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 part 1 of 2 episodes, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni discuss why “Mom Brain” or “Super Brain” is a thing and what you can do about it. Your brain gets rewired to respond to cues from your kids to keep them alive, which is a good thing! Learn how to treat your new Super Brain well so it function its best.
In today’s episode, we cover:
How and why your brain gets rewired from hormone changes in pregnancy
The hormones involved in your brain’s rewiring
The importance of the maternal locus of control in your brain to allow you to respond to the cues from your kids
The physical presence of your kids in your brain due to fetal microchimerism
Other factors that can impact how you experience Super Brain, including sleep, nutrient depletion and stress
Some tips to support your brain to work its best
Today’s Mama Must-Have:
Dr. Toni loves using steam inhalation in addition to humidifier for dealing with dry air in winter. Sometimes she adds 1-2 drops of eucalyptus essential oil to reduce congestion and provide some anti-viral activity.
Dr. Lisa is a big fan of her 5 minute meditation daily, in addition to her walking meditation.
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 soon. Join her at https://www.hypnobirthingcalgary.com/register
Join Dr. Lisa’s new Facebook group Wild Woman Adventures Toronto if you want to get out in nature, connect with other women and push yourself out of your comfort zone. Activities include: sunrise/sunset SUP, tree-top trekking, a new moon workshop and more!
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.
In this episode, Dr. Lisa chats with Angela Truppe, founder of Canadian Surrogacy Community and Evolution Eggs.
Angela shares her journey of being a surrogate (three times!) and dives deep into how her business supports those who want to start or grow their family but can’t on their own.
During the conversation, Angela outlines:
the options out there
some of the laws around surrogacy
types of clients she helps
what the screening process looks like
and more
This is a must-listen episode for: intended parents; friends and family members of those struggling with infertility; same sex-couples who can’t conceive on their own; and for those who are interested in becoming a surrogate.
Connect with the Canadian Surrogacy Community and Evolution Eggs:
What beliefs do you hold about ageing? Discrimination against women as they age is real and rampant, and not addressed often enough. In this episode, Dr. Lisa chats with Helen Latimer, a leadership and transition coach, all about ageism in the workplace, in society and even self-imposed. They discuss ways to overcome ageism and some useful resources to check out to learn more.
Helen Latimer is a leadership and transition coach who works with people wanting to enrich their careers, change fields or find a new role. She really enjoys working with people over 50. She’s a highly skilled coach who provides her clients with actionable advice along with warmth and encouragement.
She’s a former executive with over 20 years of corporate experience and a member of John McKee and Associates, a prestigious international coaching organization with members in over 20 countries.
A long-time community volunteer in Toronto, Helen is the Chair of the Board at CultureLink. She is the co-author of The Plan: Personal Balance, Career Success, Financial Strength.
In this episode, we discuss:
The prevalence of ageism in Canada and the US
The assumptions behind some of the discrimination around age in the workplace
Register for Helen’s Workshop: “How to Thrive and Flourish After 50” (on Nov 12th 2022) HERE.
Today’s Mama Must-Have:
Dr. Lisa loves her sleep and honouring her bedtime routine to get at least 7 hours.
Helen is a big fan of packing an inflatable beach ball for play while travelling.
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 month. Join her at https://www.hypnobirthingcalgary.com/register
Join Dr. Lisa’s new Meetup group Wild Woman Adventures Toronto if you want to get out in nature, connect with other women and push yourself out of your comfort zone. Activities include: sunrise/sunset SUP, tree-top trekking, a new moon workshop and more!
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.
In today’s episode, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni are celebrating the 150th episode of the Perimenopausal Mamas Podcast and review their top lessons from the past 149 episodes to navigate perimenopause with more ease.
Unpredictable changes in perimenopause is the only thing that is predictable!
symptoms can change from month to month
symptoms can vary and are based on your hormone fluctuations
irregular cycles and heavy bleeding
PMS, mood swings, depression and anxiety
hot flashes and night sweats
joint pain and body aches
skin and hair changes
weight and metabolism changes
fatigue and brain fog
hormones are impacted by stress, sleep and how much fun you have (or miss)
See more info about stress and cortisol: Episode 24
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.
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 of FSH levels, as well as different combinations of other symptoms at different stages of perimenopause.
