In this episode, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni discuss natural ways to manage symptoms in perimenopause and menopause. In this part 1 of 2 episodes, they share what the research is showing about how to manage weight and metabolism, as well as some surprising research about beer and perimenopausal symptoms.
The goal of treatment in perimenopause:
Reduce and manage symptoms
Enhance your quality of life
Prevent disease associated with declining hormones
Osteoporosis
Heart disease
Not to get your menstrual cycle back to being regular
What can you do about body fat and weight gain in perimenopause?
Research shows that 8 years before menopause, you can experience a steady increase in weight and body fat with decreased muscle mass
Ways to support your metabolism includes:
Eating more protein
Aim for 1.2g – 1.5g protein per kg of body weight for muscle maintenance
Animal protein is linked with longer lifespan in both men and women
What can you do about hot flashes and other symptoms in perimenopause?
Research has shown that different phytoestrogens can impact hormone balance and reduce different symptoms in perimenopause:
Beer is the main food source of isoxanthohumol, a precursor of the strongest known phytoestrogen
Moderate intake of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beer significantly reduced the severity of menopause-related symptoms in postmenopausal women
Moderate intake of non-alcoholic beer improved the lipid profile and decreased blood pressure in postmenopausal women
Today’s Mama Must Have:
Dr. Lisa loves reading daily and was inspired by Gretchen Rubin to read 13 books so far in 2021.
Dr. Toni is a big fan of reality TV shows like Survivor and Selling Sunset.
Thank you for joining us today!
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!
You can also support us by visiting our Patreon page where you can find out how you can join us for our monthly patron webinar where we do a deeper dive discussion about all things perimenopause,
Stay safe and healthy everyone!
Disclaimer: The information provided in this presentation is not meant to replace treatment with a licensed health care practitioner. It is for informational purposes only. Consult with a Naturopathic Doctor or other licensed health care professional to determine which treatments are safe for you.
In today’s episode, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni discuss all things perimenopause…what it is, what’s happening and how to test for it. Not sure if you’re in perimenopause or what is happening with your hormones? Experiencing hot flashes, irregular periods, mood swings and insomnia? Listen in!
What is the difference between menopause and perimenopause?
Menopause is when you have not had a menstrual period for 12 months.
Perimenopause is the transition period before you reach menopause and can last for 4 years, 8 years or longer.
What is happening with your hormones in perimenopause?
Perimenopausal symptoms, as well as your hormones, can be unpredictable and might fluctuate throughout perimenopause:
You may get PMS symptoms some months, not others
You may get other menopausal symptoms some months and not others
Changes that can happen around perimenopause and menopause includes bone loss and osteoporosis, shifts in weight and metabolism, brain and mood changes
The most common symptoms you may experience include:
Insomnia
30-60% of women experience in perimenopause
Research show correlations between plastic exposure and body care products and self-report insomnia (testing urinary phthalate levels – Hatcher 2020)
Your body’s normally predictable hormone cycle that happens over the month changes during perimenopause:
You might not ovulate every month or you might ovulate early
You have changes in your menstrual cycle length of 7 days or more (shorter or longer cycles) then have longer cycles and more skipped periods until you reach menopause
Your estrogen levels can go up and down more than usual
Your progesterone levels tend to decrease overall
Your FSH level may elevate or fluctuate
Your stress hormone cortisol and thyroid hormones can be impacted
See more info about stress and cortisol: Episode 24
Does every woman experience the transition from perimenopause to menopause the same way?
No!
You can have one of 4 different patterns of estrogen and 3 different patterns FSH levels, as well as different combinations of other symptoms at different stages of perimenopause.
Dr. Lisa is a big fan of this paleo crepe recipe that Stuart also loves:
Dr. Toni loves seeing Frankie play with simple wooden blocks and hand-me-down Lego blocks
Thank you for joining us today!
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!
You can also support us by visiting our Patreon page where you can find out how you can join us for our monthly patron webinar where we do a deeper dive discussion about all things perimenopause,
Stay safe and healthy everyone!
Disclaimer: The information provided in this presentation is not meant to replace treatment with a licensed health care practitioner. It is for informational purposes only. Consult with a Naturopathic Doctor or other licensed health care professional to determine which treatments are safe for you.
In this episode, Dr. Lisa talks with business coach Lianne Kim about how she supports women who play with the idea of changing careers or starting their own business but don’t know where to start. If you are starting to question if you have made the best career choice to live your purpose and feel fulfilled, you need to listen to this episode.
Lianne Kim is a Business Coach and the founder of Mamas & Co. – a community for mama entrepreneurs. She is the host of the wildly popular podcast ‘The Business of Thinking Big’ and the author of the brand news book ‘Building a Joyful Business’. Lianne is on a mission to help women make a great living on their own terms, doing what they love.
In this episode, we cover:
How you can start to get out of the daily autopilot mode
Follow your bliss 🙂
The importance of being willing to fail
Follow the process: do, fail, grow, repeat!
How to quit your 9 to 5 job: episode 105 of Lianne’s Business of Thinking Big podcast at
The importance of remembering your why behind your business
The concept of asking what brings you joy when you look at your schedule – do a time audit Marie Kondo style!
