In today’s episode re-release from 2021, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni discuss habits and Gretchen Rubin’s The Four Tendencies framework behind why you keep or don’t keep habits. If you’ve picked up some bad habits or have let go of some healthy habits during the pandemic, you’ll want to listen in to find out why and how to start changing your habits.
In this episode, we cover:
Why do you have certain habits
What can you do to interrupt automatic habits and behaviours
Why you keep habits or don’t, described by the Four Tendencies, as outlined in the book Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin
Consider the following Habit Hacks:
Approach your habits and behaviours with self-love, compassion and forgiveness, as we discussed in Episode 55
Be intentional and recognize your autopilot behaviours
Remember the why
Commit and schedule it in your calendar
Pair it with something else – making your own lemon water while making kids’ breakfast
Break it up into bite-sized chunks
Be accountable – text a friend or post on social media, join online community
Monitor progress – track in calendar or journal with gold stars or check marks, post on social media (see Episode 11 to learn more about using a bullet journal)
Avoid “all or nothing” thinking – you can start over anytime
Resources:
Four Tendencies quiz by Gretchen Rubin: https://quiz.gretchenrubin.com/
The Alcohol Experiment and This Naked Mind Podcast: https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/the-alcohol-experiment-registration
This Week’s Mama Must Have:
Dr. Lisa is a big fan of Australian Carob Co carob chips to keep her chocolate intake in check.
Dr. Toni loves Smart Sweets gummy bears and peach rings for a sugar free treat.
What’s Happening?
Dr. Toni’s next HypnoBirthing info session for expecting parents looking to trust their instincts and their body during labour and birth is happening again in 2023. Join her at https://www.hypnobirthingcalgary.com/register
Dr. Lisa’s Wild Collective in 2023: get on the waitlist: wildcollectivetoronto.com
In this re-released episode from October 2021, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni are discussing everything you need to know about vitamin D. Vitamin D isn’t just needed for bone health – it is crucial for your immune health. Also, could low vitamin D be the cause of your aches, pains and low mood?
Vitamin D deficiency is still underdiagnosed, under prevented and under treated in between 60-90% of the worldwide population. In Canada 59% of population are vitamin D deficient (below 75 nmol/L).
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin and is best absorbed as a supplement when taken with food.
What increases your risk of experiencing vitamin D deficiency?
Dark skin
Obesity
Older age
Malabsorption
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (due to malabsorption and inflammation)
Sunlight overprotection and/or deprivation
Chronic use of prednisone and other anti-inflammatory steroid derivatives, anticonvulsant medications (due to upregulation of liver detoxification, promoting excretion of vitamin D and metabolites)
Why should you care about vitamin D?
Vitamin D plays many roles in the body! It’s not just for bone density, which can decrease as estrogen decreases in perimenopause and menopause.
Vitamin D is known as a pro-hormonesynthesized in the skin and activated in the liver and kidneys. Cholesterol is its precursor.
Why do you need vitamin D in your body?
Reduces cellular growth
Improves cell differentiation
Regulates and controls genes
Reduces inflammation, risk of cancer, autoimmunity
Reduces muscle aches/pain, fibromyalgia
Improves mood (and energy)
Enhances bone health
“The most common manifestations of vitamin D deficiency in adults is:
Depression
Infection
Chronic Pain”
Alex Vasquez (vitamin D monograph available at academia.edu)
Low vitamin D status or deficiency can manifest as:
Bone and muscle pain
Fatigue
Depression
Infections/dysbiosis
Frequent falls and cognitive impairment
Statin intolerance and myalgia
Preterm birth
How does vitamin D support your vagina?
Research shows that vitamin D supports the proliferation of vaginal epithelium in postmenopausal vaginal atrophy. After using a suppository with 1000IU vitamin D over 8 weeks, vaginal pH decreased, while vaginal dryness and pain significantly reduced.
You can think about your skin and mucous membranes (including epithelial cells and immune cells) are like bricks in a wall, with tight junction proteins acting like mortar and weather proofing or waterproofing provided by antimicrobial peptides, as well as lysozyme and secretory IgA, on surfaces.
Mucous membranes are present in your mouth, digestive tract, genitourinary tract and respiratory tract. Strengthening your exterior barrier defenses prevents infection.
Research shows that people with low vitamin D levels are 27-55% more likely to get an upper respiratory tract infection. Higher doses of vitamin D are more protective, improves lung function and decreases inflammation.
