In this episode re-release, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni discuss the atopic triad of allergy, asthma and eczema that both perimenopausal moms and their kids can experience. Find out how your hormones are involved, plus what you can do to prevent and treat these inflammatory issues today.
What is an allergy?
Hypersensitivity disorder of your immune system, where you react to normally harmless substances in the environment that most people won’t react to.
Allergic symptoms include:
Itchy, watery, red eyes
Runny nose
Sneezing
Headache or pressure in sinuses
Itchy throat
Postnasal drip
Constant clearing of throat
More serious symptoms include:
Eczema – inflammatory skin condition
Asthma – immune reactivity and inflammation in airways causing wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath
Hives and anaphylaxis
The prevalence of allergic symptoms is increasing!
Allergic rhinitis, including runny nose, dark circles under eyes and throat clearing, affects as many as 40% of kids in US
CDC reported food allergies increased by 18% in US since 1990s
Eczema affects about 1 in 5 kids in US, with rates tripled in past 3 decades
Asthma affects at least 1 in 8 kids in US, with rates tripled between 1980 and 2008
Increased immune system reactivity causes may include:
Hygiene Hypothesis or Microbiome Disruption
Your immune system needs to learn to respond to components in dirt and soil
Babies born by C section are 5x more likely to develop allergies than vaginal birth, since they are not exposed to mom’s vaginal microbiome
Also influenced with breastfeeding
Good bacteria are needed for “oral tolerance” and immune tolerance, so you are less reactive to foods and environmental allergens
Reduced gut flora diversity linked with increased risk of eczema, damage to gut lining allows foreign particles to trigger more immune reactions since more than half of your immune system is found along your gut – see Episode 8
Germ phobia can make kids more allergic
Insufficient micronutrient and antioxidant intake
Environmental pollution and compromised liver detoxification pathways
Liver filters all the blood in the body from the digestive system and removes toxins, allergens, hormones, chemicals, drugs, etc.
Your liver contains the Reticuloendothelial System (RES) containing immune cells that remove antigens from the digestive system
If overworked with high levels of chemicals and pollution, your liver will not be able to remove allergens appropriately – see Episode 33
Stress and adrenal function
Adrenal glands produce stress hormone cortisol, which is needed for an appropriate immune response
If overstressed or burnt out, you produce less cortisol resulting in more inflammation – for more info, see Episode 24
Genetics
Can be modified by environmental factors
Just because your parents suffer from allergies doesn’t mean you have to!
Immune system balance is like a teeter-totter or see-saw
Th1 vs.Th2 response
Infants born with an allergic tendency and proper amounts of beneficial bacteria or microbiome supports more balance away from allergy while preventing autoimmunity
For example:
Research has shown that children in Estonia are less allergic than those in Switzerland and Estonian children have higher numbers of good bacteria in their intestines
Components of the Allergic Response include:
Allergens are also called antigens, like food, animal hair, insects, pollen, mold, dust, trees, chemicals, drugs, dyes, detergents, additives, etc.
Antigen binds to IgE antibody receptors on immune cells called mast cells, which triggers the release of inflammatory substances including prostaglandins and histamine
Histamine acts in many areas in the body causing:
Vasodilation – swelling, redness, inflammation
Skin – itching, swelling, redness, hives
Nose – runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion
Eyes –watery
Lungs – congestion, bronchoconstriction of airways, difficult to breathe
Digestive System inflammation
Conventional medical treatment for allergies, asthma and eczema include:
Foods high in omega-6 increases inflammation and the allergic response – vegetable oils, soybean, canola, sunflower, corn, safflower
Ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 should be 4:1; Western diet ratio is 10:1!
In Japan, with westernization of diet (less fish and omega-3), saw increase in allergies
Can balance with more omega 3 from algae or fish source (anchovies, sardines, mackerel, herring, salmon), as well as omega 6 GLA found in evening primrose, borage, hemp
Deficiencies in:
Omega-3
B vitamins
Vitamin B6 – found in tuna, calf liver, chicken, salmon, turkey, potatoes, cod, sunflower seeds, halibut
Vitamin B12 – found in calf liver, sardines, salmon, beef, lamb, halibut, scallops, yogurt
Magnesium – found in pumpkin seeds, spinach, swiss chard, soybeans, sesame seeds, halibut, black beans, sunflower seeds, cashews, almonds
Zinc – found in oysters, red meat, poultry, baked beans, chickpeas, and nuts like cashews and almonds
Vitamin C – found in blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, oranges, papaya, broccoli, brussel sprouts, kiwi, cauliflower, kale, parsley, lemons, limes, spinach, snow peas, and rose hip tea
Vitamin D – found in small amounts in eggs, milk, best made with UV exposure to skin
Retinol – active form of vitamin A, found in animal liver, whole milk, and some fortified foods
Carotenoids – can turn into active form of vitamin A, found in plant foods like carrots, squash, sweet potatoes
Why Does Perimenopause Cause More Skin Itching and Hives?
