Hippocrates once said “all disease begins in the gut” and, even though as a naturopathic doctor I have internalized this to the utmost degree, I still forget from time to time.
So, when I was having an increase in histamine symptoms (itchy eyes, runny nose, inflammation, congestion, itchy skin, immune issues), dental issues (bad breath, swollen tongue, increase in plaque and bleeding gums), gut issues (bloating, constipation, sugar cravings) and mood issues (PMS, low motivation, fatigue, brain fog, lower mood, fatigue) as well as other random symptoms such as decreased stamina, cold intolerance and otherwise just feeling “blah”, it took me an embarrassingly long amount of time to connect all these symptoms to being caused by a gut microbial imbalance.
Our gut bacteria outnumber the cells of our body by 10 to 1. These little guys influence our digestion, mood and immune system. They affect our brain function. A recent study in Frontiers in Psychiatry (Nguyen et al., 2021) even connects the diversity of our microbiome with loneliness and wisdom.
Interestingly, loneliness and wisdom have been found to occur in inverse relationship with one another. In other words, the wiser you are, the less lonely. It’s important to note here that loneliness is not the same thing with isolation or being alone–sometimes alone time is necessary for the type of self-reflection that imbues wisdom.
Wisdom is a complex phenomenon that is made up of traits like compassion towards self and others, self-awareness and reflective thinking and deep knowledge about the world and the meaning of life events. From this description we can imagine how protective wisdom might be against mental illness and how it may lend to mental, emotional and physical wellness.
The wiser you are, the better able you may be to make meaning of and persevere through life’s difficulties and connect with others. Wisdom lends itself to an overarching view of self, life and humanity that may allow us to respond to life’s challenges with resilience.
Perhaps a wise person who is alone may also be aware that they are also part of an interconnected ecosystem that includes self and others. They may be aware of their place within the fabric of existence. In this way, they are never really alone.
Further, the meaning they may derive from states of aloneness may protect them against the feelings of social isolation that are characterized by loneliness. Imagine a wise figure. Perhaps they are alone, but would you say they are lonely?
Our gut is sometimes called “the second brain” and forms part of the microbiota-gut-brain axis in which our gut bugs influence the health of our intestines and thus influence our nervous system, immune system and brain (Cryan & Dinan, 2012). Our gut microbiome can even influence personality traits such as agreeableness, openness and even neuroticisim (Kim et al,m 2018). Interestingly, unhealthy gut bacteria like proteobacteria (associated with SIBO) were associated with low conscientiousness and high neuroticisim (Kim et al., 2018).
Does this mean that diet can influence our tendency to hand things in on time and keep our rooms clean? hmm…
It’s interesting to think that we all have a sense of our personalities and who we are as people. We imagine ourselves to be introverted or extraverted, artistic, creative, liberal or conversative. We might consider ourselves kind or trustworthy, blunt or afraid of conflict. We may identify as people who make healthy eating choices and enjoy exercising or who have sweet tooths (teeth?).
Amidst this self-discovery, the exploration of mbti personalities seamlessly weaves into the fabric of our understanding, adding another layer to the rich and diverse mosaic of human characteristics. Delving into the realm of MBTI personalities opens a door to a nuanced comprehension of ourselves and those around us. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, with its sixteen distinctive personality types, provides a structured framework to decipher the intricacies of our individuality. This insightful exploration not only enhances self-awareness but also fosters a greater appreciation for the diverse ways in which personalities interlace and contribute to the vibrant mosaic of the human experience.
But what if we are less in control of our behaviour and even personality than we think? The truth is the bacteria in our gut produce chemicals that influence our behaviour: what we crave and eat and even how we act and think. In turn, this influences the composition of our gut.
Prosocial behaviour is associated with more gut biodiversity, and people who are more social tend to have microbiomes that are more diverse (Johnson, 2020). This makes sense if you think about it. If you’re exposed to a variety of people and environments, you’re likely exposed to a variety of bacteria and viruses as well. These microbes are ingested and incorporate themselves into our bodies.
When we visit different environments we consume foods in those environments. When we socialize with various people, we often share food. This increase in food diversity will also influence gut microbial diversity.
As I write this, I wonder about the effects of social isolation of the past 2-3 years. During Covid, our social circles decreased. Currently we are seeing a rise in infections: colds, flus and other illnesses (RSV, hand food and mouth disease, pink eye and so on), particularly in children. I wonder if this lack of socialization has affected our microbiomes and thus our individual and collective immunity. A hypothesis worth exploring, perhaps…
Further, the hypersanitization may also have contributed to shifting the health of our microbiome. It still remains to be seen.
We know that a lack of gut diversity can affect our immune system and is associated with obesity, inflammatory bowel disease and major depressive disorder (Jiang et al., 2015). In mice, the health of the microbiome is essential for their social development (Desbonnet et al., 2014)!
