In this re-released episode from 2021, 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 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
What Else is Happening?
Join Dr. Lisa’s 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 and Dr. Toni review the positive and negative effects that social media and screen time have on your body, mind and emotions.
Did you know that the average American watches TV for 4 hours/day and is on a digital device for 7.5 hours/day?!
Not only can being online impact your sleep, lower your mood, increase anxiety, and distract you from doing the things that really matter…it can also lead to “text neck”, “texting thumb”, inactivity and more!
Listen in to discover ways to do a digital detox by starting small and, ironically, using apps and technology along the way to get you off devices and be more efficient and productive with your time, energy and resources.
In today’s episode, we cover:
Why you need a digital detox – the negative impact of electronics and social media on your physical and mental health
How to set yourself up for a successful digital detox
The importance of practicing digital minimalism for your physical and mental health
Today’s Mama Must-Have:
Dr. Lisa is a big fan of Biosteel electrolyte powder with water, ice and doTerra grapefruit oil for an energy pick-me-up.
Dr. Toni loves her SodaStream sparkling water maker for inexpensive bubbly water without cans or artificial flavours – she uses fruit or a drop each of lemon and fennel essential oil.
What Else is Happening?
Join Dr. Lisa’s 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 today’s episode (re-released from May 2020), Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni talk about migraines, something that too many women experience.
It’s not in your head! The pain is real!
In this episode, we cover:
Possible causes of your migraines
Stress causing magnesium deficiency and muscle tension
Structural alignment of neck and tailbone
Insomnia
Weather or barometric pressure changes (example: Chinook winds in Calgary)
Dehydration
Blood sugar imbalance
Food sensitivities and histamine intolerance, including alcohol, caffeine, cheese, food additives like nitrites
Brain inflammation and nerve irritation
Hormones: estrogen/progesterone imbalance
Dr. Toni’s personal experience growing up with migraines and they are linked with her diagnosis of mitral valve prolapse, a common heart murmur (hint: magnesium!)
Current and new conventional treatments for migraines offered by family doctors and specialists
The importance of figuring out the factors that are impacting your migraines
Natural ways to address your migraines:
Track your migraines using a migraine diary to help figure out your triggers
In this episode, Dr. Lisa talks with yoga teacher and habit-based transformational mentor Trish Krause about the benefits yoga can have on your blood sugar metabolism and hormone levels. Having an evidence based technique to manage stress and nervous system regulation can make a huge difference in how you experience symptoms of perimenopause like insomnia, anxiety and hot flashes. Listen in and learn how less is more and you don’t have to spend hours on the yoga mat to get all the benefits for your brain and hormones.
Trish Krause is the founder of Bite out of Life Wellness, a trusted source for evidence-informed health and lifestyle information and practical strategies for change. As a habit-based transformational mentor and coach with a specialty in nutrition, hormone health, and insomnia relief, she enables busy professionals, particularly women in the prime of life, to overcome the overwhelm and progress toward a life of calm and courage by recognizing and reclaiming their wild and making their own health and lives a priority, one step at a time. Trish is a certified holistic nutritionist and firmly believes food forms the foundation of health. She is also a certified yoga teacher and encourages the inclusion of a variety of yogic principles and practices to support the brain and the body and enhance healthy habits.
Trish lives in Kingston, ON with her partner and their two retired racing greyhounds. A late-in-life runner, yogi, piano student, author and community creator, she believes in the power of reinvention at any age or stage of life and tries to be guided by the poet Mary Oliver’s beautiful question “What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”. Trish educates and coaches individually and through her group health program The Wild Collective. She works locally and virtually, serving clients across Canada. She can be reached at trish@biteoutoflife.ca.
In today’s episode, we cover:
Trish’s rocky road through perimenopause into menopause and how yoga and running improved her symptoms
How yoga can reduce symptoms of perimenopause that you might be experiencing, as well as your brain health
The importance of breath in any yoga practice and how it can help you manage stress
How consistency of your yoga practice is more effective than spending long amounts of time in practice
Different types of breath work and yoga that you can incorporate in your self care routine
How your mood and body pain can be reduced by supporting your brain health through BDNF
Dr. Lisa loves Mindvalley for access to inspirational teachers.
Trish is a big fan of taking 5 minutes of self care for simple self care.
What 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 next month. 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 and Dr. Toni discuss their current bedtime routines, as well as what has helped in the past. Sleep can be tricky as a perimenopausal or menopausal mama, with insomnia and disturbed sleep from your kiddos. Your kids need a bedtime routine and so do you! It doesn’t have to be complicated or long – listen in to get tips on how to create your optimal bedtime routine for your best night’s sleep.
In today’s episode, we cover:
What works for our current bedtime routines, including nutrients, herbal teas and supplements
What has worked in the past that we no longer need for a good night’s sleep
What doesn’t work before you go to bed, including exercising, eating or feeling stressed before bed
What we need to do during the day to feel the benefits at nighttime
How to start creating your bedtime routine for your best sleep
Dr. Lisa loves her home exercise equipment: mini bands, exercise ball, pilates mini ball, free weights, yoga mat, resistance bands
Dr. Toni is a big fan of The Work by Bryon Katie and her podcast At Home with Byron Katie – a profound way of questioning your thoughts, especially around your relationships.
What 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 next month. 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 talks with spiritual and somatic movement coach Sharmeen Abeysinghe about what you can do about low libido in perimenopause. Stress and unresolved emotional issues can impact how you behave in the world, especially your sexual expression and libido. Current negative feelings can be related to past trauma and can use up precious energy. Listen in and experience how movement medicine can reignite the pleasure that you deserve.
Sharmeen Abeysinghe is a Spiritual & Somatic Movement Coach for women. Her areas of focus are the interplay between the body, brain, emotional & energetic self; and how we can influence these through movement. Having experienced developmental trauma growing up, and complex trauma in adulthood, Sharmeen has a deep understanding of how trauma can shape your life.
While being an educator for nineteen years, she is adept at simplifying complex information so that it is not only easily digestible, but fun as well! Sharmeen has two brilliant boys aged twelve and nine and is in a committed loving relationship of over twenty years with her loving and supportive husband, Sanka. Sharmeen offers individual & group coaching services through her business MyAlignedLife.ca
Sharmeen is an advocate of total health for all; in herself finds this through movement. Since 2022, she has been exploring and re-finding her connection to Universal Energy Source…. Where she has experienced what can only be described as miracles.
In today’s episode, we cover:
Important causes of your low libido in perimenopause, including stress
How current stress and past trauma can impact your libido
What is movement medicine and how you can experience increased libido as a beneficial by-product of practice
How your need to analyze everything can be related to denying yourself pleasure
The importance of somatic movements practices to increase your connection with your body and your confidence, as well as your ability to experience relaxation and pleasure
How to experience pleasure and your own touch in a non-sexual way
The importance of slowing down and moving mindfully
How research links mindfulness with sexual function in women
Free Align into Wealth Frequency 5-day Challenge (begins May 8, 2023):
Today’s Mama Must-Have:
Dr. Lisa is a big fan of Bee keeper’s naturals propolis throat spray and gargling
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 next month. 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.
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