Whenever we get new PMDD patients, we always find ourselves going over the importance of understanding the 6 possible underlying causes of PMDD. The reason we put so much emphasis on understanding the root cause is that when we can start to identify your individual factors that are contributing to your experience of PMDD, that is when we can find a true diagnosis for your symptoms, start to correct these imbalances, and help you to start feeling more like yourself again.
Read MoreFor many of my patients, one of the first thoughts that arise after a diagnosis of PCOS is if they will be able to get pregnant. Despite what you may have been told, a diagnosis of PCOS does not automatically mean you will struggle with fertility. Whether you’re just starting along your PCOS and fertility journey, or if you’ve been trying to conceive for some time, there is so much you can do to support your fertility in PCOS.
Read MoreFor many of women, the second half of our cycle can feel like a real struggle. Whether we’re dealing with physical symptoms or mental-emotional symptoms, the one to two weeks leading up to our periods can be truly difficult to deal with. In many cases, the symptoms of PMS can feel so intense that they actually interfere with our ability to function normally. In these instances, we have to wonder if what we’re dealing with is actually PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) rather than PMS.
Read More
I shared my story to help bring awareness to how medicine is failing people with period pain. If you’re struggling with period pain, I want you to be able to navigate our health care system effectively and get the treatment you need to support your pain and potential complications of endometriosis. In this blog, I summarize what I learned over my 20 year journey with this disease, and the next steps to take if you’re worried you might have endometriosis too.
Read MoreMy story with endometriosis isn’t a story I thought I’d ever share. Part 2 is where the story gets really sad for me. This part of the story is about why I started fighting for a diagnosis, why it took so long to get a diagnosis, and finally what treatment and recovery was like for me.
Read MoreMy story with endometriosis isn’t a story I thought I’d ever share. I’m definitely a perfectionist, and my experience with endometriosis has been far from perfect. In Part 1, we’re starting from the beginning. I’ll take you through what it was actually like to live with endometriosis, and why it took me so long to get treatment.
Read MoreDeciding that you would like to start expanding your family can be such a beautiful and exciting time in life, but if you have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, these feelings of excitement can start to be overshadowed by fear, frustration, and confusion. In this blog we go over exactly HOW Hashimoto’s impacts fertility so you can go into trying to conceive from a place of knowledge rather than fear!
Read MoreMaking dietary changes can be difficult and confusing because there is so much contradicting information on which foods or "diets" are best for optimizing your thyroid function and Hashimoto’s. The key to any dietary changes is ensuring that they are sustainable long-term!
Read MoreIf you have a thyroid condition and have done some Googling, you’ve probably come across many blogs saying that a gluten-free diet is a must in order for your thyroid health to improve and for you to feel better. Maybe you’ve tried going gluten-free and it made you feel much better, or maybe it didn’t make a difference at all. So is gluten-free the way to go or not?
Read MoreHave you ever been told that your thyroid function is normal since your TSH is within the "normal range"? Or maybe your TSH is higher than the range stated on the lab report, but it's not "high enough" to initiate treatment, so you're told to watch and wait. Whether you're having symptoms but your TSH appears to be "normal," or if your TSH is high but you're not comfortable with the watch and wait approach, there's more to the puzzle we can (and should) look into!
Read MoreLymphatic massage has received a lot of attention over the last few years. From weight loss to detox abilities, there is a lot of information being put out there about lymphatic massage and what it can do for your health!
Since it’s the new year, and many people are interested in the idea of ‘detoxing’ this time of year, we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to set the record straight! Can lymphatic massage really help with detoxification?
Read MoreFor some, New Years' resolutions can feel like a hamster wheel of disappointment: you head into January with fresh energy & great intentions but by February you've reverted to the same old habits. This year, let's do this differently. In this blog, we go through some habit-forming nutrition-based goals that are accessible, attainable, and most importantly, sustainable!
Read MoreIn this blog, I’m going to take you through my ultimate guide to making lasting behaviour changes. I’ll circle back to how I fit this into my life, so you understand the highs, lows, and intricacies of actually making a change stick around. Hopefully afterwards, you’ll feel confident you can do it too 😊
Read MoreYou’ve likely heard that excessive stress can have negative impacts on our health. In fact, many of us have associated the word stress with something harmful. But is stress truly as bad as everyone says it is? In this blog, we go over the differences between acute and chronic stress, what happens to our bodies in the face of stress, and how we can break this cycle.
Read MoreWhen we look at supporting our mental health and stress levels, sometimes it’s more about understanding ourselves better, understanding what soothes us, and not necessarily ridding ourselves of those feelings (or negative behaviours) entirely. This might not always look like the healthiest option, but it certainly will help us navigate where these feelings are originating from and set us on a trajectory for better mental health and stress resiliency. This is called harm reduction.
Read MoreNuts are a fantastic food to include in your diet. They are packed with amazing nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, other healthy fats, fibre, trace minerals such as selenium and vitamins such as vitamin E. This calorically dense food has been associated with many health benefits, but how do nuts relate to breast cancer? This blog goes over the impact of nut consumption in breast cancer survivorship!
Read MoreIf you or a loved one has undergone chemotherapy treatment for a cancer diagnosis, you may have heard of the term “chemo brain”. The medical term for this is chemotherapy related cognitive impairment (CRCI) and refers to impaired memory, processing speed, concentration, and attention after or during chemotherapy. Excitingly, new research in breast cancer has shed some light on easy ways of supporting chemo brain!
Read MoreInflammatory PCOS, Adrenal PCOS, Insulin Resistant PCOS, Post-Pill PCOS, thyroid PCOS – these are all the ‘types’ of PCOS you’ve likely read about online. The reality is that these are not real types of PCOS. In this blog, we’ll take you through the REAL types of PCOS, that way, you’ll have a way better understanding of what PCOS is and isn’t, as well as how to go about finding care that is individualized to you!
Read MoreUsing ultrasound as the sole way to diagnose or rule out PCOS can lead to both over-diagnosing and under-diagnosing of this condition. Let’s talk about the important difference between polycystic ovaries and PCOS, and what is needed for a proper diagnosis to clear up this common misconception!
Read MoreCircling back to the biggest question we receive at the clinic - do you actually need to eliminate gluten? In this blog, we chat about the connection between gluten and autoimmune disease specifically, and go through the research we have available looking at how gluten impacts the body.
Read More
