Tending the Transition #29: Looking Ridiculous. Check Yourself. Slow Cooked Cabbage. Chia Plus Pudding.
Bite-sized tips, recipes, and reflections to support our health during Perimenopause
Hey Tenders of the Transition,
I want you to picture this: a dance studio on a Sunday afternoon, a wall of floor to ceiling mirrors, and a long ballet bar under a row of windows. Coffee cups and sweaters shed at the periphery of the room where a dozen dancers stretch and bend. And by dancers I mean people of all shapes and ages and sizes, many of us mid-life or beyond, moving their bodies. Me in black leggings and a purple t-shirt (if you don’t know what I look like picture yourself. It’ll be fun), a little red in the face after our warm up, a little self conscious about my shirt showing my belly as I stretch.
Our intrepid leader Beck, founder of Meander Dance Collective, blasts a song about nails hair hips heels and I follow the crowd, shaking my creaky perimenopausal hips, pretending as if I’ve worn heels in the past, oh, ten years. My nails are short and dirty with soil from the garden. My hair is pulled up in a ponytail, but I feel good because I recently got it cut after a couple of years of meaning to make an appointment and finally doing it. I’m tempted to shake my hair out, but then I might trip.
So here I am, ribs shifting, shoulders shimmying, trying to get my hips to move how I want them to, how I imagine they used to before kids and middle age. I am laughing so hard I can barely keep up. I can see myself in the mirror and kind of don’t want to watch and kind of want to leave early, yet I don’t because I’m so proud of myself for coming to this class the weeks that I am able, move my body in ways my daily life certainly does not demand, in ways that feel silly in their attempt at sexy.
I stay and dance.
And damn, even though I am not ready to share these moves with anyone outside of this dance studio, as the music blasts and I shimmy and preen and sashay in this safe space, I feel great and at the end of class, I leave the studio energized and joyful.
And feel a bit sexier than before. Fake it (or shake it) til you make it, right?
PROMPT: Have you done anything in the past month that has been uncomfortable or edgy but helped you grow? Can you try something in the coming weeks that you’ve been putting off trying but you have a feeling may bring you alive, like a pole dancing class or tango lessons or art class? Make a list of five things that may bring you an edgy sort of joy.
NUTRITIONAL FOCUS: Check Yourself (or at least what you eat, how you feel, and how you poop!)
WHAT: For three or four days, track what you eat, how you feel, when you poop (and what it looks like!), how much you drink, your exercise/movement, and what kind of supplements (if any) you may be taking. A lot of us, myself definitely included, aren’t very accurate about estimating how much we are actually eating, drinking, and moving. Either we’re skipping meals (or calling a spoonful of nutbutter a meal—yes, that’s me some days) or grazing continually and either not getting enough calories or nutrients, or we’re overeating without feeling satiated. Just tracking for a few days can help us become more mindful and help us consider what we might be able to change to support our health, which in turn helps us feel our best.
WHEN: Just for a few days to get an overview of how much you’re actually eating, drinking, and moving.
HOW: Use this Food and Mood Journal (courtesy of the Nutritional Therapy Association) to track all the stuff above. Or use a paper journal or Notes on your phone. If you want to get really nerdy, use an app like Chronometer to track your nutrient intake. After a few days, take a look. Do you see any patterns? Are there any surprises? Pick one thing you could change to support your health. (examples: I can drink 16 oz more water (with a dash of sea salt) over the course of the day. I can eat a kale and four-egg scramble in the morning instead of grabbing a bagel.)
RECIPE: Slow Cooked Cabbage
WHY: Cabbage is full of fiber and nutrients and when slow cooked it gets fairly sweet! This recipe is easy to add to nearly any meal. I love it with scrambled eggs, shredded meat, or even in soups. It seems like a huge amount but cooks down considerably.
HOW: Core and chop a whole fresh cabbage (about two pounds, red or green). Heat ¼- ½ cup olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat and add cabbage. Sprinkle with salt (start with ½ teaspoon and wait until the end to season more as cabbage will cook down significantly). Let cook uncovered on low heat, stirring occasionally and adding a little water if it starts to burn, until cabbage is very soft and caramelized, about 2 hours.
PANTRY: Chocolate Chia Seed Plus Pudding
WHAT: I know, I know, everyone talks about chia seed pudding. But this one is slightly different, full of much more fiber and protein than your average recipe. I keep this on hand for snacks or even a quick breakfast; it’s so dense a little goes a long way! This recipe will last all week and gives a daily boost of fiber and other nutrients, hence me putting it in the Pantry category.
WHY: Chia seeds are a good source of plant-based Omega 3s, while psyllium powder is a fiber powerhouse, and hempseeds supply the protein. Coconut milk is a great source of saturated fat (necessary in a balanced diet). The cocoa powder offers some antioxidants and may satisfy that choco craving (which may mean you need some more magnesium in your life, just saying).
Ingredients:
One can full fat coconut milk or 1.5 cups milk of choice
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup hemp hearts
2 tablespoons psyllium husk powder
1 cup frozen blueberries (optional)
1/4 cup maple syrup (optional)
1/4 cup organic cocoa powder (preferably non-alkalized)
Pinch sea salt
More water to thin, if desired
Method:
Add all ingredients to a quart jar and use an immersion blender to fully blitz. (Or use a regular blender or Ninja. Or don’t blend at all if you don’t mind chunks). Add water as needed if the mixture is too thick.
Refrigerate to chill and enjoy a half cup or so at a time—it’s dense!
Remember to drink a bit of water after to help the psyllium go down.
Have a nourishing week!
In health,
Jenny Goff, NTP
To learn more about nutritional therapy and other services, please visit www.nourishingcellar.com