What’s the Deal with Prometrium (Progesterone)?
You’ve asked about progesterone therapy so I thought I would do a quick FAQ on Prometrium as it's so commonly prescribed. Prometrium®️ = micronized progesterone that is "chemically identical to progesterone of human ovarian origin." This means it's a bio (or body) identical hormone therapy. 🙌 It is not a progestin (synthetic). 👎 The prescription progestin medication is Provera. It’s also called medroxyprogesterone acetate. Despite the word ‘progesterone’ in there - it’s not. Quick Notes on Prometrium…
Can 10,000 Steps Improve Your Depression?
Can you walk away your depressive symptoms? It seems like walking really helps according to the research. A systematic review and meta-analysis published in JAMA Network Open in 2024 looked at data from 33 observational studies involving 96,173 adults. They found that people taking 7000 steps a day or higher were associated with lower risk of depression. If they went 10,000 steps or more per day, they had significantly fewer depressive symptoms compared to those taking fewer than 5,000 steps per day. This is huge!
Dry Mouth, TMJ, or Burning Tongue?
You would think the symptoms of this whole menopausal transition would stop with hot flashes or insomnia. But, nope. It turns out many women get all sorts of symptoms that impact their mouth, jaw, and oral microbiome. It turns out, both estradiol and progesterone play a role in the “gateway to the body” known as your mouth! Thankfully, I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing some amazing integrative or holistic dentists who break down the stats, what they see in their office and most importantly, what you can do!
WTF Is A Hot Flash?
Isn’t it so rude when you’re sitting there minding your business and suddenly, out of nowhere, the surge of heat comes from your inner core!? Like…how? And why? You’re not alone. Studies estimate that over 70% of women going through the menopausal journey experience what’s called “vasomotor symptoms.” This is a fancy term for hot flashes and/or night sweats. In fact, some women experience these symptoms for YEARS - the average being 7.4 years depending on the woman. In this article, I cover…
Avoid Plastic? Over 400 Chemicals in Plastic Linked to Breast Cancer
My goal with my education is not to be all “doom and gloom.” Instead, I want to provide practical and tactical ways to be proactive about your health! This is one of them. Historically, it has been reported that hormones, especially estrogens, cause breast cancer. If you’ve been here awhile, you know I push back on that concept (heavily) as cancer is complicated. Estrogens can not possibly single handedly cause breast cancer. Turns out, I am right. In a 2024 Environmental Science and Technology Letters, the authors report finding 920 breast cancer-relevant chemicals. Of that number, 414 are found in plastics…
DIM Supplement Update = New Study!
DIM is a concentrated supplement that is used in improving estrogen detoxification. There are caveats to using it if you are in perimenopause. In fact, I don’t use it for postmenopausal women! If you want a refresher, I wrote this article a while ago but I want to cover some new research especially as not everyone believes in using DIM. DIM stands for 3,3,diindolymethane…
Heart Palpitations in Perimenopause?
Heart palpitations, fluttering, or skipped beats can be scary! It turns out, they can be a common symptom that occurs during the whole hormonal transition. According to this review, up to 42% of perimenopausal women and 54% of postmenopausal women report having palpitations. That's a lot! I’ve experienced them too. It was probably 2 years ago and BAM out of nowhere I started getting heart palpitations…
Vaginal Dryness and Sex: What Every Woman Needs to Know!
Like the popular 90’s song says, “Let’s talk about sex, baby! Let’s talk about you and me! Let’s talk about all the good things and the bad things…” Unfortunately, 10-50% of women can experience pain with sex or vaginal dryness as they move through the menopausal transition. It falls under the umbrella term, Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause. This includes vaginal dryness (not just with sex but all the time), vulvar atrophy (become thin/dry), urinary incontinence (urge to go), and pain with sex. It’s not fair and no fun but there are definitely things you can do!
Top Herbs for Fatigue and Low Cortisol
Fatigue can be due to a million reasons. Maybe it’s stress. Maybe it’s low thyroid. Maybe it’s low iron. Maybe you’re not sleeping that well. Whatever it is while you’re working on the cause, certain herbs may be helpful based on their long history of use. A common reason for fatigue is low cortisol production. I’m not talking about the autoimmune condition known as Addison’s disease where your adrenal glands can’t make enough cortisol. I’m talking about the fatigue that comes with long term stress, inflammation, illness, infection, etc. It can take its toll on the body and be downright exhausting…
Can You Stand On One Leg?
You’ve heard me talk about longevity and healthspan. Longevity is how long you’ll live. Healthspan is how WELL you’ll live. My goal is for you to live a long, healthy, happy life! There are tests that identify specific markers related to potential chronic disease risks - think of cholesterol, glucose, and the inflammatory hsCRP. What about other types of tests? It turns out, there are some physical tests that are related to longevity and your health…
To Testosterone or Not to Testosterone?
