Making Friends With Your Luteal Phase
There’s a lot going on in the luteal or premenstrual phase of the menstrual cycle, including higher histamine and an increased requirement for sodium. And if you’ve been struggling with hormonal mood symptoms, the solution might be simpler than you think.
Check out episode 19 of my podcast, where I explore the luteal phase.
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Are You Sure It’s PCOS?
If you’ve struggled with irregular periods, you might have noticed it can be a little tricky to figure out exactly what’s going on—and, therefore, exactly what you need to do to get your period back.
In episode 18 of my podcast, I explore some of the reasons for irregular periods, including PCOS and the oh-so-common hypothalamic suppression, which is frequently misdiagnosed as PCOS.
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The Hidden Story of Endometriosis: Pain, Lesions, and the Microbiome
If you’ve been diagnosed with endometriosis, the big question is: What type of lesions? Because if they’re only superficial lesions, they might not be the explanation for what’s going on.
In episode 17 of my podcast, I dive into the three types of endometriosis lesions, emerging evidence that superficial lesions may not explain pain or other symptoms, alternative explanations for pelvic pain and infertility, and an update on the bacterial contamination hypothesis.
Zinc for Women’s Health
Want a simple solution for period and hormone problems? Consider the humble mineral zinc.
According to the 2020 paper, The Role of Zinc in Selected Female Reproductive System Disorders, zinc can be an effective treatment for many women’s health conditions, including PCOS, period pain, endometriosis, and vaginal dryness during menopause.
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Troubleshooting Progesterone
A practical guide to making progesterone therapy work for you.
Progesterone is a fascinating hormone. It’s calming, protective, metabolically active, and deeply responsive to its environment, especially estrogen and the nervous system. In the right context, it can be transformative for sleep, mood, heavy bleeding, and perimenopausal symptoms. In a not-quite-right context (for example, very high estrogen or inflammation), progesterone can feel strange or uncomfortable, especially at first.
How Phytoestrogens Can Lower Estrogen and Lighten Periods
Phytoestrogens are a special group of phytonutrients that occur naturally in most plant foods. The two major classes are isoflavones in soy and lignans in seeds, whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.
They’re called phytoestrogens because they interact with estrogen receptors, but they’re not estrogen. In fact, they bind so weakly to estrogen receptors that they effectively block estradiol and are more accurately characterized as anti-estrogen.