Make Fiber Sexy Again
Dietary fiber has a multitude of health benefits. No, it won’t erase those fine lines or wrinkles but, eating fiber-rich foods will balance your blood sugar and help you to feel full longer. Fiber is crucial for gut health and increased fiber intake is associated with a lower risk of colon cancer. Adequate fiber intake is also necessary for proper elimination of excess cholesterol and excess sex hormones such as estrogen.
How Does Exercise Impact Our Hormones?
Exercise has a direct impact on our hormone health. The intensity, duration and type of exercise alters physiology in different ways. While a regular exercise routine is supportive for hormone health, overdoing it can become problematic as too much exercise interrupts the processes of hormone development in the body.
Seed Cycling for Hormone Support
Many women suffer from symptoms of hormone imbalance including irregular periods, painful periods, increased mood fluctuations around their period, menstrual headaches or breast tenderness. The oral contraceptive pill is often prescribed to ease these symptoms. Although the pill can certainly be an effective solution, many women would rather try a natural option before resorting to a pharmaceutical.
Iron Deficiency Anemia: What Is It & Why Does It Happen?
Iron deficiency anemia is a common type of anemia caused by insufficient amounts of iron in the body. Iron is necessary for the production of hemoglobin, a protein molecule in the red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to tissues, and growth and developmental processes as well as the production of some hormones.
Which Form of Magnesium Should I Take?
Magnesium is necessary for more than 300 enzymatic reactions in the body to occur! It is used in the regulation of muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels and blood pressure. It also contributes to bone health, energy production and protein synthesis. Unfortunately, many individuals are deficient in magnesium due to food being grown in depleted soil and/or absorption issues in the gastrointestinal tract. Magnesium supplementation can be helpful in correcting a deficiency when used appropriately.
Hypochlorhydria & Its Impact on Digestion
It is widely known that too much stomach acid can cause issues such as acid reflux and ulcerations in the GI tract. However, low levels of stomach acid, also known as hypochlorhydria, can also be problematic. Hydrochloric acid (HCL) is the primary gastric acid secreted by our stomach. HCL plays critical roles in digestion and the regulation of pH in the stomach.
Bloating & Your Menstrual Period
Approximately 70% of women suffer from increased bloating around their menstrual period. Bloating and other PMS symptoms are caused by fluctuations in the levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Women who have inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS) are more likely to experience increased cyclical gastrointestinal symptoms.
Daily Practices to Support Healthy Testosterone Levels in Men
Testosterone is a sex hormone that is essential for the health of both men and women but is present in significantly higher levels in men. Testosterone plays a role in male sexual health, muscle mass, bone density, energy levels and fertility. It is normal for testosterone production to decrease with age, but lifestyle and environmental factors often contribute to an accelerated decrease of this hormone.
Health Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids provide a variety of health benefits. The three main omega-3 fatty acids are docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). EPA and DHA are primarily found in certain species of fish while alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is found in plant sources including flaxseed and soybean oil.
Should I Go Gluten-Free?
The gluten-free diet has become increasingly popular in recent years. A gluten-free diet can be tremendously helpful for some individuals but is not indicated for everyone. Gluten is a protein found in grains including wheat, rye, barley and some oats. Reasons to follow a gluten-free diet include a diagnosis of Celiac disease or a confirmed gluten-sensitivity.
Good Mood Foods
The foods we eat have a direct influence on our mental health. Our mood is determined by the presence of certain neurotransmitters, or chemical messengers, in the brain. Serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine are the three neurotransmitters that have the most influence over our mood. Deficiencies in these neurotransmitters are associated with depression, anxiety, ADHD, difficulty sleeping, fatigue and irritability.
Alcohol & Anxiety
It’s normal to go through temporary periods of increased anxiety during the various chapters of life. A new job, familial challenges or world events can lead us to feel more anxious. Unfortunately, many people feel anxiety for prolonged periods of time or at a high level of intensity.
IBS: Subtypes, Diagnosis & Treatment Options
IBS, or inflammatory bowel syndrome, affects individuals of all ages, even children. IBS is a common gastrointestinal disorder and it is estimated that 10-15% of the world’s population suffers from it. Women experience IBS more frequently than men. Two out of every three people diagnosed with this syndrome are female! The exact cause of IBS is unknown but it is believed that a disturbance in the way the gut, brain and nervous system interact plays a role in the development of the syndrome.
Reject the Diet Mentality with Intuitive Eating
Intuitive eating is a rapidly growing nutritional framework. It is a non-diet approach to eating that emphasizes internal messages instead of external food rules created by ourselves and society. Intuitive eating is a practice that has helped many people recover from eating disorders, binge eating, anxiety, depression, body dysmorphia and weight cycling.
Common Causes of Irregular Menstrual Cycles
A normal menstrual cycle is a reflection of a woman’s overall health. Some doctors have even proposed that the menstrual cycle should be considered the “fifth vital sign”, arguing that it is as important as having a healthy blood pressure, heart rate, temperature and respiratory rate. There are variations to what a “normal” cycle is from woman to woman.
Ashwagandha: An Adaptogenic Herb with Many Uses
Ashwagandha, also known by its botanical name withania somnifera, is a type of medicinal plant. It is classified as an “adaptogen”, or a substance that encourage the body’s physiology to return to a normal state after a stressor has been encountered. Adaptogens help to decrease stress levels through various, non-specific effects within the body.
What's In Your Personal Care Products?
A plethora of harmful ingredients are unfortunately hidden in the majority of personal care products. Most lotions, shampoos, makeup and other beauty products contain chemicals such as synthetic fragrance, phthalates, parabens, oxybenzone, polyethylene, petroleum, triclosan, triclocarban and more.
Natural Support for Anxiety
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S. affecting 40 million adults age 18 and older. That’s approximately 18.1% of the population! Anxiety disorders can be successfully treated but only about 37% of people suffering from anxiety seek treatment. Anxiety is thought to develop from a variety of factors including genetics, brain chemistry, personality and life events.
Prebiotics vs. Probiotics
The gut microbiome is a buzzy topic these days and an emerging area of research that has even been called the “next frontier of medicine”! Fascinating information regarding the interconnectedness between our overall health and the health of our gut microbiome has been discovered in recent years, but there is much we still don’t understand regarding the complexities of the microbiome.