Estrogen plays an important role in your skin health, impacting the microbiome of your mouth, gut and skin. Microbiome changes related to menopause may increase intestinal permeability, which increases the likelihood of having food reactions and atopic dermatitis.
Hives, also called chronic urticaria, are about twice as common in women as in men and may be associated with hormonal changes such as the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, menopause, birth control pill or synthetic hormone replacement therapy. Your sex hormones can modulate immune and inflammatory cell functions, including mast cell secretion of histamine.
One study suggests that patients with chronic urticaria have lower levels of serum DHEA-S (dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate), an adrenal hormone that tends to decline with age. Stress is commonly elevated during perimenopause, leading to high output of cortisol and adrenaline which are frequently associated with hives.
Lab testing you can consider:
Serum hormone testing or DUTCH urine hormone testing
IgG food sensitivity testing
Micronutrient testing – vitamin D, specialized labs for zinc, vitamin A, omega 3
Comprehensive stool testing for microbiome balance and gut health
Prevention and Treatment to Consider for Allergies, Asthma and Eczema:
Support stress management and adrenal glands
Avoid caffeine, sugar, alcohol, stimulants
Stress-relieving techniques including sleep support and routine
B vitamins, Vitamin C, adaptogenic herbs
Increase air quality
HEPA filter (heating, ventilation, air conditioning, vacuum cleaner)
Avoid carpeting
Regular dusting and vacuuming
Keep pets out of the bedroom and bathe regularly
Sinus rinse or Nasal Lavage
Neti Pot or Nevage
Steam inhalation with eucalyptus oil, peppermint oil, thyme oil
Blow your nose regularly
Support gut health with probiotics and fermented food
Avoid antibiotics, PPIs, NSAIDs
Use filtered water to remove chlorine
Nutrition
Avoid inflammatory and histamine increasing foods
Avoid food allergies and sensitivities
Increase foods with nutrients important for immune function, including flavonoids – see Episode 39 for more info on nutrients to support immune activity for viruses
Pomegranate, tomatoes, bilberry, blackberry, blueberry, black currant, sweet cherry, apples, apricots, pears, raspberries, black beans, cabbage, onions, parsley, pinto beans, watercress, green tea, grape skin
Consider regular intake of local honey to decrease immune sensitivity to environment
Supplements to consider:
Urtica dioica (nettles), Ribes nigrum (black currant), N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), Pine bark extract, Flavonoids including quercetin
Homeopathic Remedies
Homeopathic Immunotherapy
Topical treatments for eczema can include moisturizing oils like coconut, shea, jojoba (anything except olive), oat baths, calendula
Today’s Mama Must Have:
Dr. Lisa loves roasted beets and beet root powder to provide natural sweetness and extra liver support.
Dr. Toni is a big fan of having moisturizing lotion and creams for hands and body handy. She likes Baby Bum fragrance free every day lotion with shea butter and Rocky Mountain soap company omega 3 vanilla coconut hand cream.
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
Dr. Lisa’s Wild Collective: 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 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 replay from December 2021, 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.
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 talks with intuitive energy health and former registered nurse Amy Fowler about how to protect your energy, clear negative energy and tap into your intuitive healing ability. If you want to clear past hurts and not pass on any negative energy to loved ones, you need to listen to this episode to learn some simple practices you can use every day.