Synergistic nutrients for vitamin D include:
Magnesium – cofactor in the synthesis of vitamin D from both exposure to sunlight and dietary sources
Vitamin K2 supports getting calcium into bones and teeth
Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) produced in skin and consumed in diet, preferred form for supplementation.
Food sources provide low amounts: fatty wild fish like mackerel, herring, sardines, trout, salmon, cod liver oil, egg yolk, milk, soy milk, fortified foods, beef liver, cheese
Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) produced by irradiating fungi and mushrooms, less efficient precursor to biologically active 1, 25 dihydroxyvitamin D (calcitriol), also potentially less effective and more toxic.
Some examples of research using cod liver oil as a source of vitamin D:
study with 10 patients with multiple sclerosis over 2 years, daily supplementation of 1000mg calcium, 600mg magnesium and 5000IU vitamin D (from 20g cod liver oil) reduced number of exacerbations with an absence of adverse effects
studies with cod liver oil showed significant reductions of type 1 diabetes, while a study of more than 10,000 infants (less than 1 year of age) and children with 2000IU of vitamin D daily reduced incidence of type 1 diabetes by almost 80%
How do you know if you’re getting enough vitamin D?
Get your blood tested!
Reference ranges for serum 25 (OH) vitamin D3 in adults can vary:
Example:
Deficiency: <20 ng/ml (50 nmol/L)
Insufficiency: 20-40 ng/ml (50-100 nmol/L)
Proposed optimal: 40-65 ng/ml (100-160 nmol/L)
Excess: >80 ng/ml (200 nmol/L)
Proposed updated ranges:
Depletion: <20 ng/ml (50 nmol/L)
Insufficiency: <32 ng/ml (80 nmol/L)
Marginal sufficiency: 30-40 ng/ml (75-100 nmol/L)
Sufficiency: 40-50 ng/ml (100-125 nmol/L)
Proposed optimal physiologic range: 50-90 ng/ml (125-225 nmol/L) – based on levels found in pregnant rural Africans, lifeguards in USA/Isreal, farmers in Puerto Rico
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) – for more info, see Episode 47
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) – for more info, see Episode 71
What Else is Happening?
Dr. Toni’s next HypnoBirthing monthly info session for expecting parents looking to trust their instincts and their body during labour and birth. Join her at https://www.hypnobirthingcalgary.com/register
Dr. Lisa’s Wild Collective begins again in 2023. You can get on the waitlist at wildcollectivetoronto.com
Today’s Mama Must Have:
Dr. Lisa is a big fan of board games for lots of family fun, including Despicable Me Minion Game of Life, Mousetrap and Don’t Make Me Laugh.
Dr. Toni loves her emulsified vitamin D drops plus vitamin D/K for the whole family.
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.
In this re-released episode from October 2020, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni discuss why we crave sugar and how it impacts your health negatively in more ways than you might realize. We also uncover some effective behavioural and replacement hacks to get those cravings under control (and possibly quit sugar!).
What’s the big deal about sugar?
Your sugar intake is likely much higher than the sugar intake of your ancestors – the average American intake of sugar (mostly from fruit and veggies) in the late 1800s and early 1900s was 15 grams a day. Now the average adult intake is 55 grams a day and 73 grams a day for adolescents.
Not long ago, Type 2 Diabetes used to be called Adult Onset Diabetes. They had to change the name because more and more kids were developing diabetes that wasn’t typical juvenile diabetes (now known as Type 1 Diabetes).
In a study of 154 countries, scientists found that adding 150 calories a day to the diet barely raised the risk of diabetes in the population, but if those 150 calories came from regular soda, the risk of diabetes went up by 700 percent.
In this episode, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni cover:
What is sugar
How to find out how much added sugar is in your food
How much sugar is healthy for you
The impact of sugar on your health
Strategies to change your sugar habits
There are 2 categories of sugar:
Naturally occurring sugar: found in food, eg. fruit, milk, almonds!
Fibre, protein and fat also found in that food will slow down release of sugar into bloodstream for better blood sugar balance
Nutrients needed to process sugar already included
Added sugar: sugar added to processed foods eg. pop, baked goods, yogurt, salad dressings, salsa and other sauces
What is sugar?
Sucrose – table sugar from sugar cane or beets
Fructose, glucose, lactose and anything ending with -ose
Honey, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, agave nectar, evaporated cane juice
Concentrated juice
High fructose corn syrup AKA glucose-fructose
Sugar can impact your immune system function:
1 tsp of sugar decreases certain kinds of immune function by 50%, recent research shows it’s even more important when you’re fighting off a bacterial infection, like urinary tract infection or strep throat.
Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF) can be carcinogenic and drive the cancerous process; recent research is looking at low carb ketogenic diet to treat cancer
High fructose corn syrup is known to cause bloating and gas!
How do you know how much sugar is in your food?
You can read the Nutrition Facts label of all processed food
Look at serving size first –
Check protein and fat grams
Check carbohydrate and sugar grams
Subtract fibre grams from carbohydrate grams for net carbohydrate amount
Compare labels, read ingredients lists and choose one that has less or no added sugar. Avoid products that have a type of sugar listed in the first 3 ingredients.
The American Heart Association recommends that women get no more than 6 tsp per day (1 tsp equals 4 grams).
Sugar can increase your risk of:
Diabetes
Heart disease
Obesity
Fatty liver
Inflammation
Increased blood pressure
Dental decay
Alzheimer’s and dementia (which is being called “Type 3 diabetes of the brain”)
Acne
Hormonal imbalances such as PCOS
Anxiety and mood swings
Early aging
Your brain is wired for sugar! The more you eat, the more you want. We have evolved to seek out sugar for survival, but we have access to an abundance of sugar now. It’s important to hack into your evolutionary instinct to reach for sugary foods by looking at your behaviours around sugar.
How do you use sugary foods?
Routine, automatic or mindless intake
Instead, drink a glass of water or tea
As a reward
Instead, try a non-food reward like reading a book, watching a movie or TV show, calling a friend
For energy
Instead, look for root cause for low energy and address it – check out Episode 18
Tips to Change Your Sugar Habits:
Set a timer to distract yourself with another activity if you have a sugar craving
Drink a glass or water
Brush your teeth and floss after dinner to prevent late night snacking
Drink something bitter or acidic like lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to cleanse your palate
Eat or drink something healthy that is naturally sweet, like rooibos tea or an apple with almond or hazelnut butter
Today’s Mama Must Haves:
Dr. Toni is a big fan of documentary films for entertaining education around topics like sugar and recommends Fed Up Movie and That Sugar Film for more info and motivation to kick the sugar habit.
Dr. Lisa recommends this chocolate avocado pudding recipe as a healthy treat without added sugar.
What’s Else is Happening?
Dr. Toni’s next HypnoBirthing session for expecting parents looking to decrease fear and anxiety to support their natural instincts around labour and birth is happening this fall. Join her at https://www.hypnobirthingcalgary.com/register
Dr. Lisa’s Wild Collective Masterclasses are happening this week and enrollment is open till mid-October- find out more about this revolutionary and international program. Follow Lisa on instagram @drlisaweeksND – link to masterclass is in her BIO and we will share the registration link in the show notes.
Thank you for joining us today!
Connect with us at our website www.perimenopausalmamas.com, on Facebook and on 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 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 re-released episode from 2020, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni are talking about a hot topic: hot flashes! Whether you call it a hot flash or hot flush, they can be an annoying and uncomfortable symptom that you may start to experience in perimenopause. We discuss: what hot flashes are and why they happen; the potential causes and triggers for your hot flashes and night sweats; and what you can do about them so you don’t have to suffer.
According to research, anywhere from 35%–50% of perimenopausal women suffer sudden waves of body heat with sweating and flushing that last 5–10 minutes.
What is a hot flash?
A hot flash or vasomotor flush can vary from feeling slightly warm to more like a fire from the inside out. They can come on rapidly and last anywhere from 1-10 minutes.
You may get them anywhere from a few times per week to more than 10 times during the day and night. They can be combined with visible flushing with your chest, neck and face turning red, with a little bit or a lot of sweat.
Hot flashes often continue for a year or two after menopause, but in up to 10% of women, they persist for years beyond that. They can disrupt your sleep, which can worsen: fatigue, irritability, anxiety, metabolism, weight control and immune system function.
Why do you get hot flashes?
Although hot flashes have been studied for more than 30 years, no one is absolutely certain why or how they occur. The Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research (CeMCOR) at UBC attributes hot flashes to “estrogen withdrawal”, as their research has found that hot flashes closely resemble an addict’s drug withdrawal due to the hormonal associations and brain effects seen.
Your level of estrogen while in perimenopause is fluctuating and can be unpredictable. When your estrogen level drops from normal to low or high to normal, it can trigger a hot flash in your body.