There seems to be a lot of controversy around testosterone replacement. It is billed as the solution for low sex drive, building muscle, and improving mood. Yet, not all women notice a difference when they supplement and the guidelines are specific that it’s only indicated for hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD). In fact, the Global Consensus Position Statement on the Use of Testosterone Therapy for Women states “Testosterone therapy, in doses that approximate physiological testosterone concentrations for premenopausal women, exerts a beneficial effect on…
You Can’t “Out-Willpower” Your Hormones
Have you ever asked yourself, “Why can’t I <fill in the blank>” regarding your hormonal symptoms? Why can’t I stop eating after dinner? Why can’t I stop these cravings? Why can’t I have more energy? Why can’t I be less angry or emotional? Why can’t I be more motivated? The truth is, you can’t always out-willpower your hormones. In fact, it may feel like you only ask yourself these questions…
When Is HRT Actually Indicated?
PHEW! There is some serious controversy around this especially as there are the guidelines and then there are clinical experiences or new research articles not yet included in the guidelines. When it comes to estrogen in particular, I want to outline what is recommended and what is FDA approved. Do keep in mind that a guideline is not a law - this piece of advice was given to me by an oncologist (believe it or not). However, it’s a solid place to start if you’re considering hormones. Right now, the Menopause Society...
Is it Perimenopause, a Thyroid Problem, or Both?
Perimenopause is a transitional state of midlife that tends to come with a number of symptoms. According to my friend and researcher, Andrea Donsky at Morphus, there are over 100 signs and symptoms you might experience. Some of those include fatigue, brain fog, weight gain, period changes, digestive changes, and more. It turns out, many of those same symptoms overlap with the symptoms of thyroid problems! This is important to know as it’s estimated that Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism are way more common in women ages 30-50 years old. In fact, this study states...
Is Perimenopausal Rage Real?
The short answer is yes. Rage can be very real and is more common as women move through the perimenopausal transition. In general, about 40% of women experience mood changes because of the hormone changes (and stress. We can’t forget the extra stress). This can include everything from depression to anxiety, to feeling more introverted and unmotivated to panic attacks. In there, extreme anger or “perimenopausal rage” might also come out. I was having a meeting with another perimenopausal woman who told me the story of when...
My Hormone Interview on The Dhru Purohit Show
I had the opportunity to be on The Dhru Purohit podcast where we talked through all sorts of myths women hear when they hit their 40's and beyond. Listen up or watch the video to learn about what the heck is happening, protein and muscles, mitochondria and hormones, sleep, mood, HRT, and why I love the word, "no" more than ever!
How Do I Know If It’s Time For Progesterone?
Hormone replacement therapy is all over social media - with good reason! Which might leave you wondering, “Is progesterone right for me?” But first, what is progesterone? It’s your “pro-gestation” hormone as it plays a huge role in fertility. However, it also helps you feel calm, sleep better, have easier periods, and reduces PMS. It’s made in the second half of your cycle ONLY after you ovulate (or release the egg). Unfortunately, as we hit perimenopause, we make less and less progesterone. It’s even worse if you’ve gone through menopause or had your ovaries removed!
What Is Phase 3 Hormone Detox?
One of my absolute favorite topics in all of science is the detoxification of your hormones, specifically estrogens. Estrone (E1) and estradiol (E2) generally go through 3 phases of breakdown in order to render them water soluble. This means you can then eliminate them through your kidneys into your urine or through your intestines into your stool. This is final step is known as phase 3 detoxification. It’s important this phase is working well as it gets your hormones OUT of the body similar to your sewer line drawing all the waste from your house...
Fatigue, Weakness & Depression? Might Be Low B12
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) is an essential water-soluble vitamin that plays a HUGE role in your nervous system, red blood cell formation, DNA synthesis, detoxification, ATP production and more! Depending on the literature, 6-15% of people under the age of 60 and 20% or more over the age of 60 are deficient! This is concerning as the symptoms are so common and often blown off yet the treatment is so simple! If you have low B12, you’re likely to experience: Fatigue or weakness, Shortness of breath. Numbness or tingling in your hands and/or feet. Balance problems (maybe difficulty walking or shuffling), Memory loss, confusion or cognitive issues, Depression...
In the Event of Perimenopause, Put Your Mask On First
How many times have you flown and heard the flight attendant repeat, “In the event of an emergency, put your mask on first before helping others?” I bet it’s a lot and it’s for good reason. If you suddenly lose cabin pressure, how can you help yourself, your family, friends, or those around you if you didn’t put your mask on FIRST!? Turns out, this even applies to you if you’re solidly in mid-life. I would bet that you’ve spent a lot more of your life giving instead of taking, nurturing instead of being nurtured, caring instead of getting care, and thoughtful instead of being thought of...