Functional Medicine | Women's Health
By Dr. Shawna Darou, ND This is a short article and a reminder of the importance of self-care. We all have so many expectations of ourselves in a day, and it can become difficult to take care of the basics. Right now, I would like you to take a step back and take a close look at your self-care. Pretend that you are watching from a distance. …
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Bloating is one of the most frequent complaints that I hear in the office, and the good news is that it is almost always treatable once we have determined the underlying cause. Frequent bloating can be uncomfortable, but for many women it affects their confidence and how they feel about their bodies. It's important to know that abdominal bloating …
Burnout is something I've been talking a lot about in clinic, online and in conversations with colleagues. It seems as if our non-stop, high-pressure days are really beginning to take a toll. What's going on behind the stress? When stress levels are persistently high, every body system is impacted and even more importantly the mechanisms of rest, …
Our food cravings can indicate imbalances in the body, and especially of our neurotransmitters. For simplicity, I’m just focusing on two here: serotonin and dopamine. The production of both of these neurotransmitters is negatively affected by stress, and you can have a susceptibility to imbalances with them through your …
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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