Estrogen drops can trigger the release of your stress hormone norepinephrine, as well as other stress hormones and brain neurotransmitters. Norepinephrine narrows the range of body temperature where you feel comfortable (also called your thermoneutral zone) so you’re more sensitive to both heat and cold.
A hot flash is a vasomotor symptom where your blood vessels dilate to release more heat because of the narrowing of your thermoneutral zone.
Causes of hot flashes can include:
Blood sugar imbalances that can trigger your stress hormones, resulting in you feeling hot and wired
High stress and cortisol levels that can worsen night sweats
Inadequate detoxification through your organs of elimination or emunctories. Things that can make your hot flashes worse by negatively affecting your body’s ability to detox include:
smoking, constipation, being overweight, not exercising and not sweating (via exercise and sauan usage)
Triggers are different for each women. It is useful to keep a hot flash journal, tracking your potential triggers such as:
Hot drinks, caffeine, alcohol
Sugar, spicy foods, garlic
Nightshades like tomatoes, eggplant, peppers
Perceived stress or stressful situations
What can you do about your hot flashes?
Avoid your known triggers
Manage your temperature
Turn your thermostat down, put on a fan or A/C
Sleep naked or in loose-fitting breathable cotton
Under-dress during the day and wear layers
Use a breathable weighted blanket like ZonLi, Chilipad or gel pillow
Drink cool or ice water
Use an essential oil spray with peppermint, clary sage, geranium
Manage your stress
Have stress-releasing time EVERY DAY! Be proactive to improve your response to stress
Meditation, yoga, deep breathing, singing, humming
Get a sweat going during the day with exercise, sauna or a hot bath
Include liver-detoxifyng and phyto-estrogenic foods
Ground flaxseeds (can add to chia pudding, smoothies, cereal, yogurt)
Organic fermented soy like miso soup or tempeh
Brassica vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts
See a Naturopathic Doctor for hormone testing and individualized treatment including:
Herbs like maca, vitex, black cohosh, sage, red clover, pueraria (Thai kudzu), hops, milk thistle, dandelion, artichoke
Nutrients like berberine, plant sterols, N-acetyl cysteine, magnesium, vitamin E, L-glycine
Acupuncture
Homeopathy
Bio-identical hormone creams
Natural progesterone has been shown in recent research to be safe and effective for hot flashes and night sweats, avoiding some of the adverse effects of classic estrogen therapy or synthetic estrogen with synthetic progesterone (progestin)
Today’s Mama Must Have:
Dr. Toni has a favourite oat and fruit bar recipe for a quick and easy breakfast or snack that Frankie loves:
Dr. Toni’s Banana and Fruit Breakfast Bars
3 ripe bananas
1 cup chopped apricots, cranberries, dates and/or prunes
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup sunflower and/or pumpkin seeds
1 cup milled flax seed
⅓ cup olive oil
1 tsp vanilla
Mash bananas and combine with fruit and oil. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Spread onto a pan or cookie sheet and flattened with a fork. Bake at 375oF for 10-15 minutes until slightly browned.
Dr. Lisa found a tasty gluten-free beer called Glutenberg to enjoy in moderation on hot summer days.
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.
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 re-release of a 2021 episode, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni discuss the increased levels of anxiety moms in perimenopause are currently experiencing over the pandemic and what you might be doing to make it worse. There are many effective approaches to naturally deal with your anxiety so you don’t have to suffer.
Did you know?
A research study that followed 3000 Canadian moms over 12 years showed that symptoms of anxiety and depression almost doubled between May and July of 2020 compared to levels between 2017 and 2019.
Another study on the impacts of COVID-19 on Canadians reported that 24% of people rated their mental health as fair or poor compared to 8% in 2018. 88% of participants experienced at least 1 symptom of anxiety in the 2 weeks prior, with 71% feeling nervous, anxious or on edge, 69% becoming easily annoyed or irritable and 64% having trouble relaxing.
What is anxiety?
Anxiety refers to anticipation of a future concern and is more associated with muscle tension and avoidance behavior.
Anxiety disorders differ from normal feelings of nervousness or anxiousness, and involve excessive fear or anxiety.
If you have 3 or more anxiety symptoms for a period of 6 consecutive months on an almost daily basis, you might be diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Consult with a licensed therapist for support and confirmation of diagnosis.
What are symptoms of anxiety?
