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.

Episode 127: Anxiety in Perimenopause: How Hormones, Blood Sugar Imbalances and Inflammation Are Impacting Your Mood

In this re-release of a 2021 episode, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni discuss the increased levels of anxiety moms in perimenopause are currently experiencing over the pandemic and what you might be doing to make it worse. There are many effective approaches to naturally deal with your anxiety so you don’t have to suffer. 

Did you know?

A research study that followed 3000 Canadian moms over 12 years showed that symptoms of anxiety and depression almost doubled between May and July of 2020 compared to levels between 2017 and 2019. 

Another study on the impacts of COVID-19 on Canadians reported that 24% of people rated their mental health as fair or poor compared to 8% in 2018. 88% of participants experienced at least 1 symptom of anxiety in the 2 weeks prior, with 71% feeling nervous, anxious or on edge, 69% becoming easily annoyed or irritable and 64% having trouble relaxing.

What is anxiety?

Anxiety refers to anticipation of a future concern and is more associated with muscle tension and avoidance behavior.

Anxiety disorders differ from normal feelings of nervousness or anxiousness, and involve excessive fear or anxiety. 

If you have 3 or more anxiety symptoms for a period of 6 consecutive months on an almost daily basis, you might be diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Consult with a licensed therapist for support and confirmation of diagnosis.

What are symptoms of anxiety?

Psychological or mental and emotional symptoms you might be experiencing can include:

    • Fear

    • Irritability

    • Restlessness, inability to relax

    • Difficulty concentrating

    • Decreased libido

    • Decreased emotionality

Somatic or physical symptoms you might be experiencing can include:

    • Arrhythmia or heart beat irregularities, increased heart rate or palpitations

    • Increased shallow or difficulty breathing

    • Nausea

    • Diarrhea, reflux or IBS

    • Sweating

    • Tremor

    • Increased urination

    • Increased appetite

    • Dizziness or vertigo

    • Increased sensitivity to pain 

    • Headaches 

    • Worsening of skin conditions like eczema, hives, psoriasis

Postpartum anxiety can happen to you even a year after you have given birth. 

Symptoms of postpartum anxiety can include the above symptoms, as well as:

  • Feelings of worry or dread
  • Racing thoughts
  • Problems sleeping
  • Hot flashes

What are possible causes of anxiety?

  • Hormonal change and fluctuations in perimenopause
    • Your brain’s response to hormonal changes can impact if you experience anxiety
    • Women with a history of mental illness, including postpartum depression and anxiety, are more at risk, as well as women whose moods are sensitive to hormone changes and have experienced PMS and PMDD
    • About 18% of women in early perimenopause and 38% of women in late perimenopause experience symptoms of anxiety and depression
  • Life or situational stressors
    • Changes in work, home, family
  • Individual genetics
    • Your genes can impact your neurotransmitter balance eg. COMT
  • Drug-induced anxiety
    • Alcohol, cocaine, caffeine, cannabis (see Episode 80 for more info on cannabis)
    • Amphetamines
    • Corticosteroids
    • Anticholinergics including some antidepressants
    • Hallucinogenics
  • Thyroid conditions (see Episode 42 for more info on thyroid)
    • Hyperthyroidism and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis 
  • Hypoglycemia
    • Low blood sugar can increase stress hormone cortisol
  • Lung conditions like COPD
  • Heart failure or arrhythmia
  • Brain inflammation or encephalitis, eg. traumatic brain injury, concussion
  • Nutrient deficiencies
    • Vitamin B12
    • Magnesium
    • Iron
  • Trauma, chronic stress and Post Traumatic Stress (PTS)

What are the conventional medical options for dealing with anxiety?

Prescription medications used to treat anxiety include:

  • Benzodiazepines like clonazepam, lorazepam, diazepam
    • High risk of developing side effects, dependence and tolerance
    • Nutrient depletions can include melatonin and glutathione
  • SSRI and SNRI antidepressants
    • High risk of side effects including impact on libido
    • Potential of worsening of symptoms in first 2-3 weeks
    • Nutrient depletions can include sodium, folic acid

What laboratory testing can be helpful for determining the root cause or factors of your anxiety?

