please help ?

[daveserra]

i understand that throughout the day you single servings of fruit and say a small salad but approx. how big is the big meal supposed to be and over how long i've seen mention of 4 hours and i don't have that kind of time to devote to an evening meal cause i'm at work at big meal time and only have 45 min. break ,does any body know anything about vitex(chaste tree berry) i'm told body builders use it as an estrogen inhibitor

[butternut]

Good grief, I was told about this just today as well, about the Vitex. I would love to know the answer to this also.

[energizer]

Well ideally you should eat the big meal after work, work breaks are desinged for people on "regular" diets. I have had work shifts that go till 11:00pm and I wouldn't eat my dinner until midnight. If you work night shift and don't finish untill 3:00am or something, then I believe ideally you should eat then (is this right admin?), though that may not seem practical or convenient.

And about the size of the meal - as long as you follow the food heirachy the meal should not be a set ammount, you should eat until you have had enough.

[DN Moderator]

Yes, I agree with you energizer.  Our Newsletter this week, dealt a bit with this issue.

[butternut]

Hi, I had emailed blackmores.com.au for some info regarding Vitex (they sell it as tablets here in Australia) - this was their response:

Vitex should not inhibit oestrogen. I suggest you consult a naturopath or your doctor for a more comprehensive look at your weigth gain and the possible link with hormones. It is a complicated area and one that needs a good understanding before you attempt to treat it.

I have copied some information from our website for your interest on the herb


A traditional herbal remedy for the relief of premenstrual symptoms. Helps maintain healthy hormonal balance.
Features and benefits
Standardised potency, contains 550 mcg agnuside per tablet
How it works
Vitex agnus castus is indicated for symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (including premenstrual acne), and irregularities of the menstrual cycle. It is believed to act primarily on the pituitary-hypothalamic axis, rather than directly on the ovaries. Vitex inhibits release of follicle stimulating hormone, whilst stimulating the release of luteinising hormone. These effects result in a shift in the oestrogen and progesterone ratio in favour of the latter, and Vitex may be of assistance in cases of progesterone deficiency (relative to oestrogen).

[daveserra]

to everyone who responded i thank you, and thanks butternut for the research.