duhast, in many cases it only takes a cup of lentils for a pot of soup, especially if other veggies are added. Healthy Lentil Soup Serves 4 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper 2 cloves garlic finely chopped 7 cups water 1 cup dried brown lentils 4 Vegetable Flavor Bouillon Cubes 1 teaspoon vinegar 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach or kale 1/2 cup quick-cooking brown rice HEAT oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes or until vegetables are tender. ADD water, lentils, bouillon and vinegar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cover. Cook for 18 to 20 minutes or until lentils are tender. STIR in spinach and rice; cover. Return to boil. Reduce heat to low; uncover. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes or until rice is tender. I haven't made this recipe yet, but had it in my "try" file. Granny Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

Annie, I used to have those leg cramps, but it was every month when I had my period. In the 1970's I started reading Prevention magazine, which was not the slick mag it is now, and they talked about calcium deficiencies. One part of it was caused by using non-fat dairy (which I used to do) and they claimed it was necessary for you to digest fat with calcium to utilize it. The other part was an imbalance of calcium, magnesium and phosphorous, caused in part by drinking diet soda (an excess of phosphorous in those drinks leaching magnesium and calcium from your system). I always struggled with my weight, so both those things were part of my diet. They claimed that even calcium supplements, if they contained phosphorous (if you had excess phosphorous intake from soda) would not help the imbalance and your body would not utilize the calcium. I don't know if it's true or not, but what I did cured my leg aches every month. I found a liquid calcium, magnesium supplement (without phosphorous) and began taking it, along with switching to 1% dairy. If I would run out, or get out of the habit of taking it, I would get these terrible aches in my legs at the onset of my period. I remember several times when my legs would start this terrible aching, during my 1 hour commute, stopping at a health food store to get my calcium and chugging a bit of it in the car, then continuing on my way home. By the time I reached home the aching had stopped. It happened enough times that I became a true believer in their theory. So, even if you take calcium, read up on the best kind to take, see if it contains magnesium and phosphorus and if you drink soda, try to find a supplement without the phosphorus. And if you use only nonfat dairy, try switching to 1% for some things and see if it makes a difference. Here is a link that might be useful: one article on calcium supplements

Oh yes please realize I wasn't trying to inflame a tofu/health debate. Since people are so different in their lifestyles it really does depend on alot of factors. What I'm saying is just like what rachelellen is saying, that it just depends so I wouldn't write tofu off for health reasons any more than I would embrace it as the cure all. Individual mileage may vary. There are some people who can't eat tofu or shouldn't eat tofu, no doubt about it. My brother is allergic to soy and has a histamine reaction to it. Soybean oil too for him. That's one reason he is such a picky eater, soybean oil is in so many things. Soy is one of the more common allergens. Not to mention it is a source of phyto-estrogens, which may or may not be good for you depending on which research you read. So if soy's not your thing, no problem. Now, if you want to add soy to your diet because you want to cut down on saturated fat, eat low on the food chain and help the planet a little, or just be cool, then there's a lot of advice out there. Since soy has such a bland taste, eating it plain is probably not the way to learn to love it. But it's bland taste yet relatively high protein level is the beauty of the stuff. It is very adaptable. I'm not a huge fan of frozen tofu. About the only recipe I have that calls for first freezing the tofu is one for tofu sloppy joes. Frozen then thawed tofu has the texture and somewhat taste of a sponge, IMHO. The issue for some people is that tofu doesn't have that chewy texture that they would like. Well, I can see if you're thinking tofu is a 'meat replacement' that would bug you. If you want chewy texture, you're going to want Textured Vegetable Protein, not tofu. Tofu is bound to disappoint if you want meat but eat tofu instead. Now, if you just want to eat something that has protein and tastes good, then I suggest adding tofu to highly spiced dishes, things like well seasoned stir fries or curries. Or putting it in casseroles with a lot of other flavorful ingredients. It's good in lasagne, for example. Now, for a chewier texture with tofu, that's the idea behind baking tofu. What you basically do is slather on a marinade on the tofu (it doesn't penetrate tofu like it does meat) and then bake it for about an hour, checking to see that the marinade isn't burning and turing in rebasting it about halfway through. That dries out the tofu and gives it a chewy texture. Usually I just us a bottle of some kind of commercial dressing like italian or asian to use as the marinade, but it's cheaper to make your own and you can give it the taste you like. Actually most of the time I just buy it already pre-baked and seasoned. That stuff, which they sell vacume sealed in plastic, keeps indefinately in the fridge and freezes OK, although you will have some sponginess issues. The reason tofu gets spongy in the freezer is the water in it freezes and then when it thaws it leaves holes in the tofu where the water ice crystals were. The drier the tofu is to begin with the better it will freeze. Here is a link that might be useful: Soy allergies

I am so glad this discussion is on here! I am 52, and was just told to go off the combo pill in August, after being on it nearly continuously since 17 when I picked it up in college. My blood pressure had started to go up last year, so we figured this was the cause. I had never had high blood pressure before - usually the opposite. I tried reducing salt and increasing exercise for a bit, but it had little impact. So, I was recommended going off or switching to the mini-pill progesterone-only. The first two weeks were fine, then I had a couple of weeks of constant overheating(no 'flashes', just constant hot). I read about how sometimes when you go off the combo pill, your insulin levels can be weird as your other systems take over estrogen and general thermostat regulation, so I cut out all the high spiky insulin foods(think sugar and white rice along with the rest of the online lists of foods to avoid) and reduced some caffeine, and the heat problem turned off completely. Now it has been three months of progesterone only, and I can see my skin aging, and hair growth slowing. I had been having a lot of brain-fog issues the past few years, and those have not changed, sadly. It's very annoying, and I hope that part at least sorts itself out by 60. Bonus and unexpected - my internal base stress level has gone down. It's just easier to cope. I have added rice and sugar back with no problems, and overheating is completely gone. I am sleeping better, although now I have weird little dreams, when I have never been one to remember dreams much at all. I do not have more energy, and some of my hand strength is just gone. Also, mentally, I find I am more detached from things and people, but not in a depressed or destructive way. More the feeling of having a choice about being involved or not, rather than having an immediate reaction (like wanting to scream at the grocery clerk that eye-rolled when asking a valid question). Hoping I am just done, but it's too soon to tell. I get mild cramping with no period, and some spotting during the week I would have normally had one in the '4th week off' time. But it's too soon to write off periods altogether. I am hoping most of the worst of it was masked during the past 5 years. But...I do have female relatives that didn't hit menopause until 56-65. One would have thought with half the planet going through this in their lives that there would be more medical study and progress on this in the last 50 years, but apparently no. lol I think starting a better workout routine and nutrition plan is next on the agenda. Wondering how much of my personality and priority-setting is hormone related. Will be interesting to see who I become now. Maybe my ten year old self has a chance again. :) She was fun.