So, what does this mean practically and clinically?
Throughout my studies and years practicing as a naturopathic doctor, a clear-cut path towards improving microbiobial health of the gut is still unclear to me. We know that increasing the amounts of plants and fibre in the diet can support gut diversity. But we also know that fibre can cause constipation and bloating in some individuals and aggravate their digestion and that there are many indiviudals who at least anecdotally seem to thrive on diets that reduce fibre, such as the Carnivore Diet or an Animal-Based Diet (which, by the way, I’m not necessarily recommending here).
For me, gut health has largely been about paying attention and noticing when things have gone astray and then (and this part is harder than it sounds) correctly attributing what has gone astray to a shift in the health of my microbiome.
This has been years in the making. Our gut produces pain in response to stretch (i.e.: from gases in the intestines). We don’t necessarily feel pain in our gut if we’re experiencing intestinal permeabilty (leaky gut) or dysbiosis. This means that there is not a lot of feedback from our body that tells us about the state of our gut. Our gut doesn’t always hurt if it’s inflamed or imbalanced in the way your shoulder might. We need to look for other signs and symptoms that alert us to the state of health of our guts.
For me symptoms of gut imbalance often correlate with symptoms of candida overgrowth (something I, like many, am prone to). Candida, a species of yeast, tends to flourish in my body if my overall gut ecosystem is failing to keep it in check. Sometimes this can occur due to stress, and increase of sugar in my diet and other factors.
Symptoms I notice are:
– A change in oral health: more plaque on my teeth, bad breath, tongue coating, bleeding gums, and so on. – A change in mood and mental functioning: symptoms of depression or dysthymia such as apathy, low motivation and lethargy. Brain fog, difficulty concentration, poorer executive function (particularly initiating tasks or increased procrastination). – A change in digestion: persistent bloating, more constipation (involving not just frequency but stool quality. They might be stickier or harder to pass). – A change in immune function: more mucus production and congestion. Allergy symptoms. Trouble breathing,. – A change in energy and metabolism: reduced stamina despite exercising. Weight gain. Water retention. Fatigue. Feeling cold. – A change in cravings: wanting more sugar, binge-eating and overeating. Obsessing about food. Cravings for sugar after meals. Feeling “hangry” more often. Difficulty feeling full. Mental hunger (hunger despite feeling the presence of food in the stomach). – A change in hormonal health: changes to libido, vaginal flora. heavier periods, irregular periods. Increased PMS.
And so on. If this seems like virtually every system in the body is affected, I remind us all that Hippocrates said it first (or at least most famously): “all disease begins in the gut”.
What is the solution? Like recognizing the cause, the solution is often subtle. For me it was focusing attention to gut health and slowly steering the ship back to healthier habits.
The problem with dysbiosis is it often maintains itself. Low energy leads to less socialization and less motivation to cook healthy meals. More cravings lends to poorer food choices. These are just some examples of what you can imagine to be a variety of maintenance processes that are caused by and serve to perpetuate dysbiosis.
Therefore for me, the solution is not to make drastic changes but to identify and shift these patterns in support my microbiome.
1) I took sugar out of my diet. For me this involved shifting away from my 3 fruits a day to starchy vegetables (like squashes, etc.) I thrive on a Paleo-like diet (a whole foods diet that emphasizes fruit, vegetables and animal protein) and subtly shifted back to one.
I didn’t completely eliminate fruit sugar as I don’t believe there is a need. However, I recognized that I was likely overconsuming sweet foods as a response to dysbiosis and this wasn’t serving me.
2) I got on a comprehensive and broad-spectrum probiotic. I often tell my patients that probiotic prescribing is more of an art than a science and involves some trial-and-error. I typically look for one that has 8+ strains and a high CFU (colony forming unit) count. I took Colon Care 90 Billion by New Roots. This is certainly not the only good one and it might not be the right one for you, but it’s one I selected for myself based on a variety of factors I was looking for that supported my individualized assessment of my gut health.
For me probiotics can be highly effective, but they take time to work. They often can aggravate symptoms initially. The first symptoms I notice that indicate improvement are an improvement in oral health.
3) I supported my digestion in general. This involves for me supporting the liver and gallbladder, which influence gut motility, bile flow (which helps keep the small bowel free of bacteria) and fat digestion (which prevents growth of more pathogenic microbes and stabilizes blood sugar).
4) I consumed anti-candida, antimicrobial foods that work for me (again, this is after much trial and error). Raw garlic, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar and oregano oil. I also started on a candida herbal supplement that incorporates cloves, black walnut and other anti-microbial herbs that selectively kill pathogenic microbes while typically preserving healthy ones.