Amy Fowler is an intuitive energy healer that uses universal source energy to help locate, release and heal any stored negative emotions and energy in your body that have manifested as illness, dis-ease and physical pain. Trained as a registered nurse, Amy left her nursing career in 2019 to focus on her own healing and now wants to share her healing techniques with others so that they can learn to harness their own healing powers. For more information about Amy’s offers including Intuitive Energy Healing, Intuitive Card Readings and Animal Energy Healing you can follow Amy on Instagram @treat.yourself.first
In this episode, we cover:
The concept of how Trauma and trauma can get stuck in your body and manifest as symptoms like depression and pain
The different ways you can be intuitive and “download” information from Source or the Universe
Clairvoyance – seeing information
Claircognizance – knowing information
Clairsentience – feeling information
How to start to feel and work with energy (also known as qi/chi or prana)
2 practices to ground and clear your energy
With your feet on the ground, imagine tree roots coming from the bottom of your feet down to the core of the earth
Then imagine pulling up water or crystal energy from the core of the earth into your body, cleansing any negative emotions from all the cells in your legs, abdomen, chest, arms, head and the rest of your body
Then imagine pulling that negative energy back down through the roots to deliver it back to the earth
Imagine a shower of water or light from the sun, moon or stars flowing down through your entire body from your crown chakra to the bottom of your feet, cleaning out all the negative energy and flowing back to the earth
The main chakras or energy centres in your body
Crown – your connection to the Universe or Source at the top of the head
Third Eye – your internal seeing between your eyebrows
Throat – your true belief and/or voice in your throat
Heart –
Solar Plexus – who you are in the world, found between your breastbone and belly button
Sacral – your womanhood sexuality at the sacrum
Root – your grounding to the earth at base of tailbone
How to keep your throat and heart chakras unblocked
Speak your truth to yourself or write it down
What can affect your energy
Moon cycles, stars, other people
Full moon ritual – write out everything you want to release then burn the paper safely
How to ground yourself
Focus on 5 things you can see, then 4 things you can feel, then 3 things you can smell, then 2 things you can taste, then 1 thing you can ground
The importance of protecting yourself from negative energy while letting in positive energy
After clearing energy, see your energy start to glow in your body brighter, then outside your body in your aura, then see it slowly grow out and around you like you are surrounded by an orb
Send out the intention that your energy will protect you, filter out negative energy and allow in positive, loving energy
How to get your kids involved in energy practices to protect them energetically without depleting your own energy
The importance of grounding your home and car
Connect with Amy on Instagram @treat.yourself.first to find a link to a free clarity call
Listen to the In Her Feelings Podcast “Protecting Your Energy” episode released on May 27th 2021 for more about the 5-4-3-2-1 exercise
Today’s Mama and Stepmom Must Have:
Dr. Lisa loves using peppermint essential oil to support digestion, as well as energy, focus and concentration.
Amy is a big fan of having Arbonne Energy Fizz as an alternative to coffee to get an energy kick.
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 today’s episode, Dr. Lisa talks with holistic nutritionist Cristina Tahoces about Love-Led Nourishment. Learn how the intentional choice towards live food helps you connect to your own positive feelings of love and self-worth. Stuck in a cycle of mindless binge eating or feeling deprived? If you don’t have a positive relationship with food, you’re not alone. This episode is for you.
“The only why that is strong enough to counter stress and the voice of the inner critic is love”
Cristina Tahoces
Cristina Tahoces is a holistic nutritionist and owner of Thrive Nutrition Practice, a global online wellness business focused on building physical and mental health resilience to stress through a nutritional approach she calls “love-led nourishment”. A former corporate banker, Cristina turned to nutrition to help herself heal from chronic allergies & adrenal fatigue. Over the years, she has helped clients with high stress profiles improve sleep, immunity & energy levels, relieve irritable bowel symptoms and reverse high blood pressure – all through her in-depth knowledge about how to use food therapeutically. In 2017, she shared her nutritional strategy “Sleep Love Poop” on the TEDx stage as part of the TED Women’s Global Conference. She uses the themes of Sleep Love Poop to help her clients both in private consultation and through her group programs, which she runs several times a year.
In this episode, we cover:
How the food choices we make, especially under stress, are dictated by emotion instead of logic
The importance of asking yourself what you could choose to eat that would show yourself love, kindness, compassion and respect
The difference between “live” food and “dead” food and their impact on your energy
How to get your kids excited about live foods like fruit and how to make an apple doughnut
The key to pressing pause on your inner critic and increasing self-compassion
How practicing is more important than knowing
The importance of re-labelling dinner time as an investment in your physical and mental health instead of a chore
How to trade up your food with nutrient dense foods to feel satiated and prevent overeating or feeling deprived
The importance of switching from fight or flight mode to rest and digest mode in order to practice intuitive eating and Love-Led Nourishment
Vagus nerve breathing exercise: inhale to count of 4, pause for count of 3, exhale through the mouth to count of 8
How drinking water can massively impact your mental clarity and energy level
The importance of protein and a variety of vegetables with every meal
Thrive & AmyA Fitness Bootcamps: where the best in mindful fitness & nutrition is combined to give you the results you want on a platter. New Bootcamp coming in October.
Women. Lead. Now.: a leadership coaching masterclass series for women looking to rewrite the rules of leadership and lead with clarity, confidence, competence and courage. Starts October 5th.
Cristina loves being glued to her 600ml Lifefactory glass water bottle instead of her phone and her Kitchenaid mini food processor for chopping veggies, dips and sauces.
Dr. Lisa is a big fan of super comfortable Smash and Tess Rompers.
Dr. Toni’s next HypnoBirthing info session for expecting parents looking to trust their instincts and their body during labour and birth is September 27. Join her at https://www.hypnobirthingcalgary.com/register
Dr. Lisa’s Wild Collective begins again in Fall 2021: 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.