Blood work – Iron panel, thyroid panel, vitamin B12 and D

Urine organic acids and hormone testing eg. DUTCH

Beck anxiety questionnaire

What are some natural approaches to address your anxiety?

  • Reduce alcohol, caffeine, sugar
  • Learn your situational triggers eg. running late
    • Avoid the avoidable
    • Prepare for the unavoidable
  • Practice RAIN – work of Tara Brach
    • Recognize – name the feeling
    • Allow – lean into the feeling, let it be, breathe
    • Investigate – physical feeling, self-talk/beliefs, what do you most need right now
    • Nurture – talk to yourself like friend, direct self-compassion
  • Interrupting anxiety or changing your state
    • Breathing exercises or humming to activate the vagus nerve
      • Diaphragmatic breathing with long inhalation and longer exhalation, research study showed lowers stress hormone cortisol practiced twice a day over 8 weeks
    • Splashing or drinking cold water
    • Ground yourself in the present by checking into your physical body, using your sense including smell and sound
    • Journalling
  • Prioritize sleep – see Episode 73 for more info
  • Exercise and moving your body
    • Bonus if you go outside for fresh air and sunshine!
  • Practice mindfulness and meditation eg. loving kindness practice
  • Avoid multi-tasking to prevent:
    • Increased heart rate
    • Feeling wired
    • Reduction in cognitive function and emotional control
    • IQ dropping by up to 15 points
  • Balance blood sugar and reduce pro-inflammatory foods – see Episode 45 for more info
  • Prevent anxiety-like hypoglycemic symptoms
  • Reduce inflammation fuelling anxiety

Supplements to consider:

  • Lavender, lemon balm, kava, tulsi, chamomile, passionflower
  • Adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha, rhodiola, eleuthro, reishi
  • L-theanine, Lactium, taurine, 5-HTP, glycine, inositol, phosphatidylserine 
  • B complex
  • Omega 3 fatty acids
  • Magnesium 
  • Vitex for hormone regulation

Prescription medications to consider:

  • Bio-identical progesterone
  • CBD (also available without prescription in specific retail stores in Canada)

Other resources available:

  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
  • Tapping or Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)
  • Wellness Together Canada online portal

Today’s Mama Must Have: 

Dr. Lisa loves using her morning routine to set the tone for her day, including meditation, humming and chanting exercises

Dr. Toni highly recommends carving out some solo time for personal development and is currently enjoying the Living Passionately online seminar through Landmark Worldwide. It has made a huge impact on her mental health and helped to reduce the stress of the “should”s.

Dr. Toni’s next HypnoBirthing session for expecting parents looking to decrease fear and anxiety around labour and birth is happening this summer. Join her at https://www.hypnobirthingcalgary.com/register

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

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 122: What is Perimenopause?

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)
    • Fatigue
      • See more info about fatigue:
    • Depression and Anxiety
      • Up to 40% of women face depression or mood changes in perimenopause
    • Hot flashes
      • You can experience one of four patterns of hot flashes
        • Early onset, late onset, high frequency, low frequency
      • See more info about hot flashes: Episode 32
    • Irregular menstrual cycles and heavy bleeding

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 

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. 

How can you tell if you are ovulating?

  • Monitor your basal body temperature (BBT)
  • Check your cervical fluid and cervical position

Perimenopausal Journal to track your symptoms and your menstrual cycle: https://www.cemcor.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/Daily_Perimenopause_Diary_with_treatments.pdf

Today’s Mama Must Have:

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.

Episode 116: Traditional Chinese Medicine and Perimenopause: A Yin-Yang Disharmony

In this episode, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni discuss how the philosophy and practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can help with symptoms of perimenopause like hot flashes, insomnia and anxiety. Find out how supporting your TCM organs and balance of yin and yang are important for your hormone balance in perimenopause. 

Yellow Emperor’s Classic (2600 BC):

At seven times seven a woman’s heavenly dew wanes;

the pulse of her Conception channel decreases.

The Qi that dwelt in the baby’s palace moves upward into her heart,

and her wisdom is deepened.

