Episode 194: The Connection Between Birth and Menopause (And How Hypnosis Helped Dr. Toni Through Both)

In this new episode, Dr. Toni shares a new insight about the connection between birth and menopause in her experience. How we feel about birth and menopause may be linked by the messages we are programmed with from a young age about our bodies, as well as how we cope and manage stress. 

Previous episode about Dr. Toni’s journey through perimenopause into menopause: Episode 169

In this episode, Dr. Toni discusses:

  • How programming from society, culture, media and your family can create fear and distrust of your bodyThe importance of harnessing the power of your mind to work for you not against you to decrease stress and reduce symptoms in perimenopause and menopauseWhat is hypnosis and why you would want to use it

Today’s Mama Must-Have:

Dr. Toni is a big fan of the work of Dr. Gabor Mate and highly recommends his latest book The Myth of Normal

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

Thanks for listening!

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.

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.

Episode 184: How to Use Your Breath to Manage Stress, Sleep Better and React Less with Maya Bahar Castle

In this episode, Dr. Lisa discusses the benefits of breathwork for ourselves and for our kids with certified breathwork coach Maya Bahar Castle. Listen in to find out how different breathing techniques can be used to: calm your nervous system down, lower cortisol, support mindfulness, enhance sleep, reduce anxiety and more! It doesn’t take long…even a few minutes of intentional breathing can have profound impacts on our mental, emotional and physical health and well-being. Maya also shares some ways to incorporate breathwork into you and your kids’ schedules. Every little bit helps!

Maya Bahar Castle (@breathingwithmaya) is a Certified Breathwork Coach and homeschooling mama. Prior to leaning into motherhood and breathwork practices, she enjoyed more than a decade long career in EdTech.  She’s honoured to guide journeyers through down-regulating forms of Breathwork that bring awareness back into one’s body, still the mind, connect to intention and restore the nervous system. She works with moms and children in Toronto, and when she has a spare moment, you’ll find her writing away.  

In today’s episode we cover:

  • Maya’s experience with homeschooling her son
  • How breathwork transformed Maya’s postpartum anxiety
  • The importance of grounding and responding instead of reacting to situations in your life
  • How you can breathe in a healthy way
  • The difference between healthy breathing and breathwork
  • The breathwork practice that has been proven to lower your cortisol level in 5 minutes
  • How breath can influence your hormones through your menstrual cycle and ease the transition through perimenopause and menopause
  • The importance of introducing breath work to your kids
  • How you can incorporate breath work into your day and remember to breathe properly

You can connect with Maya on Instagram @breathingwithmaya

Check out Maya’s 5-minute breathing exercises for kids: here and here.

Listen to the Hubermann Podcast episode on how to breathe properly here.

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 this fall. Join her at https://www.hypnobirthingcalgary.com/register

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!

Thanks for joining us!

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.

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.

Episode 180: Do You Need to Quit Coffee?

In this episode, Dr. Toni shares how caffeine affects her and how it may increase your anxiety levels and sleep challenges during perimenopause. There are some benefits to coffee, so listen in to find out what they are. Some people metabolize caffeine quickly, while others may feel lasting affects many hours later. Dr. Toni reviews just how much caffeine is in coffee and other foods and drinks; the amounts may just shock you! Many people are ingesting more caffeine then they think…is that you?

If you need it caffeine stay awake, then you will want to visit your Naturopathic Doctor or other licensed health care provider to figure out the reason for your fatigue.

In today’s episode, we cover:

  • The importance of your individual genetics on whether (and how much) coffee is good for you
  • How coffee can cause headaches or can be used to treat your headaches
  • Whether coffee is addictive
  • How drinking coffee can mask fatigue due to other health issues
  • Alternatives to coffee you can try if you want to reduce or stop your coffee consumption
  • Examples of caffeine sources:
    • 24 mg – 1 oz dark chocolate
    • 28 mg – 1 cup green tea
    • 34 mg – 1 can of soda eg. coke
    • 47 mg – 1 cup black tea
    • 65 mg – 1 shot espresso
    • 100 mg – 1 cup coffee
    • 135 mg – 1.5 cups coffee (average American daily consumption)
    • 150 mg – 1 grande Starbucks latte (16oz)
    • 160 mg – Rockstar original (16oz)
    • 200 mg – recommended limit for pregnant women
    • 300 mg – Rockstar endurance (16oz)
    • 360 mg – Trenta Starbucks cold brew (30oz)
    • 400 mg – recommended limit for non-pregnant people
    • 1200 mg – caffeine toxicity
    • 10-12 g – fatal dose

Today’s Mama Must-Have:

Dr. Toni is a big fan of hibiscus tea for its antioxidant properties and support of healthy skin and blood pressure.

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!

Thanks for joining us!

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.

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.