5) I supported my microbiome by integrated back into nature: getting outside more, reducing chemical exposure (soaps, fragrances, plastics, pesticides, etc.) and getting more sunlight. Camping outside in the cold, sleeping on the ground and brushing my teeth in a natural brook in Nova Scotia also likely contributed to shifting the diversity of my microbiome through encouraging the exchange of my microbes with those of the earth.
6) I supported the body’s stress response by getting more sleep. When I’m awake I try to get as much sun exposure as possible. Our microbiome and our Circadian Rhythms are intricately connected. Supporting one can support the health of the other (Bishehsari et al., 2020). Regarding this, I wonder if Daylight Savings Time made some of us more susceptible for microbial imbalances in our guts? Hm…
Getting off track is a holistic multi-facted process. We all know our own vices and susceptibilities if we look deep enough.
Therefore, getting on track is an equally holisitic and comprehensive process. It involves wisdom (which, conveniently, increases as your microbial health increases). I can help you figure things out if you’re new to this process.
After implementing these strategies and paying a bit more attention for a few weeks I slowly and surely notice myself feeling more like myself. Getting back on track: more energy, better mood, better cold tolerance (this is a big one!) and better gut health. My appetite has regulated incredibly. I feel like a different person. But the shifts have been slow and sometimes subtle (as is often the case with shifting an entire ecosystem) and paying attention to them is a very important part of the process.
Wisdom.
It’s not just diet. It’s not just supplements. It involves looking at the relevant factors and gently moving back in the right direction with patience and persistence. Maybe your main point of focus needs to be eating regular meals and meal planning. Maybe you need more strength-training. Maybe you need to start socializing more, getting out in public (knitting circle, anyone? I’ve been hearing so much about knitting circles these days, haha–a sign from the universe?).
Maybe it’s time to look at emotional eating with a pair of fresh eyes (perhaps through the lens of your microbiota). Maybe you need to take a walk outside today. Everyday. Breathe fresh air. Take a probiotic.
Contact me if you need support! I’m here for you.
What else do you do for your gut microbiome?
References:
Bishehsari, F., Voigt, R. M., & Keshavarzian, A. (2020). Circadian rhythms and the gut microbiota: From the metabolic syndrome to cancer. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 16(12), 731–739. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-020-00427-4
Cryan, J. F., & Dinan, T. G. (2012). Mind-altering microorganisms: the impact of the gut microbiota on brain and behaviour. Nature reviews. Neuroscience, 13(10), 701–712. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn3346
Desbonnet, L., Clarke, G., Shanahan, F., Dinan, T. G., & Cryan, J. F. (2014). Microbiota is essential for social development in the mouse. Molecular psychiatry, 19(2), 146–148. https://doi.org/10.1038/mp.2013.65
Jiang, H., Ling, Z., Zhang, Y., Mao, H., Ma, Z., Yin, Y., Wang, W., Tang, W., Tan, Z., Shi, J., Li, L., & Ruan, B. (2015). Altered fecal microbiota composition in patients with major depressive disorder. Brain, behavior, and immunity, 48, 186–194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2015.03.016
Johnson, K. V. A. (2020). Gut microbiome composition and diversity are related to human personality traits. Human Microbiome Journal, 15, 100069.
Kim, H. N., Yun, Y., Ryu, S., Chang, Y., Kwon, M. J., Cho, J., Shin, H., & Kim, H. L. (2018). Correlation between gut microbiota and personality in adults: A cross-sectional study. Brain, behavior, and immunity, 69, 374–385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2017.12.012
Nguyen, T. T., Zhang, X., Wu, T.-C., Liu, J., Le, C., Tu, X. M., Knight, R., & Jeste, D. V. (2021). Association of loneliness and wisdom with gut microbial diversity and composition: An exploratory study. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.648475
It’s been a long time since I’ve posted something about DIY natural skincare. I used to tinker in my kitchen, mixing up concoctions using beeswax, cocoa butter, and other ingredients to create natural deodorants, lip balms, and dry shampoos.
It was a lot of fun but these days I don’t bother because now my go-to is this tallow salve.
I started putting tallow on my face when I learned that coconut oil was too drying. I needed something to solidify the castor oil and rosehips combo I was putting on my skin before bed and I learned that because tallow’s fatty acids are heat stable, it can moisturize while protecting the skin against free radical and sun damage. Saturated fats are less prone to oxidation, and therefore tallow with its CLA and stearic acid (plus the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K) can help protect the skin.
I have combination skin that’s prone to greasiness. I also have large pores that clog and I’m prone to milia, blackheads, and cystic acne. After using this mixture for about a month, my skin has never looked better.
I’m happy with how my skin looks– the acne that I’ve struggled with throughout my 20s and 30s has disappeared (even during that dreaded high-acne pre-period week). My skin tone is even and feels incredibly soft.
The mixture absorbs really well into skin leaving it non-greasy. I can put BB cream or makeup on right after, using this as a moisturizing base, especially during the dryer winter months in Canada.