Why your mindset can be a struggle to manage and how to support your belief in yourself
How you can nurture an entrepreneurial spirit in your kids
You can connect with Lianne on Instagram @liannekimcoach at https://www.instagram.com/liannekimcoach/ and learn more about Mamas & Co Mamapreneur Week HERE and on Instagram @mamasandco at https://www.instagram.com/mamasandco/
Dr. Lisa is a big fan of her light box with 10,000 lux to start the day.
Lianne loves doing her own hair with Nice N’ Easy hair color while doing her mindset work and finances.
Thank you for joining us today!
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!
You can also support us by visiting our Patreon page where you can find out how you can join us for our monthly patron webinar where we do a deeper dive discussion about all things perimenopause,
Stay safe and healthy everyone!
Disclaimer: The information provided in this presentation is not meant to replace treatment with a licensed health care practitioner. It is for informational purposes only. Consult with a Naturopathic Doctor or other licensed health care professional to determine which treatments are safe for you.
In this episode, Dr. Toni talks with Naturopathic Doctor and masters athlete Dr. Andréa Proulx about the importance of fitness and strength for women as we age. We are designed to move and we thrive when we move our bodies. Find out how to build strength, support your muscle mass and move your body in perimenopause and menopause, and how it can help increase not only your lifespan, but your health span.
“We need more empowered women ready to take on the world” – Dr. Andréa Proulx
Dr. Andréa Proulx ND is driven to motivate, educate and inspire women to step into their feminine strength. She works with women who value exercise and fitness and have felt the rush of confidence that comes from moving their bodies.
Using her training as a naturopathic doctor she goes beyond symptoms to get to the real reasons why there’s dysfunction. With a comprehensive approach she helps patients tackle fatigue, hormone issues and gut problems to up their fitness, strength and sports performance.
As an international level athlete she personally understands the desire to unlock the potential of the human body and love every minute of sport.
In this episode, we cover:
Why the half marathon is the fastest growing race for women since it is challenging and takes effort but is achievable for most women
How achievement can be a big motivator for physical activity and training
The recent gender equity in sports on an Olympic level
How the prime motivation for girls and women in sport tends to be social relationships and can be a factor for sustainable physical activity
Fitting in physical activity as a busy mom
The importance of modeling regular physical activity for your kids, in addition to body awareness, confidence, resiliency, leadership and communication skills with team sport
The importance of increasing and maintaining muscle mass as you age
Estrogen is an anabolic hormone that helps to build muscle, in addition to testosterone
Estrogen peaks around ovulation and is not opposed by progesterone, which can increase your strength and physical ability compared to other phases in your menstrual cycle
It’s more difficult to build your muscle mass when estrogen is lower, especially when you reach 5 years into menopause
Adding weight training and lifting heavy things is crucial for stimulating your muscle fibers to grow
You don’t have to use equal weights and can use things around the house like food cans and water bottles
The importance of pelvic floor health when starting or increasing physical activity
See a pelvic floor specialist or physiotherapist, especially if you are experiencing any leaking of urine
See a personal trainer when you can to make sure you have the right technique and are doing the best exercises for your unique body
How expectations around your body or what you are wearing when playing sports or exercising can hold you back
Why healthy aging looks like muscle, exercise and protein – for mobility, independence and metabolism
Women gain an average of 10 lbs in the first 5 years after menopause because we can’t process carbohydrates as well as we did when younger – we need more protein and less simple carbs!
Dr. Andréa loves to support women to dress properly when working out outside. If you want to know what to wear in all types of weather, check out her free “Seasonal Workout Wear For Female Athletes” guide.
Dr. Toni is a big fan of The Conqueror Virtual Challenges – sign up, log your activity/miles, then get a medal when you’re done – this summer hiked Cabot Trail, now Camino de Santiago – Motivation for movement, gamification of physical activity and getting outside
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!
You can also support us by visiting our Patreon page where you can find out how you can join us for our monthly patron webinar where we do a deeper dive discussion about all things perimenopause,
Stay safe and healthy everyone!
Disclaimer: The information provided in this presentation is not meant to replace treatment with a licensed health care practitioner. It is for informational purposes only. Consult with a Naturopathic Doctor or other licensed health care professional to determine which treatments are safe for you.
In this episode, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni review their favourite “Mama Must-Have” recommendations from the past 100 episodes. These tips and products make their lives easier and are great ways for you and your family to stay healthy and happy. They include our favourite foods, drinks, books, essential oils, body care products, apps and more! You can use for ideas of things to add to your holiday wish list.
Hella Hydrating Facial Serum with rosehips and hyaluronic acid from Joyous Health
Dr. Lisa is a big fan of her hand held massager to release tight shoulder and back muscles.
Dr. Toni is excited to watch the recently released documentary The Business of Birth Control by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein, who also created The Business of Being Born and Weed the People.
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!
Stay safe and healthy everyone!
Disclaimer: The information provided in this presentation is not meant to replace treatment with a licensed health care practitioner. It is for informational purposes only. Consult with a Naturopathic Doctor or other licensed health care professional to determine which treatments are safe for you.
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