In today’s episode, we cover:

  • The philosophy of TCM and its holistic nature
  • What is chi/qi?
  • How imbalance of yin and yang can cause hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness
  • What your emotions and waking up in the middle of the night mean according to TCM
  • How the function of organs like Liver, Kidney and Spleen are important for hormone balance in perimenopause
  • The importance of seasonal eating and using food to balance yin and yang
  • Some of the scientific research supporting the use of acupuncture in perimenopause and menopause 

Today’s Mama Must Have:

Dr. Lisa is a big fan of using an ear syringe to help safely clean excess wax from your ear canal. 

Dr. Toni loves tracking her physical activity with The Conqueror Virtual Challenges and is starting the Stand With Ukraine challenge. 

What else we’re up to:

Dr. Lisa’s next Wild Collective group is starting later this spring – get on the waitlist at https://www.wildcollectivetoronto.com/

Dr. Toni’s next HypnoBirthing class series starting in March and – for more info on a free online masterclass to reduce fear and anxiety around birth, go to https://www.hypnobirthingcalgary.com/

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. 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.

Episode 108: 5th Wave of the Pandemic Survival Kit: How to Reduce Stress and Anxiety When You Don’t Have Any Time

In this episode, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni review simple yet effective ways to manage your stress and anxiety, especially when there is still so much uncertainty around the latest wave of the pandemic. If you’re feeling worried and overwhelmed dealing with unexpected school closures and online learning, listen in to learn how to support your mental, physical and emotional health during this challenging time.

In this episode, we cover the importance of:

  • Lowering your expectations
    • Use the “good enough” mantra to help you get through
    • Get clear on your non-negotiables or deal breakers 
    • Have a “not now” list 
  • Celebrating your successes with a “Ta-da” list, not matter how small it is
  • Getting outside daily
  • Making the mundane fun by injecting play and fun into your day with your kids
    • pairing up activities – dance and sing along with your kids’ favourite movie 
  • Prioritizing and planning one thing you enjoy doing each day, even if it is for 5 minutes at the end of the day
  • Getting the kids involved with age appropriate chores around the home like sweeping and cleaning up, making beds, emptying dishwasher, fold laundry, putting groceries away
  • Quick nutrition hacks like hard boiled eggs, 30 second smoothie bowl (mix protein powder with yogurt and berries), buying whole roasted chicken, buy frozen veggies and fruit, make things in bulk, getting meal delivery
  • Deep breathing throughout the day to increase your ability to be calm and mindful
    • Pair with activities like doing dishes, washing hands, sitting in meeting
  • Activating your vagus nerve with humming, singing and gargling
  • Using essential oils to support calm and stress reduction
    • in bath with epsom salt, back of tub during shower, on tissue or diffuser: lavender, citrus like orange, lemon and grapefruit, peppermint, Easy air, Serenity
  • Enjoying a cup of relaxing tea
    • tulsi and lavender, chamomile, lemon balm, kava, ginger
  • Completing the stress cycle with releasing emotion 
    • Cry it out to your favourite song or sad movie
    • Moving your body, even if it’s jumping jacks or punching a pillow
    • Laughter
    • Hugging for at least 20 seconds
    • For more info, see this episode of Brene Brown’s Podcast with Emily and Amelia Nagoski and this episode of the Ten Percent Happier Podcast.
  • Talking to your kids about feeling different emotions and how to deal with them
  • Setting yourself up for a good sleep with relaxing bedtime activities:
    • Meditation to sit with your feelings without judgement
    • Gratitude practice or journal
    • Journal for brain dump to get out your worries and things to do list

Today’s Mama Must Have:

Dr. Lisa is a big fan of dry shampoo to get away with washing her hair less frequently.

Dr. Toni loves the Beatles documentary Get Back on Disney+ featuring some fitting songs like I’ve Got a Feeling I’ve Got A Feeling – The Beatles Rooftop performance in 1969 #ivegotafeeling #getback #thebeatles and Let It Be – The Beatles – Let It Be (Official Music Video)

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 where you can find out how you can join us for our monthly patron webinar where we do a deeper dive discussion about all things perimenopause,

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.