Rosehips oil adds extra sun protection and vitamin C. Castor oil is highly emollient, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory and helps to relax and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
In fact, the entire concoction is anti-inflammatory, moisturizing and pro-skin protection and repair. It doesn’t clog pores or feel greasy, and can reduce rashes, acne, uneven skin texture, and clogged pores.
Ingredients:
Grassfed tallow
Rosehips oil
Castor oil
Sesame seed oil
(all preferably organic)
Fill half of a glass container with melted grass-fed tallow. Then mix equal parts castor, sesame and rosehips oil. Stir until even. Refrigerate until the mixture is solid. Store at room temperature.
You can apply it twice a day or more to face, body, and the ends of the hair. You can also use it as a hair mask that you wash out later for deeper conditioning.
This salve is not to be used to treat any medical conditions. Talk to your doctor, dermatologist or healthcare provider to determine if this salve is good for your skin.
As a student of naturopathic medicine, I didn’t quite get herbs. They were natural, sure, but why would I prescribe them in lieu of homeopathy, dietary changes or nutritional supplements? I didn’t get it.
I liked herbs; I understood the idea of synergy—the fact that the effect of the entire plant is greater than the sum of its parts. Also, I knew that plants often have superior effects to some drugs in that they often contain active ingredients that balance the side effects otherwise caused by most pharmaceutical medications. For example, anti-inflammatory herbs like turmeric and licorice root also support and strengthen the immune system, rather than suppress it, as most anti-inflammatory drugs tend to do. For most drugs that lower inflammation, a common side effect is severe immune deficiency. This is not the case for herbs that lower inflammation, which actually benefit the immune system. So, I knew herbs were cool.
I also liked the idea that each tincture was individually created for the totality of symptoms a patient presented with. Creating a specific medicine for each individual seemed to fit with the idea of singularity in medicine, which I resonated with. However, for a long time I didn’t get herbs. And I’ve often been reluctant to prescribe herbs in my practice.
First of all, I don’t have my own dispensary so sending patients off to buy tinctures created a kind of disconnection from the source of my prescriptions. Secondly, as many of you who have tried it can contest, tinctures (or herbs extracted in alcohol) taste terrible and make compliance hard, even for myself. Thirdly, tinctures are quite expensive. Each 50 ml of tincture can cost upwards of $5 making a month’s supply of herbs quite costly. This is funny because many of the herbs that are so costly to buy grow like weeds in southern Ontario (dandelion, for example, is often considered a weed) and tinctures aren’t that difficult to make. Fourthly, I didn’t like to prescribe tinctures because, as I understood it, people would only feel better while actively taking the herb. In my mind, the herb worked like a drug in that once you stopped taking it, the positive effects would diminish. This differed from my understanding of homeopathy, which stimulates the body to heal itself, correcting nutritional deficiencies or looking for and treating the root cause of symptoms. I doubted whether the way we were taught to prescribe herbs did in fact treat the root cause. This is important because the guiding principles of naturopathic medicine dictate that we aim to do this whenever possible.
I had no doubt, however, that herbs were effective. Taking a tincture seemed to be far more effective for me and the patients I treat than taking supplements. Herbs are nutritional—they are a food and a medicine and therefore contain a myriad of health benefits beyond treating what they are prescribed to treat.
It wasn’t until I read author and herbalist Matthew Wood’s works on herbalism that I began to internalize the idea that herbs do in fact stimulate the body to heal itself. Plants contain an inherent wisdom, according to Wood and his studies in western and Native American herbalism. Plants eradicate disease by stimulating the healing powers of the body and strengthening the body’s capacity to heal itself from disease. The body is constantly trying to heal itself from ailments and, when these processes become blocked for one reason or another, disease symptoms begin to manifest. Herbs can strengthen the body’s healing processes, when prescribed in a certain way, and large doses for long courses of time are not necessary. Further, once the disease is eradicated, the herbs can be stopped. When prescribed as a healing catalyst, disease doesn’t return once the herbal prescriptions have done their work.
Wood writes, “It should be understood that herbs can be used either way: to stimulate the self-healing powers of the organism to return to health, or to artificially manipulate the organism to fit an artificial goal.” He uses the examples of goldenseal, which at high doses can kill bacteria or viruses that have invaded the body and in smaller doses can increase the mucosa and digestive systems of the body to rid itself of the invaders and, in turn, strengthen the body against future invasions.
In regards to the cost of herbal tinctures, there are relatively simple ways to get the effects of herbs by making your own tinctures.
Read on to support liver detox, hormonal health and cardiovascular health by creating your own rosemary tincture using dried rosemary, one of my favourite herbs of the moment, and a bottle of white wine:
Rosmarinus officinalis, is the latin name for rosemary, a member of the mint family. While better known for its ability to perfectly complement roast chicken, it has a number of health benefits. Rosemary’s energetic actions are stimulating and warming, according to Matthew Wood. It clears up phlegm and dampness, stagnation and sluggishness in the tissues.
