fats, including Omega-3, specifically DHA

These fats are necessary for the absorption of Vitamins, especially D, E and K. Omega-3 is considered especially beneficial for a baby’s brain development, and of the Omega-3s, DHA is known as the most beneficial. But going overboard on Omega-3s can be problematic, according to Clear Skin Forever. If you are looking for an in-dept explanation of how Omega-3s work in our bodies, I highly suggest checking out that page. Basically, Omega-3s and Omega-6s are polyunsaturated fats, which are highly reactive in the body, which means this can exacerbate acne problems. To prevent acne, they recommend taking the necessary amount and no more.

Breastfeeders need more DHA because they are depleting their own sources of DHA. The current recommended amount is 200 to 400 mg for prevention of depression in new mothers, and that recommendation is likely to change to 800 to 1000 mg according to Infant Risk. The site also states that 1500 mg is a safe level of DHA, for those who are worried they are taking too much. This neurologist cites a study that showed supplements of 200mg of DHA taken by breastfeeding mothers led to better attention scores in their 5 year-old children, compared to scores of children who were not breastfed with DHA supplements.

I just checked the prenatal vitamin I am taking and it only provides 50 mg of DHA, so I am not worrying about it causing acne. It could be that I’m still not getting enough DHA despite eating eggs and other natural sources of DHA. I wish I knew this before I started breastfeeding!

Chili for zero mood swings

There are plenty of reasons I want to improve my diet other than my desire to get rid of my acne. A major one is the fact that my food intake can severely affect my mood for better or for worse. As a kid, when I reacted to my mother saying something incredibly annoying, she would belittle me by saying, “Your blood sugar must be low.” I hate to say she’s right, but she has a point. For a long time I thought it was my caffeine intake that was causing all my mood swings, but after having eliminated caffeine out of my life, I still have them. That’s why I am now focusing more attention on the glycemic index load of the food I’m eating. Consistently eating foods with a low GI can help reduce those spikes of high and low blood sugar that cause mood swings.

Today, I made chili and noticed that I have been in a generally good mood since eating. I also haven’t fallen susceptible to embarrassing nervous behaviors like picking at the acne on my face.

Of course, I forgot to take a photo of the chili. It was intimidating to make it because I’ve never done it before, but I’ve learned that it’s really just a few basic ingredients that can be altered and added to once you get the hang of it. The main ingredients are:

Ground beef/turkey

canned beans

onions

 

tomato sauce

diced tomatos

chili powder

cumin

cayenne

paprika

salt

water

Additional options are jalapeños and green peppers

 

On the side I made a simple no-yeast whole wheat bread. In retrospect, the better option would have been brown rice or Ezekiel bread. I’ve just learned that whole wheat bread is no better than white bread when it comes to glycemic index, or even weight loss. The only breads we should be eating if we are taking our diets seriously are whole grain breads.

I highly recommend adding chili to a no-frills, acne free diet. Beans, ground meat and tomato sauce make it a high-protein, low carb meal, with a low GI load. You can make it in bulk and save some in the freezer, and have it as an accompaniment to other dishes as well.

 

 

My first low glycemic index grocery list

I quickly put together a list of low GI grocery items I thought I would need for this week. I am planning on making chili one night (enough for leftovers), shrimp pumpkin curry,  beef stew, and some mug cakes.

 

What I ended up buying:

Sweet potatoes

tomato sauce

kidney and pinto beans

ground turkey

canned pumpkin

beef stew meat

vegetable broth

carrots

peas

onions

semolina flour

almond butter

cocoa powder

 

 

I think this was a pretty good shopping list for the week. None of these items are high in GI load, so I can cook healthy. I rarely ever get beans, sweet potato, or almond butter so it will be fun to add them to my diet. I’ve never once used semolina flour either.

 

Motivation to eat acne-free

I am on a mission to eat dairy-free foods with a low glycemic index load to prevent the reoccurrence of my cystic acne. I hope that this will be of benefit to someone else.