Acceptance and love for yourself is more important than forcing or pushing yourself
Treat yourself like a friend instead of shoulding on yourself
Don’t have to fight yourself or cycles and expect perfection
Don’t have to restrict to see change – focus adding things in, not removing, to nourish yourself: joyful movement, foods you love, adding in sleep and connection
Practice acceptance of what is and what isn’t
RAIN meditation by Tara Brach – https://www.tarabrach.com/
Perimenopause can be a positive time for reawakening and reconnecting with yourself
Focus on your needs, priorities and boundaries
Recognize the different phases you can experience with cyclical living and the 4 different Relationship Seasons™ – see Episode 82
Coping
Coasting
Connected
Confident
Practicing being mindful and conscious
Scheduling time to relax
Recognize that you can change your emotional state
Dr. Lisa loves being part of mom’s groups like Mom Halo and Mamas and Co (and running Wild Collective) to connect with other like-minded women
Dr. Toni is a big fan of 5 minutes of anger work as healthy outlet for expressing anger instead of avoiding, stuffing it or unleashing it on loved ones – using the couch as a punching bag
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
Join Dr. Lisa’s new Meetup group Wild Woman Adventures Toronto if you want to get out in nature, connect with other women and push yourself out of your comfort zone. Activities include: sunrise/sunset SUP, tree-top trekking, a new moon workshop and more!
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.
In this episode, Dr. Toni discusses EWG’s 2022 Shopper Guide to Pesticides in ProduceTM, also known as the Dirty DozenTM and Clean FifteenTM lists for fruit and veggies. Conventionally grown fruit and veg can have residue from hundreds of different pesticides, some of which have been associated with increased risk of brain and nervous system toxicity, cancer and hormone disruption. How can you reduce exposure of these chemicals in you and your family and is it possible without having to break the bank by buying all organic? Listen in to find out!
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is an organization in the US that ranks pesticide contamination of 46 different fruit and vegetables, based on results from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that tested over 40,000 samples of produce.
What is the Dirty Dozen list of fruit and vegetables?
EWG’s 2022 Shopper Guide to Pesticides in Produce is created to share what fruit and veg have the highest levels of pesticide residues (Dirty DozenTM) and the lowest levels of pesticide residues (Clean FifteenTM)
Dirty DozenTM:
Strawberries
Spinach
Kale, collard and mustard greens
Nectarines
Apples
Grapes
Bell and hot peppers
Cherries
Peaches
Pears
Celery
Tomatoes
Clean FifteenTM:
Avocados
Sweet corn
Pineapple
Onions
Papaya
Sweet peas (frozen)
Asparagus
Honeydew melon
Kiwi
Cabbage
Mushrooms
Cantaloupe
Mangoes
Watermelon
Sweet potatoes
What are pesticides? Why should you care about them?
Pesticides are chemicals that are created to kill insects, plants and fungi that are considered pests and used to support crops that are grown for food.
Several pesticides have been associated with health concerns in people, with possible link to brain and nervous system toxicity, cancer and hormone disruption. Infants are more susceptible to the negative effects of pesticides than older children and adults due to a lower ability to detoxify those chemicals.
While conventional farmers can use 900 different synthetic pesticides, organic farmers are allowed to use only 25 synthetic pesticides — and then only in carefully regulated ways by the USDA National Organic Program.
Pesticides used can vary from country to country. Some pesticides still used in the US and Canada have been banned in the EU for over a decade.