Rosemary has the ability to boost metabolism and increase the absorption of sugars and fats, which make it an appropriate nutritional supplement for people with diabetes. It can help drive glucose into the cells, diminishing the need for the body to release large amounts of insulin, re-sensitizing cells to insulin and lowering blood sugar. It can help nourish the entire body and has a special affinity for the heart, lungs, spleen, liver and kidneys.
Rosemary is currently often used to detoxify toxic, exogenous estrogens from the body while promoting the conversion of health-promoting estrogens in the liver. It is a powerful stimulator of liver detoxification. It therefore serves as a cheap and useful remedy for seasonal, full-body detoxes or coming off oral contraceptive or synthetic hormones, such as the fertility drugs given before IVF treatments. It is also useful for promoting circulation and lymphatic drainage, moving sluggishness and excess weight and creating warmth and vitality in the body’s circulatory systems.
Herbalists use rosemary tincture or oil applied topically to the head and neck to treat migraines from tense shoulder and neck muscles. Its scent is aromatic and stimulating and can improve memory and cognition. It is an effective remedy for mental-emotional depression when taken internally, especially where patients feel damp, sluggish, lack motivation and experience feelings of mental dullness.
As a digestive aid, rosemary can help relieve abdominal bloating and flatulence. It also helps stimulates appetite. It helps burn up phlegm in the stomach and can aid in weight loss.
In addition, rosemary contains antimicrobial properties, meaning it can be used to kill bacterial and viral infections, especially when taken at the beginning of a cold.
It is a powerful heart tonic, especially where there is edema and circulatory stagnation, such as early signs of congestive heart failure. It also can help with arthritic pains and joint stiffness when applied topically to joints or taken internally as an anti-inflammatory.
In Matthew Wood’s book, The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism, he recommends creating a rosemary infusion (infuse fresh leaves and flowers in a pot of boiled water and keep covered) or a tincture using white wine as the alcohol base.
A few days into taking this tincture (mixed with a little water to dilute the strong taste), I’ve noticed my skin clear, my digestion improve, my stomach flatten (I no longer have any bloating and I’ve been experimenting with eating wheat again for the first time in years), and my energy increase. My symptoms of PMS this month subsided before my period even came. I had a canker sore in my mouth that immediately went away once I started taking rosemary wine. I’ll certainly be adding this cheap and effective DIY remedy to my self-care and general health-promoting regime.
Here’s how to make your own.
Rosemary Wine:
Ingredients:
1 handful (approximately 250 ml) of rosemary leaves, dried, cut up as small as possible (you can use a packet of rosemary spice from the grocery store). Extra points for organic.
1 bottle (750 ml) of white wine (Wood recommends a good quality wine, I used a cheap homemade one I was given as a gift).
1 empty glass bottle/jar
Directions:
Put rosemary in the empty glass jar. Pour entire 750 ml bottle of white wine over rosemary and let stand in a cool, dry place for 2-3 days. Then strain out the herbs and store the liquid tincture in a cool, dry, dark place, like a cupboard.
Talk to your naturopathic doctor about appropriate dosing, though most botanical prescriptions involve 1 tsp of tincture 2-3 times a day away from food. This will vary according to your health challenges and health goals, among many other factors.*
Reference:
Wood, Matthew. 2004. The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism: Basic doctrine, energetics and classification. Berkeley, California: North Atlantic Books.
*This article is not to be confused with medical advice from a licensed naturopathic doctor. If you suffer from one of the above-mentioned conditions and believe rosemary might help, please book an appointment to receive an appropriate assessment.
Estrogen is the dominant female hormone. It is actually a group of hormones, called the estrogens, that are responsible for the development of female secondary sex characteristics: the development of breast tissue and the proliferation of the uterine lining. Estrogen helps prepare the body for ovulation. Not all estrogens are created equal, however. Some estrogens are associated with an increased risk of certain female cancers, such as breast cancer.
Excess estrogen, especially in the form of these so-called “bad” estrogens, seems to be a common theme among women in North America. Stress, caffeine intake, synthetic estrogens in birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy and xeno-estrogens from cleaning products, plastics and cosmetics are among some of the causes of excess levels of estrogen in the body. Because of these environmental factors, many women suffer from something called “Estrogen Dominance”.
Symptoms of estrogen dominance include stubborn weight gain, anxiety, premenstrual symptoms of breast tenderness, acne, irritability, fatigue and brain fog. Estrogen dominance can contribute to worsening of health conditions such as infertility, fibrocystic breasts, repeated miscarriages, uterine fibroids and endometriosis as well as increase the risk of developing certain cancers.