Episode 176: Why Yoga is Good for Your Brain, Heart, Nervous System and More with Trish Krause

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

Connect with Trish through her website https://biteoutoflife.ca/

Today’s Mama Must-Have:

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!

Thanks for joining us!

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.

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.

Episode 137: Tired and wired? What you need to know about stress, cortisol and your adrenal glands!

In this episode re-release from June 2020, Dr. Toni and Dr. Lisa discuss: the benefits of some stress in your life; how stress becomes toxic; and how it impacts your libido, energy, mood, memory, immunity and more. Discover how to test for stress hormone imbalances and what you can do about is using lifestyle changes, meditation, exercise, nutrition, herbs and more.

In this episode, we cover:

  • What stress is and why you need good stress
  • How your adrenal glands work
  • What cortisol, your main stress hormone, does in your body
  • How you can test your adrenal function
  • How you can decrease toxic stress and the negative impact of stress on your hormones and health

Why is stress important to talk about?

  • There are downstream effects in body from stress, including hormonal changes
  • Stress is related to up to 90% of all illness 
  • Chronic stress is linked to the six leading causes of death in the U.S.: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver and suicide
  • More than 75 percent of all physician office visits in the U.S. are for stress-related ailments and complaints

Your ability to handle stress can be impacted by: events in your childhood; genetics; and tendencies and learned behaviours from your family and loved ones.

How Some Stress Can Serve Us In the Short-Term

Stress can be both physical and emotional. Not all stress is bad!

Why do you have stress? You need it to survive!

If you came across a predator like a bear in the wild, the fight or flight response (sympathetic nervous system response) kicks in the release of adrenalin and results in:

  • Heart rate and blood pressure increases
  • Blood vessels dilate to increase blood flow to large muscles (arms and legs)
  • Pupils dilate to see more clearly
  • Blood flow to your core organs of digestion is shut down since it’s not a priority
  • Reproduction and fertility is on hold so your energy is focused on immediate survival

Ideally, stress is temporary, allowing your stress hormones to go down and your body has time to recover and repair.

When Stress Becomes a Problem

Stress can become chronic when you are presented with one stressful situation after another and don’t have time to recover. It is important to note that it can be triggered by perceived threats or actual threats. Stress can build up and be too much for your system to handle, especially if you’re experiencing a combination from different sources like:

  • Being stuck in traffic
  • Running late for work
  • Doing a presentation at work
  • Not getting enough sleep
  • Managing kids and home life
  • Dealing with sick kids or ill parents

Good stress has positive effects in your body!

When stress is very temporary and you’re looking forward to something that gives you “butterflies” in your stomach, like going for a job interview, writing an exam or going on a date, it can be a good thing for your body!

Good stress can:

  • trigger feelings of reward in your brain after it is over 
  • support your immune system by increasing heat shock proteins 
  • increase your wound healing ability and effectiveness of vaccination
  • increase your resistance to infection and cancer
  • reduce inflammation and allergic reactions
  • boost your energy
  • support your productivity (to a point)
  • control your sleep-wake cycle
  • regulate blood pressure
  • manage how your body uses carbs, fats and protein

Sources of stress can include:

  • Mental (worry, anxiety, depression, past trauma)
  • Chemical (medications, heavy metals, toxic chemicals, mold exposure, chronic bacterial or viral infection)
  • Physical (dehydration, vitamin deficiency, fasting, pain, injury, structural misalignment, lack of sleep, time zone change)

What are your adrenal glands and what do they do?

Your adrenal glands are triangular-shaped glands located above your kidneys that produce your stress hormones: adrenaline and cortisol (among other hormones as well).

  • Cortisol reaches its’ maximum level 15 minutes after a stressful situation occurs and:
    • Increases gluconeogenesis (increases blood sugar levels breaking down glycogen in liver)
    • Decreases insulin sensitivity
    • Decreases growth hormone
    • Decreases T3 thyroid hormone
    • Decreases your immune system and inflammatory response
    • Increases fat and protein metabolism

3 phases of the stress response curve: 

  • Alarm phase – adrenalin increases then decreases after acute stress
  • Resistance phase – cortisol increases and stays high with longer term stress, like work or school deadlines, car accidents, illness or death of loved ones
    • Can have you feeling hot and wired with issues like: 
      • Too much nervous energy and unable to wind down 
      • Feeling warm or hot
      • Sweating at night
      • Different parts of your body feeling red and inflamed
      • High blood pressure
      • Weight gain in the mid-section
      • Needing caffeine or sugar to increase your energy and keep going 
      • Needing alcohol to unwind in evening
      • Getting sick as soon as you relax or go on vacation
  • Exhaustion phase – cortisol decreases as you get into burnout
    • Can have you feeling cold and tired with issues like:
      • Fatigue and exhaustion
      • Feeling weak
      • Get dizzy upon standing
      • Experiencing low blood sugar
      • Dark circles under the eyes
      • Tongue and face appear pale and puffy due to retaining water

Are you stuck in the Resistance phase of the stress response curve?

