In this episode, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni are talking about the different types of ovarian cysts that perimenopausal women can commonly experience, including PCOS. Did you know that if you have ovarian cysts, it doesn’t mean you have PCOS? Find out what symptoms you need to watch for, what lab testing to consider and natural approaches to effectively managing ovarian cysts.
What types of ovarian cysts can you develop?
Functional cysts – related to menstrual cycle, usually harmless, rarely cause pain, resolve within 3 cycles
Follicular cyst – when follicle fails to release egg at ovulation and continues to grow, forming a cyst
Corpus luteum cyst – when follicle releases eggs, corpus luteum continues to grow and accumulates fluid inside, forming a cyst
Other cysts: – can become large and shift position of ovary, increasing chance of twisting, or ovarian torsion, which can be painful and cause decrease of blood flow to ovary
Dermoid cysts – also called teratomas, can contain tissue like hair, skin or teeth, because they form embryonic cells, rarely cancerous
Cystadenomas – develop on surface of ovary containing either water or mucus
Endometriomas – develop as a result of uterine endometrial tissue growing outside of uterus and attaching to ovary, related to endometriosis
These kinds of ovarian cysts are different than polycystic ovarian syndrome.
What is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)?
Endocrine condition that affects other systems as well:
not only hormones and fertility, but also your skin, cardiovascular system, metabolism, immunity, mental-emotional health and more
Risk factors for developing ovarian cysts:
Genetics
Inflammation
Hormonal issues
Irregular menstrual cycles
Hormone imbalance
Insulin resistance and increased androgens like circulating testosterone in PCOS
insulin stimulates secretion of testosterone by ovaries, inhibits sex hormone binding globulin from liver, leading to increased circulating testosterone, leading to acne, excess facial and body hair and male pattern baldness in women
Vitex, black cohosh, white peony and maca can support hormone balance and menstrual regularity
Supports menstrual cycle regulation and amount of flow
Adaptogens like rhodiola, schisandra, ashwagandha, licorice, tribulus
may improve menstrual regularity, weight, insulin sensitivity, quality of life and mood
NAC, DIM, calcium d-glucarate, hops supports liver detoxification to properly process excess estrogen
Today’s Mama Must Haves:
Dr. Lisa loves her homemade “bits and bites” snack: TumYumm puffed fox nuts (Himalayan sea salt flavour) with broken up plantain chips, raw pumpkin seeds for healthy 3pm snack
Dr. Toni is a big fan of film festivals and recommends checking out the Calgary Underground Film Festival online – streaming until May 2. She watched Together Together with Ed Helms (from the US version of The Office) about surrogacy.
Dr. Toni’s next HypnoBirthing info session for expecting parents looking to trust their instincts and their body during labour and birth is happening in May. Join her at https://www.hypnobirthingcalgary.com/register
In this episode, Dr. Lisa talks with Nicole Manes about how sound therapy can be used to manage stress and mood, improve sleep and digestion, and promote relaxation to support healing and well-being. Tune in to experience the benefits of a sound bath for yourself!
Nicole is a Certified Sound Therapy Practitioner and is the co-founder of Sound Response Wellness, a company offering online and in-person Sound-Based Stress Reduction™ services. In addition to a long-standing interest in psychology, mindfulness and spirituality, plus over fourteen years as a public relations and marketing communications specialist, Nicole brings years of vocal training, live performance, song writing and in-studio recording experience to her sound therapy practice. She uses a variety of instruments and tools including voice, crystal quartz singing bowls, metal singing bowls, tuning forks, drum and chimes to deliver therapeutic soundscapes that help people reduce stress and increase their overall sense of well-being.
In today’s episode, we cover:
The difference between in person and virtual sound therapy sessions
The benefits of sound therapy demonstrated by scientific research:
Can help you to anchor yourself in the moment and feel grounded
Naturally promotes a state of calm and relaxation of your central nervous system
Reduces stress and tension in the body to positively sleep, digestion and symptoms of depression and anxiety
Provides the one of the easiest ways to enter a meditative state
Help you get in touch with emotions that are hard for you to verbalize and shift your state to regulate your emotional stability
Acts like a massage from inside out
Increases physical energy levels and promotes a feeling of well-being
Can lower blood pressure and physical pain
How there is no minimum dose of sound therapy for you to experience benefits
The importance of nature sounds for feeling a sense of safety
How you can use different sounds at home as healing tools
Running or pouring water
Koshi chime
Kalimba
Your own voice with humming, singing or sacred vowel sounds
How different soundscapes can be used in sound bath depending on the desired effect and complement other health practices
Nicole provides a 10 minute sound bath for you to enjoy
In this week’s episode, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni are discussing what you need to know about uterine fibroids. Did you know that by the age of 50, almost two-thirds of women experience fibroids? Listen in to discover risk factors, racial disparities, conventional and natural treatments available for fibroids.
