Functional Medicine | Women's Health
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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There has been lots of talk about gluten intolerance and a growing number of people who appear to be sensitive to foods containing wheat. I want to assure you that it is real, and not just another health trend. Wheat products, in North America especially, have changed dramatically in the past 100 years, where the wheat as we consume it is …
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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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By Dr. Shawna Darou, ND and Nicole McMurray, B.Sc, RMT If you suffer from chronic or even occasional headaches, you know how disruptive they can be to your life. You may have a big day at the office, commitments to host family from out of town or you're generally being pulled in all directions - and then, a headache. Dr. Shawna Darou, ND and …
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A concept that I find difficult to communicate with patients and in my writing, is that of preconception. Most of us think of this in terms of fertility, and getting pregnant. I would like to extend the concept of preconception to that of improving the health of our future children. The idea that we can take steps pre-conception to improve the …
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A new term of postnatal depletion was coined by an Australian Doctor, Oscar Serralach, MD a few years back. It describes constellation of symptoms that can occur after pregnancies (usually multiple pregnancies), where the body takes a long time to fully recover energetically, hormonally and emotionally. The science behind the diagnosis is that …
One thing that I’m very passionate about is preventative healthcare. There is so much we can do with nutrition, exercise, stress reduction, targeted supplements and understanding your personal risk factors. On a very basic level, something as simple as how you fill your grocery cart is part of preventative medicine. For example, one clear area …
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Here’s the quote that started me thinking and writing about this topic: "More physical activity, better diet, including fruit and vegetables, etc., we all know this, not smoking, not too much alcohol, that we will extend our healthy life expectancy already if we do that by around about 10 - 15 years. That’s massive. None of other drugs, for …
Continue Reading about Anti-Aging: tips for longevity and aging well →
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 …
