| Answer: | Both of these are classic signs of a deficiency in essential fats. No doubt you' ve heard that the human body is 66 per cent water. But, you might wonder, why don' t we slurp around? The answer is that we keep our water inside our cells via a fatty ' waterproof membrane, partly made of the essential fats also found in seeds and oily fish. If you don' t eat enough of these fats, you lose the ability to control your water balance and you might find you are retaining water, are very thirsty, urinate excessively and have dry skin, dry hair or dandruff.
If you find yourself with several of these symptoms, I recommend three things: 1. eat seeds every day, as a tablespoon of ground seeds (half flax, and half sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds) on your cereal or in a smoothie; 2. eat oily fish such as wild salmon, herring, mackerel or sardines (and the occa-sional piece of fresh tuna) three times a week. 3. take an omega-3 fish oil supplement.
Be aware, however, that excessive thirst can be a classic sign of a blood sugar problem, even diabetes. Ask your doctor to do a blood test to rule this out. If you find you have an imbalance, you' ll need to even out your levels through your diet. Although it' s best to consult your doctor or a nutrition practitioner if you have diabetes, such a diet generally involves eating little and often; choosing slow-release carbohydrates which also have protein, such as wholegrains, peas, beans and lentils, and fruit as long as they are eaten with nuts or seeds; and avoiding all forms of concentrated sweetness, from dried fruit to fruit juice, as well as stimulants like coffee and tea. Supplementing 200mcg of chromium can help. |