Estrogen detoxification can be done effectively through a healthy diet that aims at improving estrogen clearance in the liver and regulation of the action of estrogen at cell receptors. By following this diet, patients can experience an improvement in hormonal health conditions, clearer skin and weight loss.
This diet is adapted from Dr. Joseph Collins RN, ND at yourhormones.com.
Cruciferous vegetables: Vegetables from the cabbage family, such as cabbage itself, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts, kale, bok choy, spinach, collard greens and other leafy greens are rich in a nutrient called indole-3-carbinol, or I3C. I3C gets converted to diindolymethane (DIM) in the body, which is responsible for clearance of excess estrogens in the liver. Consume a minimum of 3-4 servings of these vegetables per week.
Rosemary: Rosemary, when added to meats as a seasoning enhances the formation of good estrogens (the ones less likely to cause cancer or health concerns). Rosemary has the added benefit of antioxidant activity. It also enhances memory and mood and helps with thyroid function, improving weight loss, metabolism and energy levels.
Flaxseed: 2-4 tablespoons per day of ground flaxseed promotes healthy estrogen metabolism. The seed contains lignans, which help clear excess estrogens from the body. Flax also contains phytoestrogens, which control how much estrogen can bind to estrogen receptors. This means it can decrease excess estrogen activity or increase deficient estrogen activity, making it an effective remedy for a variety of female health complaints. Flax is rich in healthy omega-3 fats and contains fibre, making it an important remedy for treating inflammation and constipation. Flaxseed is digested and absorbed when ground, and best stored in the fridge as the oils in the seed quickly go rancid at room temperature.
Salmon and other fatty fish: Salmon and other fatty fish contain EPA, an omega-3 fatty acid, is an important anti-inflammatory oil. It has been shown to be effective in treating inflammatory conditions, cardiovascular disease and mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety and ADHD. It helps increase the formation of “good” estrogens in the body. Enjoy 2-3 servings of fatty fish per week, or supplement with a quality fish oil.
Isoflavones: Isoflavones, such as those found in soy, are antioxidants effective at increasing good estrogens in the body. Since soy is often heavily processed, using herbs such as Trifolium pratense, Pueraria montana and Pueraria lobata either in teas, capsules or tinctures, will help provide an adequate dose of isoflavones.
Activated folic acid: Folic acid is responsible for converting estrogen into a very healthy, methylated form that can decrease the risk of certain cancers. Many people are unable to convert folate into the active 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, which is essential for hormone metabolism, DNA synthesis, homocysteine metabolism and nervous system function (good mental health, memory and energy). Other B vitamins to supplement with are B6 and B12 as they help folic acid metabolism estrogen into their anti-cancer form. Folic acid is found in dark leafy greens, which also contain your daily doses of indole-3-carbinol.
If you are experiencing symptoms of estrogen dominance in the form of a female health complaint, book an appointment to learn what else you can do to experience healthy, happy, pain-free periods and look and feel your best. Contact me.
PCOS, or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, a condition which affects an estimated 10% of women in North America and is the most common endocrinological dysfunction in women.
Its symptoms and the people it affects are as diverse as there are people affected; it’s one of my favourite conditions to treat.
Signs and Symptoms:
PCOS is characterized by hormone dis-regulation. Oftentimes it presents with cysts on the ovaries, but not always. In PCOS there is often elevated blood glucose and other markers of insulin resistance. There are often issues with menstruation: the absence of periods (amenorrhea), or heavy and irregular bleeding (dysmenorrhea). Weight gain is common—although some women with PCOS can be thin—as is hormonal acne and hirsutism, a nice word for male-pattern hair growth: excess hair growth around the chin and upper lip, the chest or navel region. Pelvic pain around ovulation may occur when cysts rupture. Infertility is common in women with this condition.
PCOS is a syndrome, rather than a disease, which means it presents as a collection of symptoms that can be varied in their presentation and severity. Lab work may read that estrogen, testosterone and LH (a hormone produced by the pituitary gland and ovaries) are high and progesterone and FSH (a hormone released by the pituitary gland) are relatively low. However, what brings a woman with PCOS or PCOS-like symptoms into my office is varied and usually consists of any combination of visible symptoms: hair growth, weight gain, acne, menstrual irregularities or infertility.
Etiology:
We are uncertain how the collection of symptoms that is PCOS arises. One prominent theory is that issues with blood sugar and insulin regulation create ovarian cysts or disruptions in the secretion of sex hormones. This causes the ovaries to release more LH, which has the power to raise testosterone. High insulin, testosterone and estrogen can cause weight gain, hair-growth, acne, absence of ovulation (anovulation) and the inability to maintain the uterine lining and therefore carry a pregnancy to term.