Important Notes about Pesticides on Your Fruit and Vegetables:
At least 1 pesticide is found on about 70% of conventional/non-organic produce tested by the USDA
Almost 70% of Clean FifteenTM fruit and veg had no pesticide residues
More than 90% of strawberries, apples, cherries, spinach, nectarines and grapes tested had residue from 2 or more pesticides
Less than 5% of Clean FifteenTM fruit and veg samples had 2 or more pesticide residues
Kale, collard and mustard greens had the most pesticides detected, and a single sample had up to 21 different pesticides
Spinach samples almost twice as much pesticide residues as any other crop tested
Broccoli, cauliflower and eggplant were removed from the Clean FifteenTM list due to a lack of testing by the USDA
Testing by USDA was done after washing all produce samples
The USDA does not test all pesticides used on crops, including glyphosate (also known as RoundupTM) which is the most heavily used pesticide in the US and found on grains and beans like oats and chickpeas
Most corn and soy grown in the US are genetically modified to allow for spraying with RoundupTM and are processed into oil and corn syrup used in processed foods
Research from Harvard University produced lists of high and low pesticide produce that is similar to EWG’s Dirty DozenTM and Clean FifteenTM:
High Pesticide Residue Score: apples and apple sauce, blueberries, grapes, green beans, leafy greens, pears, peaches, potatoes, plums, spinach, strawberries, raisins, sweet peppers, tomatoes, winter squash
People who ate more high pesticide foods had higher levels of urinary pesticide products and lower levels of fertility. People who ate more low pesticide foods had higher levels of successful pregnancy, but may also be more health conscious and have a higher socio-economic status which impacts health.
What Can You Do If You Can’t Afford To Buy Organic Produce?
Research has shown that commercial produce cleaners are no better at removing pesticides residues than water. Other methods have been demonstrated to be more effective at removing pesticide residues:
10% salt water solution and 10% vinegar solution were effective in removing a large percentage of pesticides from cabbage when soaked for 20 minutes, more than washing with water
Ultrasonic cleaning with baking soda and water solution was shown to be effective at removing over 90% pesticide residues
1% baking soda solution (1 oz to 100 oz water) was more effective than Clorox bleach at removing pesticide residues from apples when soaked for at least 12 minutes
Today’s Mama Must Have:
Dr. Toni likes to keep a large jug of white vinegar under the sink for cleaning produce and using for household cleaning.
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
Follow Dr. Lisa on instagram @drlisaweeksND for more info about Wild Collective and other events.
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.
In this episode, Dr. Lisa reviews ten simple ways to give you an extra boost to prevent that afternoon slump. As the days are getting shorter, it can really help to be more conscious of how you start your day and go through your day to support your energy.
Start day with doing something you love – avoid checking email, social media, news first thing in the morning
Stay hydrated –drink a glass of water upon waking, put pinch of sea salt in water or on breakfast/smoothie, carry water bottle, use Water Minder app
½ to 1 ounce water per pound you weigh
150lbs – 75 ounces
1L = approx 35 ounces – aim for over 2L at least
Get out in daylight within the 1st 1-2 hours of waking or use light box
End shower in 2-3 minutes cold water
Have protein with your breakfast
Practice some breathing exercises – eg. breath of fire, easy box breathing, Calm or Insight Timer app
Take a movement break
dance to your favourite song
get out for a walk around the block
go up and down stairs
stand up for a phone meeting
walk during a meeting you just have to listen in on
Smell some essential oils – eg. grapefruit, peppermint
Take a short rest break – sit in silence and enjoy a cup of tea outside
Iron: Episode 138: Top 5 Reasons Why You and Your Kids Need Iron
Thyroid: Episode 88: Exhausted, Gaining Weight and Forgetful – Is it Your Thyroid? (previously released as Episode 42)
Adrenal: Episode 137: Tired and wired? What you need to know about stress, cortisol and your adrenal glands!
Today’s Mama Must-Have:
Dr. Lisa loves mid-day squares of dark chocolate.
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
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.
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 episode, Dr. Lisa and Toni discuss who is and isn’t drinking alcohol and why. Did you know that any consumption of alcohol increases your risk of cancer and can impact symptoms of perimenopause like hot flashes? There are new recommendations for drinking alcohol in Canada based on new research and it might be time to question our culture around drinking alcohol, especially for moms.
Research shows that any alcohol intake over 100 grams/week can increase your risk of death and reducing your alcohol consumption from 196 g per week to 100 g per week or below may increase your life by 1–2 years when you are 40 years of age.
100g of alcohol = less than 7 standard drinks
14g of alcohol per standard drink
12 oz of 5% beer, cider or cooler
5 oz of 12% wine
1.5 oz of 40% liquor/distilled alcohol – gin, vodka, rum, etc
Blacking out or not remembering things that happened.
Continuing to drink even if it causes distress or harm to you or others.
Drinking more or longer than you planned.
Feeling irritable or cranky when you’re not drinking.
Frequent hangovers.
Getting into dangerous situations when you’re drinking (for example, driving, having unsafe sex or falling).
