Heart disease is the number one killer in men and women and it continues to take its toll on the population. Previously, I reviewed some alarming statistics regarding cardiovascular disease (CVD) risks for women, highlighted traditional risk factors, and stepped into the controversies surrounding cholesterol levels and statins. I also explored how risk factors...
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Is it Hormones or Heart Disease? Hot Flashes, Digestive Imbalances, and Other Underrecognized Symptoms of Heart Problems in Women
Heart disease is the number one cause of death for all genders, across every race and ethnicity. Yet, only a little more than half of all women are aware of this. This may be due to the fear of breast cancer and the fact that healthcare has focused a lot on its prevention in...
Exhausted? Adrenal Fatigue: Symptoms, Triggers, Testing, and Naturopathic and Functional Medicine Support for Low Cortisol
“Adrenal fatigue” is a hot button term in medicine. Many doctors take issue with the personification of an organ and the imprecise reference to its suboptimal functioning. Therefore, it is now becoming more vogue to refer to this syndrome of symptoms as “adrenal dysregulation.” Regardless of what it is called, it is not a...
Using Naturopathic and Functional Medicine to Support Digestive Health and Alleviate Stressed-Out Guts
Stress affects everything, including your brain, body, emotions, productivity, self-care, and even relationship interactions. Your gut is one area particularly vulnerable to stress and the connection is bidirectional. Emotional and physical triggers can impact the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and digestive distress can cause or perpetuate stress symptoms. Many have experienced a “nervous stomach” because...
How Stress Affects Your Gut
When your stressed-out your whole body is affected, from your brain to your hormones. It is necessary to have these physiology shifts to effectively respond to threats and ensure survival. Thankfully, when the stress is removed, you can recover. Interestingly, your body can’t tell the difference between the mind’s perception of stress and true...
Why We Sleep: A Summary on Sleep Stages, Your Chronotype (Night Owls vs. Early Birds), and How to Optimize Sleep from a Neuroscientist
In my series on slumber so far, we have learned that staying busy at the expense of rest is a bad trade-of. Being underslept negatively impacts job performance, brain health, cognitive function, emotional balance, relationships, and general wellness. In fact, sleep is as vital for health as nutrition, movement, self-care, relationships, and socio-economic factors....
Too Much to Do to Sleep? Is the Status of Busyness Worth Sacrificing Slumber?
Busyness has become a badge of honor in our society. Somehow, getting things done has taken precedence over sleep, family time, and even other values. This shift in cultural priorities occurred for several reasons. Among these factors is that busyness became a status symbol of importance and a means to elevate one’s self worth....
Why We Should Still Consider Serotonin When Dealing with Depression
A recent review of studies took over headlines in psychiatry. The media claimed that it “debunked” the serotonin hypothesis of depression and made antidepressants invalid. Yet, there were three major caveats to that conclusion. One of the biggest issues was the fact that the researchers were measuring a biological marker against symptoms and using...
How the Gut-Liver Connection Hurts or Helps Our Liver and Overall Health
Caring for Your Microbiome for Better Brain, Liver, and Hormonal Health: Part II
One of the organs that doesn’t get enough accolades, at least not for being more than a “detox” champ, is our liver. In fact, it is the gut that is getting most of the current scientific research and clinical headlines. More precisely, the spotlight has shined most brightly on the diverse roles that the...
How to Balance Your Hormones by Supporting Your Liver Health: Part II
The Link Between the Liver and Hormones
With over 500 functions, our liver impacts virtually every organ system. Although it is most well-known for its role in detoxification and digestion, it does so much more. Some vital liver functions include: regulating many of the chemicals in the body processing all the blood leaving the stomach and intestines nutrient break down, balance,...