Diagnosis:
PCOS is diagnosed by symptoms. It involves a combination of symptoms: amenorrhea (or absence of menstrual periods), infertility, hair growth on the face, acne and insulin resistance. The presence of ovarian cysts, as detected on an ultrasound were once diagnostic, but many patients present with symptoms and are cyst-free. An increase in LH and testosterone, with lab values indicating insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome, can also lead doctors to suspect PCOS, when appearing in conjunction with other symptoms.
Because it is a syndrome, patients often come into my practice with a variety of complaints. Some come in to deal with their skin health, others want help with fertility or menstrual cycle regulation and many others come in with weight loss goals.
Conventional Treatment:
Treatment in conventional medicine is simple: oral contraceptives. If your testosterone is high and estrogen and progesterone are out of whack, the conventional medical system tells us to simply override natural hormone production, or lack thereof, with synthetic versions of the same thing. For my professional opinion on regulating hormones with oral contraception, see my post on the birth control pill (which I no longer take). These birth control pills often contain chemicals that prevent the secretion of male hormones. This helps clear up acne and hair growth.
Medication for type II diabetes, Metformin, is used to help regulate insulin. Patients experience weight loss on Metformin, as it helps control insulin resistance, however it also depletes vitamin B12, which means that regular injections of B12 are necessary to avoid deficiency symptoms. Further, Metformin doesn’t address the root cause of insulin resistance, which is most likely lifestyle and hormonal imbalance. This means that patients will be medicated (and therefore receiving B12 injections) for life.
I do not mean to negate the fact that oral contraception and Metformin have helped countless women. I respectfully acknowledge the fact that the lens I look through is one of a different, more natural and whole-bodied approach to medicine that aims to treat the individual by addressing the root cause of disease.
In short: I prefer to try it the naturopathic way first.
Naturopathic Treatment:
Lifestyle. Naturopathic remedies are very effective, but often quite involved. They begin with lifestyle modifications—a low glycemic index diet like the Mediterranean or the Paleo diets, that emphasize whole foods, like fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and lean protein and eliminate sugar, white flours and white carbohydrates. Exercise is important in treating PCOS. One of my professors advocates intense cardio, such as high-intensity interval training, or weight-lifting 5-6 days a week. This must be done for several months before effects are seen and blood sugar and other hormones are regulated.
Supplementation and botanicals. Myo-inositol, a B vitamin, is a first-line treatment for PCOS in the natural health world. The amount of research steadily growing behind its use should probably make this gentle and effective treatment first-line for treating PCOS in all healthcare fields. Studies show that, when dosed properly, inositol can regulate blood sugar, assist with weight loss and regulate menses, even promote fertility.
Herbs like Vitex agnus-castus, or chaste tree, can help regulate the balance between estrogen and progesterone. Spearmint and Serenoa repens, or saw palmetto, can help decrease male hormones in the body. Gymnema and berberine are other therapies useful for regulating blood sugar and helping with weight loss.
Ensure that you are receiving counsel from a licensed naturopathic doctor before supplementing. The dose and quality of supplements and herbs is essential to feeling better—don’t hack it in the health food store alone!
Acupuncture. Acupuncture has been shown to be effective for promoting fertility. I have had some good success in promoting pregnancy and fertility with acupuncture in my practice. Fertility clinics in Canada now use acupuncture before and after IVF treatments to ensure treatment success. It also helps to relieve stress and lower cortisol, which helps with insulin-lowering and blood sugar management.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, PCOS can manifest as dampness, Qi or yang deficiency or issues with the Spleen or Kidneys. Acupuncture can help tonify and balance these patterns.
Homeopathy. I have had success using homeopathy in conjunction with lifestyle and supplementation in treating PCOS. Homeopathy acts deeply on the energetic level of disease, working on the level of emotions and sensations and working to address the energetic cause of disease. It involves a thorough interview and an individualized prescription from a licensed naturopathic doctor or homeopath.
Mind-Body Medicine. The ovaries are located at the level of the second chakra, which is an energetic centre in the body associated with sexuality and creativity. Christine Northrup, MD, asserts that the presence of ovarian cysts represents an energetic blockage in our creative power and unmet emotional needs. Louise Hay, author of “You Can Heal Your Life” tells us that ovarian cysts represent some sort of past hurt that we can’t let go of. Crying, journalling and identifying repressed emotions can help to remove these energetic blockages. In many women with PCOS, there is an imbalance in the identification with their femininity, or what it means to be a woman.
Sometimes our bodies alert us of imbalances in our emotional lives through the presence of physical symptoms. As a naturopathic doctor, it is essential I address all levels of the person—mentally, emotionally and spiritually, not simply physically.
PCOS is a diverse and challenging condition to treat that can cause a lot of hardship for the women who suffer from it. However, a diagnosis of PCOS can be an opportunity for growth and transformative healing through naturopathic medicine. For this reason, I find it can be one of the most interesting and rewarding conditions to treat. Contact me to find out more.
