By now you probably know that menopause is a natural phase of our lives where the declining levels of estrogen and progesterone lead to significant hormonal changes in the body. While it's a normal part of aging (and can be a beautiful time in a woman's life) these shifts can bring challenging symptoms like hot flashes, insomnia, anxiety, weight gain, mood swings, among many other things, that many of us find draining and downright disruptive.
Read MoreBlood sugar, or glucose, is your body's primary energy source, derived mainly from carbohydrates in our diet. When you eat, your digestive system breaks down food into glucose, which then enters your bloodstream. The hormone insulin, produced by the pancreas, helps transport this glucose into your cells for energy or storage.
How does this impact weight, mood and hormones?
Perimenopause is the transitional phase leading up to menopause, during which a woman's body undergoes significant hormonal changes. One of the hormones that fluctuates during perimenopause is estrogen. These hormonal fluctuations can have various effects on the body, including the cardiovascular system, which can contribute to a racing heart.
Read MoreWhat IS a Functional Medicine test? Today I'm going to break down what the term means and what types of tests I run in my practice. And most importantly, WHY I use them to help my patients heal.
Read MoreWhen you get to know your body, learn how your menstrual cycle works, and accept that everything is connected, you’ll see your body in a new light — and it will blow your mind! You can reduce and release so much emotional tension if you’re living in tune with your full cycle, and you’ll understand why you crave different movement, food and behave differently!
Read MoreThis seed mix is my favorite hormone balancing anti-inflammatory blend and here's why!
They contain Vitamin E*, Omega 3- and Omega-6 fatty acids, which are essential for hormone production and ovarian follicular function. Also, Vitamin E is really good for the health of your skin.
*Found in flax seeds, sesame, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds…
Read MoreBut what about happiness? That can be elusive these days as well. You may be somebody who struggles to find it regularly, or perhaps you could just use a little more of it in general (who couldn't?). So today I thought I'd share a bit of information on something that we have some control over...The Happy Hormones.
Almost all hormones have some influence on mood—including sex hormones like estrogen and progesterone as well as stress hormones like cortisol, but there's a small group of hormones that have a particularly large amount of influence. They include:
Irregular period? Hot flashes? Short fused? Trouble sleeping?
These are just a few of the myriad symptoms that could be a sign you are dealing with peri or menopause issues.
I hear a lot confusion around the 'pauses' so I thought I would break down just what each of these are and how to tell the difference.
Read MoreThese are my personal go-to adaptogens I reach for each day. I have a genetic SNP called COMT, which makes it difficult for me to break down adrenaline in my body. This means I need to really manage my stress levels by various means: calming the nervous system, getting "just right" exercise, meditating, eating anti-inflammatory foods, and taking supplements that target stress and resilience to it.
Read MoreI see thyroid issues in at least 70% of the women I'm working with these days, so I feel passionate about educating people on this subject and helping people feel better.
So, in honor of Thyroid Awareness Month I wanted to share with you why your thyroid is oh-so important, some symptoms to look out for, and many of the natural ways you can support it!
This last month I've hit some of my lowest moments. Being in my fifth decade has illuminated some things I'm now looking at dead on. Perimenopause, menopause, having teens that don't need as much of my time...all of it has come a-callin'. And it's no joke.
Read MoreI created this short quiz, below, to help you check-in with yourself, and to draw attention to the signs and symptoms that may be connected to your adrenals & thyroid. In my last newsletter I talked about the HPA axis, aka the hypothalamus/pituitary/adrenal axis, which has a major effect on your fat, sugar, salt cravings, but it also has a major impact on your thyroid. Remember, it's all connected!
Take a moment to breathe, and be honest with yourself on this (note: this is not a comprehensive list):
Read MoreStress affects your ability to control your desire for fat, sugar, and salt. At the same time, fat, sugar, and salt are the molecules that fuel the stress response! When stressed, you need sugar to mobilize your energy, you need salt to maintain the blood pressure that gets elevated, and you need fat to replenish the stores of sugar after the crisis is over.
Read MoreAs a functional nutrition coach that specializes in women’s health, I get asked questions all the time about what’s going on in your body related to hormones, digestion, inflammation, insomnia, and skin issues.
The truth is, every single person has their own bio-individual make-up, which means the answer is different for everybody depending on your health history, lifestyle, and more, but one thing is almost always true…just about all health issues start in the gut.
Know why?
Because your gut (aka, your digestive system) is truly the foundation of your health, both inside and out.
Read MoreToday, I want to talk about something near and dear to my heart: fatigue.
Do you wake up and have to drag yourself out of bed?
Are you tired most of the day?
Could you close your eyes and be asleep in 2 minutes?
Do you feel like you and your body aren’t on the same page?
There are a number of reasons this could be happening, and most have to do with your hormones.
Read MoreI’ve been working with women to help get ahold of their hormonal journey (peri-menopause anybody?), regulate their period, nourish their adrenals, and just generally harness their hormones for happiness, weight loss, and stable moods. And, it’s been a HUGE success! Women are reporting effortless weight loss, tons of energy, stable, happy moods, glowing skin, and more. Today I want to share my top 3 tips for balancing your hormones naturally.
But before I share them, let’s rewind a bit. Why exactly do we care about hormones and keeping them in balance?
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