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.
Don’t feel like having sex? It’s time to listen to this re-release of Dr. Toni’s conversation with Dr. Trina Read, sexologist and CEO of the Business of Sex. They discuss the impact of perimenopause and stressful events (like a pandemic) on your sex life. This episode was originally released on May 28, 2020.
Dr. Trina has an unique perspective as a sex and relationship expert who has a corporate background in marketing and PR and who is also a perimenopausal mom.
In this episode, we cover:
How to use self care to bring libido back
Why you need to know your happy triggers for sex
The importance of knowing what you want out of sex and communicating it
Why you might want to take intercourse and orgasm off the table for better sex
How to have those awkward conversations around sex
Why personal lubricant makes all sex better
The importance of working your pelvic floor muscles
In perimenopause and in stressful times, you may find your libido is flatlined and don’t feel like sex.
Your body can only produce either cortisol (your stress hormone) or testosterone (your sex drive hormone). If you’re producing cortisol, you can’t produce testosterone.
In situations with great change, it’s important to connect with your partner and look for ways to be together, so that you don’t drift apart. Being proactive and finding pockets of time to be close with your partner helps your relationship, as well as feeling more powerful yourself.
Ask yourself – what can I do to help myself feel more sensual?
You can back into the groove and bring your body back to a place where you feel more centred and sensual by:
Taking a bath
Listening to your favourite music
Giving yourself some me time alone in your bedroom with a vibrator
Just making up your mind to connect with your partner (even if it feels forced at first)
The Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research (CeMCOR) was founded at the University of British Columbia (UBC) by endocrinologist Dr. Jerilynn Prior. There is lots of information about their research around menstruation and hormones at https://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/
UBC is also home to the Sexual Health Laboratory run by Dr. Lori Brotto that focuses on research around women’s sexual health. https://brottolab.med.ubc.ca/
Research shows that sexual desire is similar to happiness. For most women, in order to feel sexual desire, you needed to be triggered. You can learn positive triggers around sex and negative triggers around sex. You need to set up your positive triggers for sex.
Unfortunately, you may have been brainwashed to think that only 2 things available for sex is having intercourse and having an orgasm.
Sexual intercourse all the time can be a negative trigger for a lot of women, especially if you feel like it doesn’t quite do it for you.
When you can anticipate doing something that you want to experience, a happy trigger for sex can be created. Working on triggers for sexual desire and increasing your repertoire for sex are important for your sexuality to evolve.
Self care like meditation, yoga and tai chi lowers stress and cortisol and can increase your libido.
There are studies that prove that meditation improves your sex life!
Perimenopause is like reverse adolescence with wild ebbs and flows of estrogen and progesterone that can create mood swings, anxiety, hot flashes and insomnia. No wonder you don’t feel like having sex!
Once you hit 40 years of age, you produce less oxytocin. Oxytocin is a bonding hormone. With less oxytocin, you start being more “selfish” and focus on yourself. With more wisdom, self confidence and self care, you can feel more deserving and able to explain to your partner what you want.
This is your opportunity to create something different and better in your sex life! Your partner will be on board with you becoming a more engaged partner…it could result in you actively wanting sex more often.
If you’re experiencing vaginal dryness sometimes or all the time, sex can be painful. Trying out a few different brand of lubricants (silicone based, water based or a combo) can be a game changer for your sex life. Lubricant makes all sex better. You might even want to try a lubricating suppository.
If you don’t use it, you lose it! If you don’t use your vaginal canal, you could experience vaginal atrophy. Exercising your pubococcygeus muscle increases blood flow. Research shows that post-menopausal women who do Kegel exercises have bigger, better orgasms than women who don’t do Kegels.
What’s the female equivalent to the towel test?
Every woman’s uterus will prolapse to a certain extent. Greater levels of prolapse can create painful sex.
There are options to address uterine prolapse other than surgery:
Herbal medicine like black cohosh
Pelvic floor physiotherapy
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy
Laser rejuvenation
You can slide or decide: slide into painful sex or decide to do something different and exciting.
Too scared to talk to your partner about doing something different and new?
How can you start talking to your partner about sex when you feel awkward and uncomfortable. Dr. Trina’s website http://trinaread.com/ has many different articles you can share with your partner to stimulate conversation around sex and your own sex life.
Watch for the release of Dr. Trina’s self help fiction book Amy Finds Her Sex soon!
Today’s Mama Must Have:
Dr. Toni is a huge fan of her local neighbourhood buy and sell groups on Facebook. These can be a lifesaver for moms on a budget.
Thank you for joining us today!
Find the show notes at perimenopausalmamas.com 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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