The use of progesterone therapy to reduce miscarriage risk has been a topic of debate in the medical community for many years due to conflicting results in research. Recently, in November of 2021, the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) made an exciting new recommendation! NICE now officially recommends progesterone therapy for women with early pregnancy bleeding and at least 1 previous miscarriage to reduce miscarriage risk. Read on to learn more!
Read MoreMany women don’t think about menopause, or perimenopause, until they are struggling with hot flashes, night sweats, or other hallmark signals of this hormonal shift. Unfortunately, perimenopause is rarely discussed until women are in the midst of changes that are no longer feeling manageable. It’s often in their first appointment that many women realize some (or most) of the symptoms they’ve been struggling with for years are related to this hormonal shift! Read on to learn more.
Read MoreThere is something about the holidays and holiday eating that holds a certain “stress” associated with it. If you find that you are feeling out of control with food, anxious around food, or if you are experiencing obsessions or compulsions around food, it does not have to be this way. Here are some simple things that you can try this holiday season to feel empowered around food, no matter what your actual food choices are.
Read MoreDid you know that there is an incredibly important hormone called insulin that is rarely tested in a typical fertility assessment? Insulin’s main job is to regulate our blood sugar levels and is therefore essential to our survival. However, too much insulin can cause long or missing cycles making it difficult to conceive, it can impact the implantation of an embryo and even contribute to an increased rate of miscarriages through multiple mechanisms.
Read MoreTrying to get pregnant with a PCOS diagnosis can be a very challenging, emotional, and stress-driven time. There are some of us that get pregnant easily with PCOS, and then there are others, where month after month, nothing seems to be changing. PCOS is the leading cause of infertility in women – and this means it is generally more challenging to conceive with PCOS. BUT it’s also the condition most amenable to treatment, meaning we have the most options that are likely to yield benefit.
Read MorePerimenopause and menopause can be a highly unpleasant and uncomfortable time, often leading to feelings of lack of control over our bodies. Luckily, there’s a lot we can do to help support this transition with nutritional therapy.
Read MoreThere is a new hormonal term going around that you may or may have heard of; PMDD. PMDD stands for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. This is a diagnosis that refers to a group of PMS symptoms that become so intense that they have extreme mood implications, and severe impacts on quality of life. It can get so bad that for that period of the month it can feel like a depressive episode.
Read MoreIf you were diagnosed with a hormone-sensitive breast cancer before you went through menopause, likely Tamoxifen is part of your long-term support plan. Tamoxifen can be a foundational part of helping to prevent a recurrence. But what options are there for women who want to stay on Tamoxifen but continue to struggle with side-effects?
Read MoreThe best way to identify fertile days and increase the odds of conceiving each cycle is to track your cervical fluid. If you've never heard the phrase cervical fluid, you're not alone! Despite this being a strong marker of health and fertility, women are very rarely taught about the importance of cervical fluid in school or by their healthcare providers.
Read MorePCOS is a spectrum condition. That means some individuals with PCOS fall into that classic presentation of ‘trouble losing weight, not getting a regular period, losing hair, etc’. But on the other side of the spectrum, there’s a very different person. This is Lean PCOS. Sadly, lean PCOS is like the ‘forgotten’ PCOS. There’s very little we know about why it happens, how to improve diagnostics, and most importantly, how to go about treating this type of PCOS most effectively.
Read MoreWelcome to week 3 of exploring the link between our mental health and our hormones. Today we are looking at how our food choices and our cravings are linked to our hormonal health and blood sugar levels. Sometimes the things that we choose to eat are not always based on our conscious control but other processes that are happening in our bodies, including our hormones.
Read MoreWelcome to week two looking at connections between our hormones and our mental health. This week we are looking at how our relationship with food can impact our overall mental wellbeing as well as the balance and production of hormones in our bodies. This is something that is especially important in disordered eating.
Read MoreWelcome to our 3-part series exploring the link between our mental health and our hormones. Over the course of the next 3 weeks we are going to look at ways in which our mental health, reproductive hormones and eating patterns interact and influence the way that we are feeling on a daily basis.
Read MoreWhile no one likes getting a Pap, the only thing worse than the exam is receiving an abnormal result. An abnormal pap can be anxiety-inducing but you don’t need to panic, you just need to know what to do next.
Read MoreIn today's episode, we dive into the basics of PCOS with Dr. Alessia Milano. We go through common questions such as what does it mean if you've just been diagnosed? Will you be able to have children? What are you treatment options? What does this mean for your long-term health? And much more.
If you're looking to get the low down on PCOS and what it means for your health, this episode is for you!
Read MoreA quick search on ‘soy & health’ brings up so many conflicting opinions that it can be hard to know what to believe. Does soy protect you from cancer? Is it safe for men? Is it safe before menopause? Should you avoid it if you’ve already had cancer? A lot of us avoid soy altogether because of these uncertainties, but writing it off completely may mean you miss out on some wonderful benefits! So let’s look at what we really know.
Read MoreCurrently it’s estimated that around 25% of women diagnosed with breast cancer are pre-menopausal. This is an important reminder that if you were diagnosed with breast cancer at a younger age, you’re not alone and you’re not without resources. Today, more and more women are being faced with the question of whether they can manage their menopausal symptoms safely, or whether they have to just tough it out.
Read MoreWith the holiday season upon us, it can be hard to resist all the amazing meals, baked goods, and celebrations this time of year brings. Unfortunately however, indulging all December-long can wreak havoc on your health. You might notice your skin isn’t as clear, your digestion feels off, and you’re just generally feeling sluggish. So how do we make it through the holidays feeling well without sacrificing the holiday festivities?
Read MoreLosing weight with PCOS means simultaneously working on multiple systems to regain control of your entire body. Here we’ll review the biggest obstacles to consider when trying to lose weight with PCOS, so you can try again - the right way.
Read MoreIn part two of this discussion, we’ll be going through important questions to consider before engaging in fertility care after cancer treatment has ended. We’ll also quickly review commonly used natural preconception treatments that may be risky with a history of cancer.
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