Radio Naturopath
Radio Naturopath Episode 515: Black Box Warning Gone! Why Hormone Replacement in Menopause May Be Helpful, and Non-Hormonal Alternatives
This week, I talked about the removal of the black box warning on hormone replacement therapy. Evidence shows that supplemental hormones overall provide more benefit than harm, for cardiovascular, sexual, and mental health. There is still a general warning about the risk of endometrial cancer. But it will be left to pharmaceutical companies to provide information, such as on package inserts, about possible risks of taking these medicines. The idea is that the risks that were stated after the Women's Health Initiative Study were overblown, and millions of women since then have been denied information and opportunity to benefit from supplemental hormones during menopause. However, herbalist Susun Weed doesn't agree with this, and believes it's not necessary to use exogenous hormones during menopause. There are definitely many non-hormonal, helpful lifestyle changes to make that can mitigate menopausal symptoms. Where do I fall? Somewhere in the middle. I have definitely seen patients' lives change for the better while using supplemental hormones. I have also seen patients do very well with non-hormonal menopause therapies. Let's sort this out!
Radio Naturopath Episode 511 Remembering SteepleJack, Guy Fawkes Day, Menorrhagia
This week, I talked about remembering the 5th of November, all about Guy Fawkes Day! Bonfires, burning Guy Fawkes in effigy, and a reason to get together and get warm around a celebratory fire when it's cold and dark outside!
I then talked about the main topic, heavy menstrual bleeding, which is alarmingly common. There's lots of natural help that can be tried before resorting to pharmaceuticals and surgery. Natural medicine can be a great help for this common and difficult condition!
Radio Naturopath Episode 495: Spinal Stenosis, The Loneliness Epidemic, Menopause and Progesterone
This week I talked about my spinal stenosis, how I'm managing, what the MRI said, and how it'll be treated. Let's hope for the best! I also talked about the loneliness epidemic, how and who it's affecting, and how to help. We finished with natural progesterone and other things to help with menopause symptoms.
Radio Naturopath Episode 494: Get Your Leucine and Lysine; Do You Really Need Estrogen In Menopause?
This week, we talked about two essential amino acids that are harder to obtain in a vegan diet, but not impossible: leucine and lysine. They can be found in beans, nuts, seeds, and pseudograins like quinoa and amaranth. They're both important for building muscle and collagen. Lysine is also important for immune function. We also got started on whether it's really necessary to take estrogen as part of a natural hormone replacement protocol. Hint: maybe not! We continue to make estrogen into our menopausal years, even if you can't see it in blood work. It's in the organs!
Radio Naturopath Episode 491: Single Food Studies, Higher Carbs for Health in Menopause
This week, I talked about how you see this studies about how eating 2 cups of mango or 1 cup of blueberries or 1/2 cup pistachios EVERY DAY can affect this, that, or the other health parameter. I calmed the fire by letting you know that if the study says this, it might be a good idea to incorporate this food into your diet, but you don't have to worry about eating specific portions every day! But it's nice to know that certain foods have been studied to have specific health benefits.
Then I went into how it's not really healthy for peri- and post-menopausal women to eat a low carbohydrate and/or ketogenic diet. It can result in short term weight gain, but lowering carbs too much leads to increased stress, increased cortisol, increased weight gain, and increased symptoms! This doesn't mean eat donuts and candy bars. It DOES mean eat healthy carbs, like root vegetables, quinoa, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables. We also touch on some info about hormone replacement. Hint: estrogen is not ideal!
Radio Naturopath Episode 478: B Complex and Your Stomach, Menopause and More Comfortable Sex!
This week I talked about B vitamins. Sometimes taking specific B vitamins can cause stomach upset, and you have to figure out which ones are bothering you. Sometimes it's best to take a food based vitamin; sometimes a methylated blend; sometimes specific ones separately; and sometimes just get them from food! We help to sort this out. I then went on to discuss something very important to folks of a certain age: how to make sex more comfortable! Hormones, lubes, restorative activities, we lay it on the table.
Radio Naturopath Episode 461: Menopause and Weight Loss
This week I'm playing a lecture I recorded a while ago, about menopause and weight loss. I talk about how it's harder to lose fat after menopause, and why. It's all about the cortisol! Get that cortisol down and it will help. Also, having a little extra weight on after menopause is actually good, because the fat makes estrogen for you, and carrying it strengthens your bones. But, if you want to be at a lower weight, here's some tips! Just like all my advice about weight loss, the first rule of weight loss is to not focus on weight loss.
Radio Naturopath Episode 453: How Sleep Affects Hormones
Ron and I are happily improving! I'm back on the bike and we're both getting our strength back. Rest, treatment, smart training, the right supplements. I hope it all keeps progressing!
This week I talked about the interaction of sleep and hormones. Ideally, we should generally get between 7-9 hours of sleep for good health and specifically hormonal function. In order to have a good interaction of melatonin and cortisol, one sleep-inducing, the other for energy, 7-9 hours is ideal! Also for healthy reproductive function, weight, mood, and immunity: all the hormones that manage these bodily functions benefit from adequate sleep. So don't skimp! Have a wind-down routine, make sure the room is dark and cool, don't overdo sugar and carbs. Sleep is one of the most healing things you can do!
Radio Naturopath Episode 445: Helminths, Naturopathic History, Natural Hormone Replacement
This week, I had MORE to talk about from the CNPA conference. So much great stuff! I started with Lyme disease causing arrhythmias. Lindsey Wells talked about the use of HELMINTHS, yes, WORMS, as a probiotic treatment epecially in the autism spectrum, and for PANS and PANDAS. Then we moved on to a GREAT talk from my friend and classmate Lorilee Schoenbeck all about the history of naturopathic medicine. Way to get inspired again! Then Robyn Kutka gave a great talk about natural hormone replacement therapy. Seems we don't need to be as cautious as we thought, and it can be very helpful!
Radio Naturopath Episode 392: Overdoing It; Statins, Side Effects, Anti-Inflammatory Alternatives
We talked about how it can be easy to overdo it when the weather gets nice all of a sudden. Make hay while the sun shines, right? We get really industrious and want to take care of our WHOLE yard. Or we go from riding one hour at a time on our indoor bike trainer to riding 62 MILES. And then we wonder why we're sore all over, hurt our back, or are super exhausted! It's OK to take it easy and ease into the outdoor joys of the season.
We also continued our series on cardiovascular health. Today we focused on statin drugs: how they work, their side effects, and how to reduce inflammation in other ways. Cardiovascular health is a very rich topic so we'll be getting into this for a few more weeks!