Episode 207: Why You Need More Magnesium: It’s Not Just for Sleep or Tight Muscles

In today’s re-released episode, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni discuss what you need to know about magnesium. Magnesium is one of our favourite nutritional supplements because of its role in hormone balance, aging and mood. Are you experiencing symptoms of low magnesium? Find out why you might need to have more magnesium in your life!

Why is magnesium so important?

  • Involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions in your body
  • Found in your bones, cardiovascular system, nervous system and in every cell in your body – less than 1% of magnesium in your body found in your blood
  • Acts as a natural muscle relaxant
  • Calms your nervous system
  • Plays an important role for your energy production
  • Influences GABA for relaxation and melatonin for sleep
  • Influences your love and bonding hormone oxytocin
  • Supports your liver detoxification pathways to promote breakdown and elimination of excess estrogen, which is linked with breast tenderness, fibroids, heavy periods, endometriosis symptoms (see Episode 21 for more info)
  • Important for your thyroid function – research links magnesium levels with thyroid health (see Episode 42 for more info)
  • Low magnesium levels are linked with high oxidative stress and low grade inflammation associated with signs of aging like cognitive decline, wrinkles, etc.
  • Important modulator of your receptors in the brain like NMDA receptors which are involved in memory function and depression
  • Can protect you against calcium deposits in your soft tissue like calcium oxalate kidney stones or calcifications in your arteries
  • Supports your utilization of vitamin D
  • Helps insulin work to control your blood sugar

What are symptoms of low magnesium?

  • Low energy
  • Low mood, anxiety, panic (see Episode 81 for more info)
  • Muscle aches and pains
  • Menstrual cramps, PMS, hormonal imbalances (see Episode 21 for more info)
  • Blood sugar imbalances (see Episode 45 for more info)
  • Osteoporosis
  • Sleep issues (see Episode 73 for more info)

Low magnesium has also been shown to worsen:

  • Hypertension and cardiovascular disease
    • A Harvard study of over 70,000 people found that those with the highest magnesium intake had the healthiest blood pressure numbers
    • studies showed a dose-dependent reduction of blood pressure with magnesium supplementation
    • A University of Minnesota study showed that the risk for hypertension was 70% lower in women with adequate or high magnesium levels
  • Migraines (see Episode 20 for more info)
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Osteoporosis

Today’s Mama Must-Have:

Dr. Lisa loves her hella hydrating serum from Joyous Health with rosehip oil and hyaluronic acid, as well as her favourite brands of dark chocolate – Zazubean 80% or Giddy Yoyo.

Dr. Toni is a big fan of Epsom gel, as well as using her neti pot with saline and xylitol for reducing extra irritation from wildfire smoke.

What’s Happening?

Join Dr. Toni online to learn more about self-hypnosis to support your health and hormones in 2024. Click Here and use the code MAMA2024 for a special deal. 

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 175: Toni and Lisa Share Their Bedtime Routines: PLUS Tips on How to Create Yours Even if You Are Short on Time

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

For more info on sleep, see Episode 73

For more info on hot flashes and night sweats, see Episode 32

For more info on magnesium, see Episode 83

Today’s Mama Must-Have:

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!

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 92: Love-Led Nourishment & the Importance of Eating Live Food with Cristina Tahoces

In today’s episode, Dr. Lisa talks with holistic nutritionist Cristina Tahoces about Love-Led Nourishment. Learn how the intentional choice towards live food helps you connect to your own positive feelings of love and self-worth. Stuck in a cycle of mindless binge eating or feeling deprived? If you don’t have a positive relationship with food, you’re not alone. This episode is for you.

“The only why that is strong enough to counter stress and the voice of the inner critic is love”

Cristina Tahoces

Cristina Tahoces is a holistic nutritionist and owner of Thrive Nutrition Practice, a global online wellness business focused on building physical and mental health resilience to stress through a nutritional approach she calls “love-led nourishment”. A former corporate banker, Cristina turned to nutrition to help herself heal from chronic allergies & adrenal fatigue. Over the years, she has helped clients with high stress profiles improve sleep, immunity & energy levels, relieve irritable bowel symptoms and reverse high blood pressure – all through her in-depth knowledge about how to use food therapeutically.  In 2017, she shared her nutritional strategy “Sleep Love Poop” on the TEDx stage as part of the TED Women’s Global Conference. She uses the themes of Sleep Love Poop to help her clients both in private consultation and through her group programs, which she runs several times a year.