This winter has been particularly harsh for chapped lips and itchy dry skin. I’ve been tempted more than a few times to buy red clover salve, a skin treatment made with Trifolium pratense, a skin-soothing plant full of antioxidants. Red clover is excellent for treating skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, rashes, dryness and other skin disorders. It softens and nurtures skin while also providing anti-inflammatory effects, reducing pain, redness and itchiness.
Health food store salves are expensive, however. Some of them contain unwanted ingredients, even if they are natural—sometimes I prefer not to apply essential oils to my skin when it’s red and raw, as they can cause an aggravation. The tubes are also tiny and inadequate for covering large patches of affected skin. Fortunately it’s easy and cost-effective to make your own salve. I often encourage cash-strapped patients to make their own botanical skin treatments at home.
Within minutes of applying this balm to my skin, my chapped lips and itchy legs were soothed and redness was calmed. My skin felt smoother, moisturized and less flaky. I’ve even distributed some to small pots to use as a lip balm throughout the day.
DIY Red Clover Salve
You need:
Trifolium pratense (red clover) 100 g dried herb
Liquid oil of choice—I used olive and avocado—enough to cover herbs
1 small mason jar
1 cheese cloth or absorbent paper towel
Pot, stove, slow cooker
Beeswax
Instructions:
Step 1: Oil Infusion
There are two steps to making a salve. The first is to create an oil infusion from the dried herbs. This process extracts the medicinal properties from the plant using oil. The proper, herbalist way to do this is to cover the herbs in the oil of your choice and leave them in the sun for a week or two. However, since I’m pressed for time, I make oil infusions in the slow cooker.
Put the herbs in the small mason jar and cover completely with oil. Fill the slow cooker with water, so that the water level meets the level of oil in the mason jar. Place the mason jar inside the water in the slow cooker. Cook on low overnight.
Step 2: Salve
After the oil has been infused with the active plant constituents, strain out the dried herbs using a cheese cloth. Make sure to squeeze out all the good, nutritious oil from the herbs so that none is wasted.
Create a double boiler by setting a pot filled with water (I reuse the same water from the slow cooker) on the stove and turning the temperature to high.
Sit the mason jar containing just the oil infusion (no herbs) in the water. Once the water is boiling, slowing add in beeswax. A 1:5 beeswax:oil ratio creates a pliable, creamy salve. You can start with less keeping in mind that you can always add more later by reheating the salve in the double boiler. You don’t want to go overboard and add too much beeswax, creating a salve that is too hard. Allow the beeswax to melt into the liquid oil while stirring.
Remove the jar from the stove and allow it to cool to room temperature.
Once cooled, apply to affected skin areas and enjoy the smoothness.
I await my first real patient: a referral from a friend. I know this new patient suffers from chronic migraines, related to stress, and I am excited; I already have some ideas about what to prescribe. It’s been 9 long years since I decided that I wanted to enter into a healing profession and soon I will be face-to-face with a real human, someone who requires the skills I have so painstakingly acquired over the years through hours of book-study. I am elated. The appointment is cancelled, however, as I am attacked by a migraine headache myself, one that I used to suffer from regularly but haven’t experienced in months. The headache is all-encompassing and I am forced to go home. It’s only on reflection, months later, that I realize the irony of being forced to cancel an appointment due to being afflicted by an attack of the very condition I was to treat.
When the summer sun begins to shine its light on the Great White North, Canadians shed their winter layers and soak up some much-needed vitamin D. However, as many of us learned from a young age, along with more skin exposure comes a risk of sunburns, rashes from plants like poison ivy, eczema, heat rash and, my personal favourite, bug bites. Don’t let the bugs deter you and from family from enjoying the gorgeous summer air! An easy way to relieve pain and itching from these minor, yet uncomfortable, skin ailments can be found in this simple, home remedy.
Green tea, from the tea plant Camellia sinensis, with it’s metabolism-boosting, antioxidant and anticancer powers is now expanding its talents, entering into the world of skin care, especially acne treatments, and experiencing great success.
There are many types of immune cells in our bodies and various groups that they belong to: leukocytes, lymphocytes, macrophages, natural killer cells, etc. Some of the major contenders, and the ones that are involved in autoimmune disease and allergic conditions, are a type of lymphocyte called the T cells. T cells can be divided into more groups: among them cytotoxic, “killer” T cells and helper T cells.
The helper T cells have a role in presenting inside invaders to B cells and other cells of the immune system, while the killer T cells kill the bad guys directly. The helper T cells can be divided into two more groups: Th1 and Th2 (the h stands for “helper”). Th1 cells are involved in the first part of the immune system, showing the invaders to macrophages, which eat the invading pathogens, Pacman style, while also sounding the call that the body has been invaded and recruiting more immune cells to the scene. The Th2 cells show the invaders to other lymphocytes, the B cells, which make antibodies, providing the body with memory of what to do when the same invader strikes again.
