I got to do something really fun this week (that also made me a bit sweaty!)…

The inspiration behind the visit wasn’t just shopping, though—it was to join Danielle, the owner, live on Instagram and talk about perimenopause and menopause with her amazing community. And I wanted to share that conversation with you too.

This week, I want to talk about something that’s been on my mind a lot—because I’m right in the thick of it. Hormonal changes that happen in the transition to and through menopause.

Lately, I’ve been hearing from so many women (and seeing it all over my social media feed too!) about the struggles of menopause—hot flashes, poor sleep, stubborn weight gain, mood swings… the list goes on. One perspective that really got me thinking is how much energy we spend resisting these changes, wishing our bodies would stay the same as they were before these big hormonal shifts happened.

This week, I procrastinated a little (okay, maybe a lot) by working on a 1,000-piece puzzle. As I was putting it together, I couldn’t help but think about how similar it is to our health. At first, it can feel overwhelming—just a pile of scattered pieces with no clear direction. But if we keep working at it, the pieces do fit together.

I am thankful for the women I get to work with as a naturopathic doctor and a FASTer Way coach to help them thrive through perimenopause and beyond. I am also grateful for the life that I am creating for myself and my family. Each day feels different. Some days are harder than others, but I’ve never felt more content than I do right now. It’s true that our responsibilities change as we get older, but that doesn’t mean that life needs to be boring! We give our kids lots of experiences so that they can try out new activities and meet new people, and there’s no reason we can’t continue to enjoy feeling that excitement during our adult years.

Do you consider yourself a night owl or an early bird? Until the last couple of years, I described myself as a die-hard night owl. These days I am usually asleep by 10pm and wake up by 5:40am. And I have to admit, I really love it! This change didn’t happen overnight though.

 For many years, I experienced constipation and gas. I had pretty regular bowel movements, but I definitely wasn’t eliminating the equivalent I was eating as food. I am happy to say that these days my digestive tract is pretty happy, but I’m always game to try something that can make it even better. 

Are you experiencing weight gain, constipation, foggy thinking, hair loss, and/or frequently feeling tired or cold?  If so, you may have a thyroid imbalance…even if you have been told that everything is “normal”. If your gut is telling you something is off, then it is important to listen to it, and dig a little deeper.

I remember when every day was a struggle for me. I did the things I needed to do and thought that was just the way it felt to be a working mom. I didn’t even realize how tired I was until I wasn’t, but I’m glad that I found my way through to where I am now. If you are struggling with your energy, I want you to know that you aren’t alone. I hear this all the time from the women I work with. It’s easy to chalk it up to “regular” life or age and think that’s just the way you have to feel. It doesn’t have to be that way though.

This week I will discuss Ozempic and the other similar drugs in its class and the part they play in insulin regulation. I will discuss how it works, the pros and cons, and what I believe is essential to do along with it if someone makes an informed choice to take it.

Part 2 in our series on insulin resistance is focused on providing you with natural approaches to help prevent and treat insulin resistance. In this blog, I break down recommendations into 3 parts

Are you frustrated with how your body is not changing (or moving in the opposite direction you want it to) despite your best attempts to live a healthy lifestyle? You aren’t alone. It is one of the most common concerns I hear from the women I work with. And despite what you may have been told, the successful solution is not to just eat less and exercise more.

One of the main concerns that patients come to see me for help with is hormonal symptoms related to either peri-menopause or menopause. They may experience a wide variety of symptoms including: difficult sleeping, weight gain, hot flashes, extended PMS symptoms, changes in bleeding, night sweats. vaginal dryness, hair loss, memory difficulties, fatigue and/or decreased sex drive. That doesn’t sound like a lot of fun, does it? No wonder a lot of the women are also experiencing mood changes! The good news is that it doesn’t have to be a rough transition - there are lots of options that can help to make it much smoother. That’s the focus of what I do.

I know firsthand what it’s like to feel tired all the time, and how life-changing it is to correct it. In January of 2021, I had routine blood work done. My doctor called me shortly after and asked me how I was functioning. It turns out that my iron markers were REALLY low… I check them with most of my patients, and I had never seen someone as low as I was! In fact my hemoglobin (the protein that carries the iron and oxygen) was half of what it should be. Normally that only happens when someone is undergoing cancer treatment or is really sick.

My goal is to help you build muscle so you can be stronger in your daily life and to rev up your metabolism so you can be leaner and healthier. That takes time. You don’t build muscle overnight or even in a week. As that shift starts happening, you may see little or no change in your weight, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t still a lot of change happening.

It is true that your hormones change as menopause approaches (it can start as early as your mid 30’s!), but hot flashes and abdominal weight gain do not have to be a given outcome.