What are uterine fibroids?
Fibroids are noncancerous tumors that grow in the uterus and range from pea to football sized.
Fibroids disproportionately impact women of color. Black women are diagnosed with fibroids roughly three times as frequently as white women, develop them earlier in life and tend to experience larger and more numerous fibroids that cause more severe symptoms.
In the US, nearly a quarter of Black women between 18 and 30 have fibroids compared to about 6% of white women. By age 35, that number increases to 60%.
Potential causes and risk factors:
Estrogen dominance, as estrogen can feed the growth of fibroid – see Episode 21 and 22
Xenoestrogens and hormone disrupting compounds – for more info see Episode 65
Commercially-Raised Animal Products:
Plastics & Canned Goods (many have plastic lining)
Personal Care Products (makeup, lotion, & perfumes)
Oral Contraceptives or birth control pill
Pharmaceutical medications
Food Additives & preservatives
Styrofoam products
Laundry & Dishwashing detergents
Household cleaners & air fresheners
Pesticides & Herbicides
Perimenopause due to with lower progesterone levels
Weight gain, as your fat cells make more estrogen
Poor liver detoxification of hormones
Low vitamin D status – impacted by your skin tone and levels of melanin in your skin
Vitamin D deficiency occurs 10X in Black women compared women from other cultures
Vitamin D inhibits uterine fibroid growth
Stress – see Episode 24 for more info on stress and your adrenal glands
Signs and Symptoms:
Heavy menstrual bleeding
Menstrual periods lasting more than a week
Anemia and fatigue
Pelvic pressure or pain, can be during intercourse
Frequent urination
Difficulty emptying the bladder
Constipation
Protruding abdomen or bloating
Backache or leg pains
3 locations:
Subserosal – on the outside surface of your uterus
Intramural – within the muscular wall of your uterus
Submucous – bulging into your uterine cavity
May impact your fertility in the following ways:
Block fallopian tubes, cervix
Reduce where implantation can occur
Increase risk of miscarriage
C-section may be recommended for birth
Conventional Treatments:
Uterine Fibroid Embolization
Non-surgical; outpatient procedure
Incision in upper thigh with catheter inserted into femoral artery using x-ray to guide/locate blood supply to fibroid
Microscopic inert particles injected into vessels that nourish the fibroid to block blood supply resulting in fibroids shrinking
Myomectomy:
Fibroid only taken out
Black women 2x more likely to get complications like excessive blood loss, scar tissue, fertility issues
Hysterectomy
Removal of uterus
Black women 2.5x more likely to get than other cultures in the US
Prevention:
Optimize vitamin D levels
Supporting liver detoxification pathways
Green tea
Cruciferous vegetables
Garlic, onions, beets
Herbs: turmeric, milk thistle, yellow dock
Support regular bowel movements – see Episode 63 for more info on addressing constipation
Avoid xenoestrogens and plastics (even BPA free plastic) – see Episode 65 for more info
Limit alcohol
Support healthy weight and body fat percentage
Exercise
Reduce stress
Consider hormone testing and if needed:
Support progesterone with vitex or bioidentical progesterone
Support estrogen detoxification with DIM, I3C
Naturopathic treatment includes:
Above prevention strategies plus
Replace iron if deficient
Castor oil packs topically on abdomen to reduce inflammation and support circulation
Herbs to reduce bleeding like yarrow, shepherd’s purse
This Week’s Mama Must Have:
Dr. Toni is loving the inspiring and motivational book Untamed by Glennon Doyle.
Dr. Lisa has committed to daily reading time and has read 4 books so far since Jan 2021. She loves getting books from free little libraries and just started Girl on a Train.
