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.
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 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 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.
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