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.
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 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)
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
See more info about stress and cortisol: Episode 24
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.
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.
In today’s episode, 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)
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
See more info about stress and cortisol: Episode 24
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.
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 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.
In today’s episode, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni talk about menstrual cycle awareness. Did you know that there are different times of the month that are more suited for you to be productive, be social, do analytical work, do a presentation or to rest? Your energy can fluctuate in relation to the moon cycle and your menstrual cycle. Cyclical living can be used to maximize your productivity, efficiency and success at work and at home throughout the month.
If you don’t have a regular menstrual cycle right now, you can follow the moon’s cycles.
In today’s episode, we cover:
Recent research looking at how the full moon can impact your sleep and menstrual cycle
How the US Women’s soccer team were using menstrual cycle awareness to maximize nutrition, training, rest and recovery, resulting in their second World Cup win
The similarities between moon phases and menstrual cycle phases
How changes in your hormones and moon phases can impact your mood and energy
Don’t know what’s happening with your menstrual cycle and hormones?
Naturopathic Treatment Options for Hormone Imbalances
Optimize:
Liver Function
Digestive
Sleep
Stress Reduction
Adrenals
Thyroid
How:
Herbs
Nutrition
Acupuncture
Bio-Identical Hormones
Dessicated Thyroid
Exercise
Today’s Tip:
Start your menstrual cycle awareness by tracking your period, mood and energy on an app like Period Tracker or MyFlo, or go old school with a paper calendar.
Today’s Mama Must Have:
Dr. Lisa enjoys having someone else make food and getting it delivered with Uber Eats, Door Dash and Skip the Dishes.
Dr. Toni enjoys the peek into psychedelic psychotherapy, the Wim Hof Method of breathing and cold plunges and orgasm workshop on Netflix’s the goop lab with Gwyneth Paltrow
Craft for Valentines Day: Hearts on door for kids and partner with something you love or appreciate about them – one a day in February
Dr. Toni’s next HypnoBirthing prenatal online classes for expecting parents start on Feb 28, 2021. For more info, go to https://www.hypnobirthingcalgary.com/
Join Dr. Lisa’s Wild Collective free Info Session tonight (Feb 4, 2021 at 7:00pm). Sign up HERE!
If you don’t get a chance to join the live session, get on my waitlist HERE to be informed of my next Wild Collective enrollment.
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!
In today’s episode, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni continue discussing menstrual cycles and periods.
In this episode, we cover:
Tracking your menstrual cycle
How to figure out when and if you are ovulating
Different methods of testing hormonal imbalances causing period problems
Traditional Chinese Medicine patterns linked with period issues
Some benefits of using menstrual cups over tampons and pads
How you can use the four phases of creation to maximize your high productivity times over the month
How do you figure out if you’re having a normal period and menstrual cycle?
You can track your menstrual cycle using:
Basal Body Temperature (BBT) – your temperature generally increases sharply after ovulation by about 0.5oC or 1oF
Ovulation signs – your cervical fluid becomes wetter and tends to have consistency of raw egg white, position of your cervix rises up in vaginal tract and becomes softer with feeling like the tip of your nose
Ovulation Predictor Kits – measure luteinizing hormone (LH) in your urine – generally rises 12 to 36 hours before you ovulate, but not 100% accurate, as you can have LH surge without ovulation
Progesterone Ovulation Kits – measure progesterone – generally rise 24-36 hours after ovulation
Less used are different fertility monitors like Clearblue (that uses detecting estrogen and LH levels) and Daysy (that uses your basal body temperature and period tracking)
Salivary ferning tests looking at increased levels of salt in your saliva before ovulation due to estrogen, monitors to measure electrolytes in your saliva and vaginal sensors to detect ovulation – will these become more common in the future?
Period tracker apps like Period Tracker or MyFlo, or just mark your Google calendar when you start your period
How do you figure out what is causing your period problems?
Further testing for hormonal imbalances and nutrient deficiencies:
Blood vs. saliva vs. urine (such as DUTCH or CHI)
Test on 7 days before your next period (around day 21 depending on the length of your menstrual cycle) or throughout the month if you have irregular menstrual cycles
Blood Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) and thyroid panel (TSH, free T4 and T3)
Blood iron status: hemoglobin, iron/transferrin saturation, ferritin (iron stores)
Consider getting abdominal and transvaginal ultrasound imaging requisitioned by your family doctor or gynecologist to rule out issues with your uterus or ovaries if you have abnormal bleeding or abnormal menstrual cycles
Traditional Chinese Medicine patterns impacting your menstrual cycle:
Liver Qi Stagnation – associated with PMS, menstrual cramps and clots, type A personality, overwork, stress, anger, excessive cold exposure
Spleen Qi Deficiency – associated with changes in digestion and bowel movements like loose stools around period, excessive alcohol intake, too much raw/cold food, anxiety, worry
How can you improve your flow of Qi and blood (plus save money over time)?
The phases of your monthly cycle plus the energy of each phase are as follows:
Menstrual (Dark of the Moon): Looking within, reflecting on what’s working and what’s not working in your life, letting go, course-correcting, deeper connection to intuition
Follicular: Creativity and new beginnings, high physical energy, desire to be out and active
Ovulation (Full Moon): Open to maximum cross-fertilization, connecting with community, heightened communication skills, magnetism
Luteal: Decline in physical energy, energy turns inward, nesting, administrative, detail-oriented tasks feel like priorities, slowing down
If the year were the macrocosm of the month, the phases line up like this:
Winter = Menstrual
Spring = Follicular
Summer = Ovulatory
Fall = Luteal
Adjusting to the different phases of the menstrual cycle is being used by the U.S. Women’s soccer team and is covered in the MyFlo app created by Alisa Vitti https://www.floliving.com/
Today’s Mama Must Have:
Dr. Toni loves her Diva Cup as an easy and economic alternative to pads and tampons.
Dr. Lisa is enjoying some cheesy reality TV shows, including Four Weddings and Seeking Sister Wife as a little break from real reality. Dr. Toni fully supports this, as she is a longtime Survivor fan (yes, it is still on TV) and got sucked into Love is Blind on Netflix recently.
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!
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