by Bianca Garilli, ND Migraines are a painful, oftentimes debilitating condition experienced by over 20% of women and 10% of men throughout their lifetime; according to the World Health Organization’s 2012 Global Burden of Disease figures, migraines ranked in the top 40 conditions causing worldwide disability.1 Causes of migraines vary. Some have genetic etiology, while other people are triggered by known external or internal causes. But for some migraine sufferers, the origin is a mystery, making the ailment even more…

by Bianca Garilli, ND The demarcations of a woman’s physiological stages of life are often delineated by the various, unique phases and cycles associated with fertility, reproduction, and the hormones at work behind the scenes. These stages include:1 Signaling of possible fertility at menarche Rhythm of monthly menstrual cycles controlled by the peaks and valleys of estrogen and progesterone Miraculous growth of new life during pregnancy Production of irreplicable nutrition for baby via breastmilk Rebalancing dance of hormones during postpartum…

by Ashley Jordan Ferira, PhD, RDN Once upon a time, I had a thyroid. Three years ago, to be exact. I had to undergo an emergent total thyroidectomy as a result of a severe, complicated case of Graves’ disease, further exacerbated around the time of diagnosis by another debilitating autoimmune condition, chronic urticaria. My family history for autoimmune thyroid dysfunction was significant, but looking back, I believe that my autoimmune disease trajectory may have been malleable. To what extent, I…

by Sara Gottfried, MD and Nilima Desai MPH, RD Dynamic duos exist throughout culture: Batman and Robin. Thelma and Louise. They also exist in lifestyle medicine, because nutrients don’t fly solo. They interact often interdependently, act as cofactors in metabolic pathways, and compete for receptors. One example is how vitamin C helps you absorb more iron, like you find in red pepper hummus. Other examples are zinc and copper, vitamin B12 and folate, or even the combination of berberine and…

by Whitney Crouch, RDN, CLT Women are often educated around the changes they’ll see in their bodies as they journey through pregnancy, however there tends to be a vast knowledge void when it comes to mother’s health and expectations after baby’s arrival. Once the much-anticipated new addition has arrived, moms are followed up within six weeks after childbirth, likely asked about or given a questionnaire assessing postpartum depression symptoms, and physically evaluated by her care provider.1 The American College of…

by Whitney Crouch, RDN, CLT What is stress? An integrated definition of stress states that it is a constellation of events, starting with a stimulus (stressor) that precipitates a reaction in the brain (stress perception) and results in the activation of the physiological fight-or-flight systems in the body (stress response).1 Stress is a fact of life. We all face stressors of some sort in our day-to-day lives; whether psychological, physiological, or physical. We have evolved with stress, and many of…

by Melissa Blake, BSc, ND Mental health continues to be a growing concern worldwide. Both Statistics Canada and The National Institute of Mental Health estimate that 1 in 5 Canadians and Americans live with a mental illness.1,2 The World Health Organization lists depression as the #1 cause of disability globally.3 Considering the rising rates and significant disease burden of mental illness, the increasing level of interest in novel clinical support options is no surprise. One such option being explored is…

by Bianca Garilli, ND Hair loss, or alopecia, is a common complaint by patients, male and female alike. It can affect localized regions (like the temples and crown of the head seen in male-pattern baldness), the entire scalp, and sometimes can even extend to other areas of the body. Typical hair loss is approximately 50-100 hairs per day, but those suffering from more extensive hair loss frequently notice increased hair loss after brushing or styling their locks or even when…

by Bronwyn Storoschuk, ND Combined hormonal contraceptives are used by over 100 million women worldwide, with the most frequent use in the Western world.1 Of hormonal options, the combined oral contraceptive pill (OCP), also known as "the pill" or birth control pill, is the most common choice, with 4 out of 5 sexually active women reporting current or previous pill use.2,3 Although OCPs are a highly effective form of birth control and have been revolutionary for women, like other medications,…

by Sara Gottfried, MD Exercise is key to overall health, but sometimes the wrong approach can do more harm than good. It’s likely one of the reasons you’ve encountered patients who are struggling to achieve results despite every effort to lose weight and improve their health. Thankfully, there’s more to the story. We sat down with Sara Gottfried, MD to discuss the connection between exercise, hormones, and healthy weight loss. Sometimes exercising too much can make it more difficult for…