Giving up activities so you can drink.
Having cravings for alcohol.
Having repeated problems with work, school, relationships or the law because of drinking.
Needing to drink more and more to get the same effect.
Not being able to stop drinking once you’ve started.
Spending a lot of time drinking or recovering from drinking.
Wanting to cut back but not being able to.
Obsessing over alcohol.
Women have a different metabolism of alcohol!
Women have lower activity of the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase in the stomach than men, which leads to a higher absorption of alcohol in women by up to 30% when the same volume is consumed compared to men.
How Alcohol Can Impact You in Perimenopause:
Affects hormones
Increases estrogen levels through aromatization
Increases stress hormone cortisol
Decreased libido
Increased fat storage and weight gain
Increased risk of cancer:
Low (1 drink daily or less) alcohol consumption increases the risk of esophageal cancer, breast cancer, skin cancer
Moderate (1-2 drinks daily) alcohol consumption increases the risk of colon cancer, rectal cancer, colorectal cancer, esophageal cancer, breast cancer
High (over 2 drinks daily) alcohol consumption is linked to almost all cancer incidence and increased cancer mortality
Enjoy other drinks like tulsi tea, kombucha, sparkling water
Avoid triggers
Connect with friends over coffee, tea or an activity like walking or sports
Enjoy dry bars or mocktails at a cocktail bar
Attend social events that don’t revolve around alcohol like Jaybird, othership, sober music festivals
Today’s Mama Must-Have:
Dr. Lisa is a big fan of 24gooddeeds.ca charity advent calendar.
Dr. Toni loves getting outside on the weekend to enjoy the fall colours at local parks.
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. Sign up here for her masterclass (Oct 6th at 2pm or Mon Oct 17th at 7:00pm EST). Follow Lisa on instagram @drlisaweeksND – link to masterclass is in her BIO and we will share the registration link in the show notes.
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.
In this episode, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni review why it’s so important to pay attention to liver health for hormone balance in perimenopause. The liver has a lot of work to do as the largest organ in your body, especially as you get older, and can benefit from some extra TLC when addressing symptoms like hot flashes and heavy periods.
In today’s episode, we cover :
Why it’s important to reduce the amount of chemicals and toxicity coming from your environment, food and personal care products
How your liver function impacts your hormone balance or imbalance, especially relating to estrogen dominance
The connection between your intake of sugar and highly processed convenient food, insulin resistance and fatty liver
Some of the functions your liver has, including:
Filtering your blood and converting your hormones and other compounds in your body to a less toxic and less harmful form – detoxification!
Converting fat soluble vitamins to a more active form
Producing bile to support blood clotting and absorption of fat and fat soluble vitamins
Regulating fat and carbohydrate metabolism
Supporting immune cell function
Signs your liver is not functioning optimally physically and energetically
Skin itching, headaches, hot flashes, fibroids, breast and ovarian cysts, heavy periods, anger, irritability, frustration
Lab tests to consider to assess the health of your liver
Blood tests like AST, ALT, GGT, bilirubin, hemoglobin A1c, glucose tolerance test, cholesterol panel, iron and ferritin, CRP inflammatory marker
Physical activity and movement to support your circulation
Drinking water and staying hydrated, also with green and rooibos tea
Increasing your intake of antioxidants
Colourful veggies and fruits, especially garlic, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, artichoke, beets, dandelion greens, arugula
Herbs and spices like rosemary, turmeric
Eating an adequate amount of protein to support your detoxification enzyme pathways
Eggs are also a good source of choline
Using a castor oil pack or getting bodywork like acupuncture, osteopathy
Express all your emotions in a healthy manner like punching a pillow, instead of suppressing or stuffing your anger and frustration
Today’s Mama Must-Have:
Dr. Lisa is a big fan of using crystals to help set intentions, invite in energies and dispel the negative, including selenite to dispel negativity and connect to higher self, rose quartz to promote self-love and love for others, and amethyst to absorb negativity and develop focus.
Dr. Toni recommends taking the time with friends or even by yourself – get your spouse or family on board for child care or get a babysitter!
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 next week: Oct 3rd and 6th – find out more about this revolutionary and international program. Sign up HERE and follow Lisa on instagram @drlisaweeksND.
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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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