Dr. Toni’s next HypnoBirthing info session for expecting parents looking for increased calm, confidence and comfort during labour and birth is May 30. Join her at https://www.hypnobirthingcalgary.com/register
In today’s episode, Dr. Lisa discusses the approach of intuitive eating for kids with registered dietitian Jay Baum. Find out how to develop healthy eating habits with your kids and make mealtime fun instead of stress-inducing. You can raise a child who is an intuitive eater, even if you grew up to have a dysfunctional relationship with food.
Jay Baum is a Registered Dietitian with over 10 years of experience working with families. She is the owner of Pommetta Nutrition, a private practice based in Toronto, where she applies an intuitive eating approach with an emphasis on eating competence. Former professional chef and mama of two, Jay knows her way around the kitchen and has firsthand knowledge of the challenges that go along with feeding kids.
In this episode, we cover:
The difference between Intuitive Eating, eating intuitively and eating competence
The importance of checking in with yourself about the baggage from the past that you have around eating, dieting and meal times
The division of responsibility between you and your child at mealtimes
The importance of having a rough schedule of meals and snacks
How to make your main family meal fun so your kids want to be at the table
The difference between kid friendly and family friendly foods
The importance of modeling healthy eating to your kids
How to deal with your kids’ eating quirks and changing appetites
The pros and cons of processed food and snacks
The balancing act between allowing and restricting sweets
The importance of normalizing not finishing or liking a food when trying something new
Powerful Mama Advice from Jay:
Start with one small change that you can be consistent with and turn into a habit over the long term. Give yourself some grace and do the best you can!
Check out Jay’s website and blog here (she has a great post about 50 mealtime conversation starters to use with your kids)
Dr. Lisa enjoys a few squares of 80% dark chocolate after lunch and loves the Zazubean and Giddy Yoyo brands.
Thank you for joining us today!
Have any comments, suggestions or burning questions? Email us or connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. We’d love you to subscribe, leave us a review and a 5-star rating if you enjoyed this episode.
Please tell your perimenopausal mama friends about us, too!
In today’s episode, Dr. Toni welcomes back transformational coach Kari Klein to talk about the mind-body connection behind autoimmune conditions and how the mind is a key to true healing, bringing the idea of stress management to a whole new level. If you have the tendency to overthink things and you’re feeling a lot of pressure, overwhelm and fear, you need to listen in on this conversation, even if you don’t have an autoimmune condition.
In Episode 9, Kari shared her story of recognizing and addressing hormone imbalance which impacted her brain function and mood.
As a mom and chiropractor trained in functional neurology, Kari Klein has offered wellness care for families for many years. By providing transformational coaching and deep-dive conversations that produce a new level of self-awareness, Kari is passionate about guiding women and men to discover themselves and their potential, unlocking their power and connecting them with the knowledge of who they fully are and what they are really here to do.
What is an autoimmune condition?
With autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and lupus, your immune system is triggered to create antibodies against your own tissue.
It is common for women to experience the onset or flare of an autoimmune condition postpartum or soon after having kids.
A naturopathic approach to addressing autoimmune conditions involves supporting your immune system’s balance, gut and liver health, and stress management.
In this episode, we discuss:
The focus on doing vs. being human
How you can get mis-identified with your body and the chaos of your life instead of the essence of who you are
How when you connect with how you are designed by nature, it is easier to manage stress
Where expectations, pressures and demands around being a mom come from and the autopilot setting you can be living in that can keep you feeling separate
How to recognize the training or programming you picked up so you can let it go
Why you don’t need to be better and how to reconnect to your true nature and your intuition
The impact of fear on your health and your inability to be present with your kids
How the mind can create burnout and help you heal from burnout
The power behind recognizing that you’re not broken and don’t need to be fixed
Kari mentions the book Why Don’t Zebras Get Ulcers by Robert Sapolsky
Kari loves using Sistema® lunch boxes with separate containers for her little guy.
Dr. Toni can’t imagine life without a simple white noise machine (set on rainfall setting) and a fan to help support a full night’s sleep.
Thank you for joining us today!
Have any comments, suggestions or burning questions? Email us or connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. We’d love you to subscribe, leave us a review and a 5-star rating if you enjoyed this episode.
Please tell your perimenopausal mama friends about us, too!
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