How do you make the “Resistance” phase of stress tolerable instead of toxic?

  • Chronic stress can be manageable with enough personal resources and support system
    • Tend and befriend
    • Spending more time feeling zen and relaxed in the spa in your mind (parasympathetic nervous system) instead of staying in the emergency room in your mind (sympathetic nervous system)
  • Toxic stress can happen when you don’t have personal resources and/or support system to deal with it and can result in:
    • uncertainty and feeling lack of control
    • physical and mental illness

Your normal daily/diurnal cortisol curve:

  • Cortisol is highest in morning in response to morning light, giving you energy to get up and take on the day
  • It decreases over the day and has an inverse relationship with melatonin (your sleep hormone)
  • If cortisol is high at night, then melatonin can’t be properly produced and released by pineal gland

The World Health Organization (WHO) is bringing attention to the problem of work-related stress. WHO is updating its definition of burnout in the new version of its handbook of diseases, the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) which will go into effect in January 2022. The WHO:

  • specifically ties burnout to “chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed”
  • defines burnout as “feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and reduced professional efficacy.”

Chronic toxic stress causes your brain to change! 

  • It shrinks your hippocampus and impairs memory
  • It weakens the connections in your prefrontal cortex (your rational self) to decrease your concentration, focus, impulse control, decision making ability, regulation of stress response
  • It increases activity in your amygdala resulting in more hypervigilance, more sensitivity and reactivity to stress (like a toddler having a tantrum)
  • It induces cerebrovascular changes and increases: neuro-inflammation, oxidative stress and blood brain barrier permeability resulting in brain fog, mood disorders and accelerated aging of your brain tissue.

Other negative health effects from chronic toxic stress include:

  • Weight gain in midsection
  • Blood sugar issues and increased risk of diabetes
  • IBS including gas, bloating, constipation and/or diarrhea
  • Reflux and heartburn
  • Muscle tension and headaches
  • Insomnia
  • Reduced immunity
  • Mood disorders
  • Increased blood pressure
  • Lower bone density
  • Accelerated aging

How are your hormones impacted by stress?

  • You need the appropriate amount of cortisol for your thyroid to work properly
  • If stress and cortisol levels are high, you can’t make enough of your other sex hormones like testosterone and progesterone causing:
    • Low libido
    • PMS, menstrual cramps, headaches/migraines, irregular cycles

How do you find out what is happening in your body?

Testing for stress hormone imbalances includes:

  • Orthostatic hypotension
  • Pupillary response
  • Questionnaires like Identi-T Stress Assessment
  • Lab tests for adrenal function
    • Urine – DUTCH and CHI testing for cortisol production and breakdown plus other hormones, multiple samples throughout the day (4 or 5 point testing)
    • Saliva – multiple samples throughout the day (4 or 5 point testing)
    • Blood – cortisol AM is of limited value, best for testing thyroid function

How do you keep stress tolerable instead of toxic? How can you prevent burnout?

  • Keep a regular daily routine
  • Sleep – aim for at least 7 hours, avoid screens at night, use blue-blocker glasses 
  • Get enough natural light and sunlight during the day
  • Get in the right types of exercise at the right time of day, avoiding over-exercising
  • Avoid unhealthy coping mechanisms like alcohol, caffeine, sugar
  • Stay hydrated and consider adding pinch of salt in water
  • Practice mindfulness, meditation and journaling to reduce: worry, negative thoughts and rumination
  • Get therapy or counselling from a psychologist or psychotherapist. Also, take advantage of the Government of Canada’s free online mental health portal, Wellness Together Canada, to access free online mental health resources and support, including access to therapy, apps, meditations and more.
  • Talk to your Naturopathic Doctor or licensed healthcare practitioner about taking supplements such as: vitamin C, B vitamins, magnesium, adrenal glandulars, and adaptogenic herbs like: Siberian ginseng, ashwagandha, rhodiola, holy basil, licorice, maca, reishi, cordyceps, shatavari, schisandra.
  • Get outside: walking in nature and practice “Forest Bathing”.

Today’s Mama Must Have – 

Dr. Toni enjoys Traditional Medicinal’s Stress Soother Tea to relax and get into the “spa” state of mind. 

Dr. Lisa likes Traditional Medicinal’s Chamomile with Lavender Tea, and their Lemon Balm Tea to wind down in the evening.

Thank you for joining us today! 

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!

Dr. Lisa’s Wild Collective in Fall 2022: get on the waitlist: wildcollectivetoronto.com

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.

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.