De-mystifying topics in women’s health one blog-post at a time.
I had the privilege of testing out a sample kit from Proov – an at home urine progesterone test strip. Click to access my summary video discussing the testing process & results!
What role can a Naturopathic Doctor serve in your fertility journey?
As a naturopathic physician with a practice focus in women’s health and fertility, I wanted to provide a brief overview on how I support my fertility patients and how having a naturopathic perspectivecan contribute to your fertility journey.
Click here to continue reading …
Endometriosis is a frustrating condition. For many women it may take up to 10 years to receive a proper diagnosis. Sometimes, the diagnosis comes about because a couple has been struggling with unexplained infertility and after many years a health care provider finally decides to look into endometriosis as an explanation. Endometriosis ranges from 5-15% of all cases of female factor infertility.
I want to highlight some of the ways endometriosis can impact fertility, and some possible approaches to increase chances of pregnancy.
Through random chance, earlier this week I attended a research presentation seminar at the local university on a hormone Dr. Sarah Gray had been studying and the role it plays on brown fat/thermogenesis and extrapolating that back to how that may influence obesity and diabetes. I went home from that lecture, feeling inspired having taken in all this new information and perspective on metabolism, energy intake and expenditure (and with a new intellectual crush!) – to pop on my Instagram and see my other intellectual crush, Dr. Fiona McCullough, had just written a post discussing a recent study on the role brown fat may play in PCOS!
Pretty crazy timing of it all.
I took this as a sign that I NEED to dig into this topic more, and I stumbled upon this neat study, on brown fat and the role it may play in PCOS.
This is a follow up post to my previous #womenshealthwednesday post on the importance of progesterone.
There are some signs and symptoms you can keep track of each cycle to know if and when you are ovulating – aka reaping the benefits of having progesterone around for the second half of your cycle!
The Impact of Combined Hormonal Contraceptives on Bone Health
When thinking about estrogen and progesterone – I think we get trapped the mindset that they are only there for reproduction. And yes, that is a main function of estrogen and progesterone, however these hormones are systemic, and more research is coming out now that there are estrogen and progesterone receptors all over our bodies !
Continue reading here & access the study this post is referring to ..
Thyroid Hormone & Fertility
My previous post on thyroid health (on my #womenshealthwednesday page) was a brief overview of the multiple functions of thyroid hormone in the body, and general signs and symptoms of thyroid excess and deficiency. Today I want to talk about the importance of optimal thyroid function with respect to fertility.
If you are HYPOthyroid, meaning you are not producing adequate amounts of thyroid, or your body isn’t converting T4 to T3 (the more active form of thyroid) will significantly impact the LUTEAL phase of the menstrual cycle. Continue reading here ..
I.U.D’s – the “Set it and forget it” birth control method (hopefully).
The intrauterine device (IUD) has been around modern medicine as a method of contraception for a hundred years. Over those 100 years, different prototypes of varying shapes, compositions and sizes have been tried leaving us with two main options to choose from nowadays. There is the copper IUD (non-hormonal), and the hormonal IUD (that comes in varying sizes and progestin doses to be discussed).
Today I want to talk about the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of IUDs, so you can build your knowledge base around the birth control options available to you. Continue reading here..
Fertile Window – how to maximize your chance at conception each month
The menstrual cycle consists of an ebb and flow of specific hormones produced by the pituitary gland (in the brain) and the ovaries. The key players from the pituitary gland are Follicle Simulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH), and from the ovaries are estrogen and progesterone. Continue reading here..
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