Psychological or mental and emotional symptoms you might be experiencing can include:
• Fear
• Irritability
• Restlessness, inability to relax
• Difficulty concentrating
• Decreased libido
• Decreased emotionality
Somatic or physical symptoms you might be experiencing can include:
• Arrhythmia or heart beat irregularities, increased heart rate or palpitations
• Increased shallow or difficulty breathing
• Nausea
• Diarrhea, reflux or IBS
• Sweating
• Tremor
• Increased urination
• Increased appetite
• Dizziness or vertigo
• Increased sensitivity to pain
• Headaches
• Worsening of skin conditions like eczema, hives, psoriasis
Postpartum anxiety can happen to you even a year after you have given birth.
Symptoms of postpartum anxiety can include the above symptoms, as well as:
Feelings of worry or dread
Racing thoughts
Problems sleeping
Hot flashes
What are possible causes of anxiety?
Hormonal change and fluctuations in perimenopause
Your brain’s response to hormonal changes can impact if you experience anxiety
Women with a history of mental illness, including postpartum depression and anxiety, are more at risk, as well as women whose moods are sensitive to hormone changes and have experienced PMS and PMDD
About 18% of women in early perimenopause and 38% of women in late perimenopause experience symptoms of anxiety and depression
Life or situational stressors
Changes in work, home, family
Individual genetics
Your genes can impact your neurotransmitter balance eg. COMT
Drug-induced anxiety
Alcohol, cocaine, caffeine, cannabis (see Episode 80 for more info on cannabis)
Amphetamines
Corticosteroids
Anticholinergics including some antidepressants
Hallucinogenics
Thyroid conditions (see Episode 42 for more info on thyroid)
Hyperthyroidism and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
Hypoglycemia
Low blood sugar can increase stress hormone cortisol
Lung conditions like COPD
Heart failure or arrhythmia
Brain inflammation or encephalitis, eg. traumatic brain injury, concussion
Nutrient deficiencies
Vitamin B12
Magnesium
Iron
Trauma, chronic stress and Post Traumatic Stress (PTS)
What are the conventional medical options for dealing with anxiety?
Prescription medications used to treat anxiety include:
Benzodiazepines like clonazepam, lorazepam, diazepam
High risk of developing side effects, dependence and tolerance
Nutrient depletions can include melatonin and glutathione
SSRI and SNRI antidepressants
High risk of side effects including impact on libido
Potential of worsening of symptoms in first 2-3 weeks
Nutrient depletions can include sodium, folic acid
What laboratory testing can be helpful for determining the root cause or factors of your anxiety?
Blood work – Iron panel, thyroid panel, vitamin B12 and D
Urine organic acids and hormone testing eg. DUTCH
Beck anxiety questionnaire
What are some natural approaches to address your anxiety?
Reduce alcohol, caffeine, sugar
Learn your situational triggers eg. running late
Avoid the avoidable
Prepare for the unavoidable
Practice RAIN – work of Tara Brach
Recognize – name the feeling
Allow – lean into the feeling, let it be, breathe
Investigate – physical feeling, self-talk/beliefs, what do you most need right now
Nurture – talk to yourself like friend, direct self-compassion
Interrupting anxiety or changing your state
Breathing exercises or humming to activate the vagus nerve
Diaphragmatic breathing with long inhalation and longer exhalation, research study showed lowers stress hormone cortisol practiced twice a day over 8 weeks
Splashing or drinking cold water
Ground yourself in the present by checking into your physical body, using your sense including smell and sound
CBD (also available without prescription in specific retail stores in Canada)
Other resources available:
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Tapping or Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)
Wellness Together Canada online portal
Today’s Mama Must Have:
Dr. Lisa loves using her morning routine to set the tone for her day, including meditation, humming and chanting exercises
Dr. Toni highly recommends carving out some solo time for personal development and is currently enjoying the Living Passionately online seminar through Landmark Worldwide. It has made a huge impact on her mental health and helped to reduce the stress of the “should”s.
Dr. Toni’s next HypnoBirthing session for expecting parents looking to decrease fear and anxiety around labour and birth is happening this summer. Join her at https://www.hypnobirthingcalgary.com/register
Dr. Lisa’s Wild Collective in Fall 2022: get on the waitlist: wildcollectivetoronto.com
We’d love you to subscribe, leave us a review and a 5-star rating if you enjoyed this episode.
You can also support us by visiting our Patreon page.
Please tell your perimenopausal mama friends about us, too!
Stay safe and healthy everyone!
Disclaimer:The information provided 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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