Functional Medicine | Women's Health
By Dr. Shawna Darou, ND As a naturopath with a very large focus on hormonal health, I wanted to go through the 6 steps that I look at in every case of hormone balance. This applies to irregular periods, PCOS, heavy or difficult periods, perimenopause swings, difficult periods at puberty, estrogen dominance and more. Your hormonal system is …
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By Dr. Shawna Darou, ND Women’s bodies are meant to fluctuate as our hormones shift through the month, and what this means is that our moods, physical health, productivity, creativity, appetite, libido, immune systems can all vary week by week. One of the best acts of self-care you can do, is to track your menstrual cycle and how you are feeling …
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Thyroid issues are extremely common in women, and low thyroid function, or hypothyroidism is a chronic health condition that is both under-diagnosed and under-treated. This article is meant to inform you about signs and symptoms of low thyroid function, and how it is treated. Do you experience any of the following? Are you tired, sluggish in …
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By Dr. Shawna Darou, ND As a women’s health and hormone practitioner, I see patients every day who suffer from painful menstruation and often to the degree that it seriously interferes with their quality of life. The good news is that there are many steps you can take to eliminate menstrual cramps, or at least get off of prescription pain …
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Progesterone is a key hormone for women’s health, having a great influence on your mood, sleep, period flow, bloating, weight and more. It is also important as the hormone that balances out our estrogen levels. Low progesterone can be associated with PMS, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, infertility, early miscarriage, PCOS, heavy periods and …
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By Dr. Shawna Darou, ND For many women, getting off of hormonal birth control can be a struggle, especially if they have been on the pill for many years. Symptoms that may come up on stopping the pill include: acne, mood swings, lack of or irregular periods, more breast tenderness, very light periods or menstrual cramps. This is often described …
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Women commonly come to the clinic with recurrent yeast infections that just won’t clear up with conventional treatment. This is in contrast to the occasional yeast infection coming from too much time in a wet swimsuit, sweaty workout clothes, a new sexual partner or a single round of antibiotics. Common causes of recurring yeast infections …
Many women suspect that they may have a hormone imbalance based on changes that occur during their cycles, or specific symptoms such as PMS, spotting, night sweats or acne. Take the following quick quiz below to understand which hormones may be out of balance. Please keep in mind, this quiz is very much simplified, and the most accurate way to …
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All women with circulating hormones experience change in their cycle as estrogen and progesterone levels rise and fall. What this means is that we are not the same every day of the month - one week you may be more sensitive, one week you may be more creative, and another you may have lots of energy. I’ve written about this before, and strongly …
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