In this episode, we cover:

  • How the food choices we make, especially under stress, are dictated by emotion instead of logic
  • The importance of asking yourself what you could choose to eat that would show yourself love, kindness, compassion and respect
  • The difference between “live” food and “dead” food and their impact on your energy
  • How to get your kids excited about live foods like fruit and how to make an apple doughnut
  • The key to pressing pause on your inner critic and increasing self-compassion
  • How practicing is more important than knowing
  • The importance of re-labelling dinner time as an investment in your physical and mental health instead of a chore
  • How to trade up your food with nutrient dense foods to feel satiated and prevent overeating or feeling deprived
  • The importance of switching from fight or flight mode to rest and digest mode in order to practice intuitive eating and Love-Led Nourishment
    • Vagus nerve breathing exercise: inhale to count of 4, pause for count of 3, exhale through the mouth to count of 8
  • How drinking water can massively impact your mental clarity and energy level 
  • The importance of protein and a variety of vegetables with every meal

Watch Cristina’s TEDx talk Sleep Love Poop here: https://www.ted.com/talks/prahlad_kakkar_sleep_love_poop_nutrition_s_role_in_mind_body_strength

Connect with Cristina on Facebook at Thrive Nutrition Practice and Instagram at @thrivenpcristina

Check out Thrive’s “Sleep Love Poop” Group Coaching Programmes

https://www.thrivenutritionpractice.com/sleeplovepoopbootcamps

Thrive & AmyA Fitness Bootcamps: where the best in mindful fitness & nutrition is combined to give you the results you want on a platter. New Bootcamp coming in October. 

Women. Lead. Now.: a leadership coaching masterclass series for women looking to rewrite the rules of leadership and lead with clarity, confidence, competence and courage. Starts October 5th.

https://aspiring-growth.mykajabi.com/women-lead-now

Today’s Mama Must Have:

Cristina loves being glued to her 600ml Lifefactory glass water bottle instead of her phone and her Kitchenaid mini food processor for chopping veggies, dips and sauces.

Dr. Lisa is a big fan of super comfortable Smash and Tess Rompers. 

Dr. Toni’s next HypnoBirthing info session for expecting parents looking to trust their instincts and their body during labour and birth is September 27. Join her at https://www.hypnobirthingcalgary.com/register

Dr. Lisa’s Wild Collective begins again in Fall 2021: 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.

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 26: Back to the Basics! 10 Simple (and Free) Tips That Can Make a World of Difference for Your Energy, Vitality, Hormone Balance and More

The majority of your health, energy and vitality is determined by the small, consistent habits that you incorporate daily. In this episode, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni “go back to the basics” and uncover 10 simple (and free!) things you can do to support energy, immunity, hormone balance, mood, digestion, disease prevention and more. Pick 1 or 2 health habits that resonate with you and that are easy to incorporate. Every little bit helps!

In this episode, we cover:

  • Deep breathing
  • Prioritizing sleep
  • Drinking water
  • Practicing Hydrotherapy
  • Adding fresh herbs and spices to your food
  • Eating more veggies
  • Getting in “exercise snacks” throughout the day
  • Connecting to nature
  • Practicing gratitude
  • Being a part of a community
  1. Deep Breathing
    • Dr. Lisa’s favourite technique is Box Breathing aka 4-4-4-4 Breath
    • This technique is simple and easy. You can notice benefits of box breathing even after 1-2 minutes
    • You can practice deep breathing while you are showering, working, walking, watching tv, driving or stressful transitions with your kids, like bedtime
    • It helps to reduce stress, anxiety, possibly blood pressure and cortisol
    • Boosts feeling of well being and ability to be calm and present
    • Dr. Toni’s enjoys repurposing the HypnoBirthing Calm Breath (inhale to count of 4, pause, exhale to count of 6-8) in addition to the HypnoBirthing guided relaxation track available on HypnoBirthing Institute website as a free download
  1. Prioritizing sleep – aim for about 7-8 hours
    • Sleep is essential for mental and emotional health, in addition to proper metabolism and immune system function
    • Give yourself permission to make sleep a priority over other things you could be doing – let yourself sleep!
    • Add in an afternoon nap if you need to (especially if you have little ones still napping) 
  2. Drinking Water 
    • Hydration first thing in morning can make a huge difference in your energy, reduce your frequency of headaches and migraines, improve your digestion function and bowel movements
    • You can increase the quality of your tap water by using a filtration system
    • Adding lemon or other citrus fruit can add in flavour and more benefits for your health: 
  • D-limonene is the essential oil found in the rind of citrus shown to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant anti-stress and anti-anxiety properties, plus in animal studies shown to reduce triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure, protect against stomach ulcers
  1. Practicing Hydrotherapy aka “water therapy”
  • 30-60 seconds cold water spray at end of your shower
  • Boosts your alertness, energy and mood
  • Helps your skin and hair to have a healthy glow (flattens follicles)
  • Supports your immunity and circulation to our internal organs
  • May support your weight loss with the production of more brown fat that produces heat, increasing your metabolism and temperature
  • Reduces your muscle soreness and can speed up your recovery post-workout
  • Other hydrotherapy options include cold spray on your feet while waiting for shower water to warm up or wet warming socks at the first sign of a cold
  • You can check out the free mini-class online by Wim Hof with focus on breathing, cold showers and power of your mind
  1. Adding spices and fresh herbs to your food
  • Provides extra antioxidants for a quick and easy win for your health 
  • Cinnamon can lower your blood sugar level and reduce inflammation
  • Ginger – supports digestion, good for nausea (even in pregnancy), can reduce pain and inflammation associated with arthritis, migraines and menstrual cramps
    • Add cinnamon, nutmeg and ground ginger to your chia pudding, yogurt, oatmeal or smoothie in the morning
  • Oregano – antibacterial properties, helps prevent against damage to your DNA and cells, plus has nutrients like calcium, vitamin K, manganese, iron, tryptophan
    • Add oregano and thyme to pasta sauces
  • Turmeric-  used to reduce pain and inflammation for menstrual cramps, arthritis, may help to prevent against cancer and dementia
    • Add turmeric powder to hummus, baba ghanouj, scrambled eggs or omelettes with some black pepper and/or a bit of healthy fat)
  • Garlic – antimicrobial properties can help treat and prevent candida, fungus and other infections, support cardiovascular health
    • Enjoy roasted whole and spread on bread or crackers
    • Add garlic, parsley and cilantro to salad dressings with lemon juice, olive oil, coconut aminos, salt and pepper
    • Add dill to homemade coleslaw or salads
    • Add rosemary to barbequed meat to reduce advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and roasted veggies like squash, sweet potato and potatoes
  1. Eating more vegetables
  • Aim for at least 8 servings a day with a rainbow of colours
  • More variety of veggies provides more nutrients
  • Higher fruit and vegetable intake (5 servings or more) is linked to decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, especially:
    • Leafy greens like lettuce, spinach, swiss chard, mustard greens 
    • Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy and kale
  • Also provides more fibre for improved digestion, balanced blood sugar and can help prevent hypertension, diabetes, cancer
  • How can you get more in? Try one new veggie per week
    • Add spinach or greens to smoothies or “green eggs”
    • Switch out a serving of pasta, rice, bread for cauliflower rice, vegetable pasta or konjac noodles/rice
  • Research shows that intake of starchier vegetables like potatoes, corn, and peas were linked with more weight gain
  1. Getting in “exercise snacks” throughout the day
    • Great for switching up your emotional state, maintaining your muscle mass, your cardiovascular and lymphatic health, and spending time with your kids
    • Walking or running, outside or doing stairs or laps inside!
    • Indoor dance party in your living room
    • Set a timer to do some push ups, lunges and/or squats for 1-2 minutes every hour to reduce the amount of time you’re sitting during the day
  1. Connecting to Nature
    • calming, connects me with something bigger than myself and my little problems, simple as being mindful and observing the trees in the yard and the neighbourhood park, grateful to live with large pine trees in front and back yard
    • Aim for at least 20 minutes 2 times a week
    • Studies show getting outside can lower blood pressure and stress hormone levels while boosting mood and memory
    • Induces calm and relaxation by reducing rumination 
    • Can be done alone or with others (while physically distance as necessary)
    • Can include taking a nature walk in a park, forest bathing, sitting in your backyard or balcony, listening to nature sounds, looking at pictures of nature scenes or hugging trees (as they were urged to do in Iceland to help overcome social isolation
    • Doctors are starting to write prescriptions for getting out in nature
  1. Practicing gratitude
    • Research shows that grateful people experience less pain and depression, plus better sleep and self-esteem
    • Can be as simple as feeling thankful for hugs from family, connecting to family and friends online, summer weather, having time to listen to a podcast for new information or getting to drink your coffee or tea while it’s hot!
    • Gratitude practice can include a gratitude journal or mental review in the shower or in bed before sleep

“Where your attention goes, your energy flows”

  1. Being part of a community
    • Social isolation and loneliness has a bigger health impact than smoking on your risk for heart disease, stroke, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease
    • Reduces stress and anxiety
    • Options include:
      • Talking with friends and family over phone, WhatsApp or Zoom
      • Playing games with friends online
      • Online book clubs
      • Online groups like Mom Halo, Mamas and Co, Camp Hoo-ha, Business Networking International (BNI)
      • Volunteering 

Today’s Mama Must Have:

Dr. Toni is thankful to have Arnica homeopathic pellets and ointment to safely manage the inevitable falls, bumps and bruises that happen in daily life with a toddler. 

Dr. Lisa finds a real benefit from a gratitude journal and writing down what she’s grateful for in a regular ringed notebook from the dollar store. In the morning, she reflects on, and writes down: what would make today great; three amazing things that happened yesterday; plus people and opportunities that she’s grateful for.

Thank you for joining us today! 

Find the show notes at stephanies48.sg-host.com 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!

Stay safe everyone!